Although society as a whole has made some progress from when autism was first discovered in the 1940’s, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is still very much stigmatized in the 21st century. The social stigma of ASD is complicated, and varies depending on what country is in question, but scientists and parents all agree that the diagnosis and label of autism does invite stigma, prejudice, and the loss of the feeling of normalcy. According to Martin (2013), prominent features of ASD include “problems with basic socialization and communication, strange intonation and facial expressions and intense preoccupations or repetitive behaviors” (pg. 160). What many fail to realize is that there is a wide variation in ASD. There are many, different types
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The “assumptions that children generally develop in the same way” (Mogensen & Mason, 2015, pg. 255) really becomes a big problem for children without a diagnosis. The diagnosis of ASD is used to determine the services that should and will be provided for children in education systems. Without a diagnosis, children will have a much harder time in school, not only will they not be able to learn at the same pace as the rest of the class, they will also have a harder time making friends and getting along with everyone else. Children with undiagnosed ASD are often subjected to environments that make them uncomfortable and won’t necessarily help them thrive in …show more content…
Lucas never struggled to understand his experiences of differences, in fact he viewed autism and “being different” with a sense of pride. Dylan (age 13) felt that the diagnosis of ASD was unimportant to his personal identity. He doesn’t think that autism makes him different from his friends, however, he “indicated that others, adults in particular, saw him as different” (Mogensen & Mason, 2015, pg. 261).
Mogensen & Mason (2015) noted that all the participants suggested too much focus was placed on “the negative connotations attached to the diagnosis in society” (pg. 261). The stigma of ASD and attitudes towards the diagnosis of autism meant that “some young people were reluctant to disclose their diagnosis to others” (pg. 261). Anna and Kim both struggled with the fear of being treated as different if they disclose their diagnosis. Kim thinks that “boarder society needs to recognize that ‘we are not stupid … we can think for ourselves’” (pg.
The “assumptions that children generally develop in the same way” (Mogensen & Mason, 2015, pg. 255) really becomes a big problem for children without a diagnosis. The diagnosis of ASD is used to determine the services that should and will be provided for children in education systems. Without a diagnosis, children will have a much harder time in school, not only will they not be able to learn at the same pace as the rest of the class, they will also have a harder time making friends and getting along with everyone else. Children with undiagnosed ASD are often subjected to environments that make them uncomfortable and won’t necessarily help them thrive in …show more content…
Lucas never struggled to understand his experiences of differences, in fact he viewed autism and “being different” with a sense of pride. Dylan (age 13) felt that the diagnosis of ASD was unimportant to his personal identity. He doesn’t think that autism makes him different from his friends, however, he “indicated that others, adults in particular, saw him as different” (Mogensen & Mason, 2015, pg. 261).
Mogensen & Mason (2015) noted that all the participants suggested too much focus was placed on “the negative connotations attached to the diagnosis in society” (pg. 261). The stigma of ASD and attitudes towards the diagnosis of autism meant that “some young people were reluctant to disclose their diagnosis to others” (pg. 261). Anna and Kim both struggled with the fear of being treated as different if they disclose their diagnosis. Kim thinks that “boarder society needs to recognize that ‘we are not stupid … we can think for ourselves’” (pg.