What Happens To Autistic Children?
We become autistic adults — camouflaged all around you.
Say the word “autistic” in your head — or out loud. (It’s okay, you can talk to yourself — I won’t tell.)
Did your mind automatically conjure up an image of a generic little boy?
Mine did, too.
And I’m an autistic adult.
Stereotypes become strong and run deep.
Autistic children become autistic adults. The man standing in line behind you at the post office just might be autistic. So might the woman working in the office cubicle next to yours (although that’s not quite as likely, because…cubicles. Ugh).
Many of us don’t even have a clue that we’re autistic. I know I didn’t. For the first 38 years of my life, I lived as a neurotypical (non-autistic) person. People around me knew I was different, but everybody chalked it up to “quirks” and individuality. Nobody ever considered autism.
Earlier in life, my “quirks” were a collective liability. I’ve been able to convert some to assets and play them up. Others are still liabilities.
My adulthood is probably not so different from yours. I experience it through an autistic filter, which adds its own challenges because the world is not built for…
