@JLeslie I’ll presume you’re asking why my husband went through with diagnosis.
Without diagnosis, he could not get therapy. with diagnosis, we have hands on therapy from a psychologist that specializes in work with Asperger’s Syndrome and high functioning autism.
We had many mis-communications in our marriage and family life due to his theory of mind issues and his executive functioning issues. It’s really a lot to get into here in Fluther, since i don’t know how much people actually understand what living with autism is actually all about.
My husband’s anxieties had spun out of control from the time of my pregnancy. He was unable to pinpoint why.
What I will say is that with therapy, my husband has better self-awareness, knows how to combat chaos, has learned steps to be a better parent, is more able to verbalize his emotions/sensory issues/anxieties and more.
While some in the autism community agree with your assessment of the use of the word “autistic”, others including my husband, own their label. His label helps him understand why he’s always felt different. Considering he’s the dad of an Aspie, I’m content with him owning the difference that makes him who he is.
My husband would like to see more adult therapies available. He’s recently taken an interest in trying to relieve himself of some of his sensory issues. So far, there are zero therapies for adults with sensory integration disorder in our locale. He’d also like to participate in social therapy….another no go at least for now.
@gailcalled I agree. Most families really don’t care about the labels. We just need the therapy. In our state it is not free, unless a child cannot be helped through the public school system. In some cases, the school system will pay for OT and ABA. In rarer cases, the school system will pay for private schooling or homeschooling if the school can’t meet the needs of the child.