Autistic Hedgehog

If you really relate to a lot of things here, and you’re really wondering, there’s nothing wrong with that. It is a good thing to research as much as you can, especially if you want to bring it up with your parents and/or psychiatrist.

If you do have some hypochondria, then it’s good if you have a firm grasp on why you feel this way before you bring it up. Don’t be afraid to write down the things you relate to before you talk to anyone about it, so you don’t forget what you want to say if you get flustered. I imagine with hypochondria, you could easily face people being dismissive of you about this, so organization is important. Do your best to make sure they understand you did a lot more than just glance at a list of symptoms.

Unfortunately, no matter who you are, an autism diagnosis is a subject that it can be very hard to get into with a lot of parents and psychiatrists. There’s a lot of ignorance about what autism even is. If they point out that you’re already sixteen, let them know that a lot of people are still diagnosed quite late in life. If they think autistic people aren’t capable of speaking, point out that autism is a spectrum with many different symptoms, and mutism is only one of them that not all of us have. Your best shot is to know as much as you can.

Even if they won’t listen, if you feel strongly about this, that’s okay. We will listen. There’s always support to be found here and AH and in the community in general. 

My mom did me the unfortunate service of not telling me until some years after my diagnosis; had I been, oh, three when I was diagnosed, this wouldn’t be so bad, but I was nine, and she waited until I’d been badly bullied for some time to tell me. So I think it’s good that you’re talking to your kids about it and that you’re open to them asking questions about it.

I really wish my mom had been willing to learn more about it, and helped me learn, and I hope you’ll take the opportunity to do that with your children. There will be struggles and self-doubt and all manner of questions as the years go by, and it will be so much easier for them and you if they always know they can turn to you, that you’ll be there to help them. If you find yourself explaining again, a little in the future, about their autism, don’t be surprised; it may take time for them to fully absorb what that means. But your understanding and willingness to help and learn will make the road all the smoother.

That, I think, is what I would have wanted. Not someone with all the answers, as such, but someone who would be there to help me find the answers. 

Hedgehogs, what say ye?

Unfortunately, I’m not a very good person to ask for this. I stay home and work on my writing; we live off my husband’s (pretty darn good) salary, something we can get away with in part due to living in a country with universal healthcare and stuff. I’m very lucky that he’s supportive like this, because I’m not very well equipped for working. I never learned any good coping strategies.

But I know some of my hedgehogs have jobs or have held jobs, and have some experience with this sort of thing. If anyone has some advice they’d be willing to lend, please don’t be afraid to chime in. 

I myself had my assessment when I was only nine, so I don’t remember much about how it works, I’m afraid. I know some of my followers have had assessments much more recently than I have, though. Anyone got some advice for our fellow hedgehog to help them on their way? 

Oh boy. 

This sounds like the sort of thing that won’t prove easy, especially if they’re not being entirely serious about it. I don’t know, do any of them seem to have real worries about it, or is it all just “Sometimes I act like X, I must totally be autistic, lol”? The former is something that may take some sensitivity to navigate; the latter will pit you up against a bunch of privileged people who don’t get that this is life to  you, that you can’t laugh about it and then not have to deal with it later.

This is not one of the particular problems I’ve had with allistic/NT friends, so I’m going to ask my followers here for some help. Please send answers directly to my inbox so I can be absolutely sure to get them.