Could I have ASD2?

[Dadamen]

After reading about the 3 levels of ASD and thinking about my behaviour in childhood I wonder if I'm actually ASD2 instead of ASD1.
Here are my childhood traits that would maybe fit into ASD2:
- No interest in making friends before age 12
- Intense need for routines, cried if disrupted, until 15 bedtimes strictly at 9:30 p.m.
- echolalia, stimming all the time
But, I think that I've outgrown that level 2 traits and now I'm functioning as ASD1. Here are arguments against ASD2:
- No learning disabilities, no language delay, have been considered "smart" since early childhood
- I think I don't require substantial support now
So, could I have ASD2 or it is more likely ASD1?

 

[MyLifeAsAnAspie]

It's not unusual for kids with higher support needs to have lesser support needs as an adult. This is just from what I've read, I never worked in autism support. If you are confident you can live independently with little support, then you are ASD-1 now.

 

[Outdated]

I was diagnosed as ASD2 at age 55. In the early half of my life I was very successful and very social. I also had no learning difficulties, in fact quite the opposite, I've always been very proud of the fact that I can learn anything quicker than anyone else. I also have very few communication issues

So in effect, I'm a high function ASD2. When I was diagnosed they tried to get me to allow support workers to come and visit me but that thought horrified me.

 

[Ella Spell]

I'm ASD2. I had the signs all my life but didn't go for dx until 5 years ago.

 

[Human Avatar]

I am ASD2 as well . The interesting thing with the spectrum concept is not all the things will line up for everyone like a Ranking System

We are all different with some similarities.Do you have problems with social and verbal cues ?

 

[PastelPetals]

I am ASD2 also though I don't know how well I match up at this point at 19 vs 14 if that makes sense.

 

[Au Naturel]

If you can live independently without support, that's the definition of ASD-1. Need to go no farther.

 

[Ella Spell]

 

[Human Avatar]

@Au Naturel

I am ASD2 and have lived on my own with out support since age 17 .

 

[Ella Spell]

"Support" doesn't mean that you have to live with a carer.

It can be anything from having a therapist, OT provider or service animal, to using Irlen glasses and noise-cancelling headphones.

Just because we require support doesn't mean we get it either. Most of us are doing the best we can without. That includes L1.

 

[Ella Spell]

I moved out from my parents at 18.

Was married briefly after Uni. Raised three kids as a single mother. One is adopted. Worked full-time. Broke down, crashed and burned. Had strokes. That's evidence that I needed support whether I had it or not.

 

[Ella Spell]

I'm home on disability. I don't have to socialise with anyone if I don't want to, and I can stim or have RRB to my heart's content without needing support. It doesn't mean I can't pay the bills or sit here being autistic all day every day, in my own little world. It doesn't mean I need someone with me 24/7 so that I can socialise or stop having fixated interests. If I had to go back out in the real world and work full-time, I would not be able to manage and yes I would need very substantial support, likely to keep me from having a heart attack.

They give these levels to protect doctors from lawsuits if the person is deemed to be "at risk" when alone. They can say that they put it on paper and flagged the person as having higher needs if the person is exploited or takes their own life. That doesn't mean they're prepared to actually give us the services or supports, but rather that they're covering their backsides should something go wrong for the client.

 

[Human Avatar]

@Ella Spell

I Hope all is well with your heart now.

 

[Ella Spell]

It's all relative, but thanks. ^

Regarding risk management, here are some of my test scores leading to Level 2. There are many more pages of rankings like this in my report. They also gave a list of recommendations like: I should have OT, psychologists, a service animal, sensory products, etc. None of that means I can't live in my own house assuming the bills get paid, but if I were to go loco one day my doctors could say I'd been flagged, or they've done their due diligence.

Services I've used and paid for out of pocket include a trauma psychologist, an ADHD psychologist and Neuropsychiatrist, hundreds of hours of OT for Interoception and Alexithymia, adaptive equipment for sensory, speech-language pathology for mutism, and tinted glasses ($3200 worth every two years).

I'm just giving an idea what L2 means for me. I know it may be different for others depending where they're evaluated and what their insurance will cover, if anything.

 

[Dadamen]

I moved out from my parents at 18.

Was married briefly after Uni. Raised three kids as a single mother. One is adopted. Worked full-time. Broke down, crashed and burned. Had strokes. That's evidence that I needed support whether I had it or not.

This brakedown could be due to older age or perimenopause. My mother had it due to sterss at her job at age 50. Now she works only part time as a teacher and this is already hard enough for her.

View attachment 95742

Seen this, as younger I was more level 2, now i'm more level 1.

I am ASD2 as well . The interesting thing with the spectrum concept is not all the things will line up for everyone like a Ranking System

We are all different with some similarities.Do you have problems with social and verbal cues ?

Well with verbal cues no, only some articulation issues. My biggest social problem is that I can make a lot of aquitances, but no close friends or girlfriend.

I was diagnosed as ASD2 at age 55. In the early half of my life I was very successful and very social. I also had no learning difficulties, in fact quite the opposite, I've always been very proud of the fact that I can learn anything quicker than anyone else. I also have very few communication issues

So in effect, I'm a high function ASD2. When I was diagnosed they tried to get me to allow support workers to come and visit me but that thought horrified me.

How are you ASD2 if you are social? Were you extroverted, but with poor social skills? Or have repetitive behaviors and special interests fit you to level 2?

 

[Ella Spell]

This brakedown could be due to older age or perimenopause. My mother had it due to sterss at her job at age 50. Now she works only part time as a teacher and this is already hard enough for her.

I suffered a clinical nervous breakdown when I was 32. My adrenal system collapsed because I had depleted all my stress hormones including adrenaline and cortisol, from overproduction and overuse. This was attributed to years of heightened anxiety.

My BP was 60/40. My heart stopped beating the first night on telemetry because it had no energy or electrical signals from my adrenal system. I had to be resuscitated with a crash cart. I was in hospital about 2 weeks, but then had no choice but to return to work full-time again.

I never experienced perimenopause because I had a complete hysterectomy and bowel resection to repair significant internal injuries from SA. I needed reconstructive surgery to rebuild my pelvic organs including my kidneys. My new bladder is made of bovine tissue. I went back to work after that too, since I had no choice.

On my first stroke I finally qualified for LTD. There's no way I could work at all anymore because my sensory issues are so bad I can't even tolerate daylight through a curtain. Going outside is next to impossible until it's pitch dark.

 

[Dadamen]

I suffered a clinical nervous breakdown when I was 32. My adrenal system collapsed because I had depleted all my stress hormones including adrenaline and cortisol, from overproduction and overuse. This was attributed to years of heightened anxiety.

My BP was 60/40. My heart stopped beating the first night on telemetry because it had no energy or electrical signals from my adrenal system. I had to be resuscitated with a crash cart. I was in hospital about 2 weeks, but then had no choice but to return to work full-time again.

I never experienced perimenopause because I had a complete hysterectomy and bowel resection to repair significant internal injuries from SA. I needed reconstructive surgery to rebuild my pelvic organs including my kidneys. My new bladder is made of bovine tissue. I went back to work after that too, since I had no choice.

On my first stroke I finally qualified for LTD. There's no way I could work at all anymore because my sensory issues are so bad I can't even tolerate daylight through a curtain. Going outside is next to impossible until it's pitch dark.

So, you had cardiac arrest at 32? You maybe should have been thinking what is it like to raise a child before making your children. It is surely stressful and there is no way back once you born a baby. You have to care for it at least 18 years.

 

[Human Avatar]

@Dadamen

It may be best not to make assumptions about one’s life with out really knowing them or their story . How is somebody who has a child supposed to predict they will have a stroke ?

 

[Rodafina]

So, you had cardiac arrest at 32? You maybe should have been thinking what is it like to raise a child before making your children. It is surely stressful and there is no way back once you born a baby. You have to care for it at least 18 years.

I agree with Moogwizard. This sounds really harsh and extremely judgmental.

 

[Rodafina]

Could anyone here give a couple of examples of RRBs? I’m having trouble understanding.