Autism Interview #81: Englebert Lau on Late-Diagnosis Asperger’s Syndrome

Englebert Lau
Englebert Lau is an autism advocate and Information Technology Business Analyst. Englebert was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at the age of 30 and blogs at The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome where he shares a lighthearted perspective on Asperger’s syndrome. He’s also been published in Autism Parenting Magazine and The Art of Autism. This week he shared some of the most valuable resources he found upon first receiving his diagnosis.

I Look Back At My Parents and Wonder: How Did They Miss Me?

This article was written by autistic advocate Kieran Rose and was originally published on his website The Autistic Advocate. It is reprinted here with his permission.

I look around at my life now and I see a wife and children, who I love beyond imagining and I think to myself “If there was something wrong, something out of the ordinary, would I see it, would I miss it?”

Then I look back at my parents and wonder: how did they miss me?

Autism Interview #68: Sara on Autistic Identity, Late-Diagnosis, and Socialization

Sara is a 27-year-old Autistic woman with a degree in Intercultural Communication who taught English in Japan from 2014-2017. She was officially diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in 2017 after several years of self-exploration and research. She now writes her blog, “Seeking Sara,” where she explores life on the Spectrum. She enjoys reading, writing, swimming, and music. This week she shared her experience receiving her Autism diagnosis, her socialization preferences, and how she’s adjusted to her new Autistic identity.

Autism Interview #66: Kat Muir on Socializing, CBT, and Advocacy

Kat Muir is a speech-language pathologist employed at Easterseals Crossroads. She has a B.S. in Speech & Hearing Science and an M.A. in Bilingual Speech-Language Pathology. She speaks fluently in English, Spanish, German, French, Farsi, ASL and some Mandarin and is currently working on learning Vietnamese. She is also a member of Mensa and a public speaker. This week she shared how she has managed some of her personal struggles as well as how she works today to help others with disabilities.

How to Hide Your Autism

This article was written by autistic advocate Kieran Rose and was originally published on autismawareness.com and his website The Autistic Advocate. It is reprinted here with his permission.

If you are the parent of an Autistic child, I’m going to introduce you to a concept that’s going to scare the pants off of you:  Your child is going to grow up to be me:

I am an Autistic adult.

Some people are of the belief that Autism can be grown out, or that with the right support and interventions, Autism can be cured or lessened.

If you’re one of those people, then I’m about to blow your minds with a second concept: Nobody grows out of Autism and a child cannot be trained out of it.  We just get better at hiding it.

My Path to Proper Formal Autism Diagnosis–Anlor Davin

The article below was written by autistic author Anlor Davin. It was originally published on her website and is reprinted here with her permission.  Anlor Davin grew up on the West Coast of France and immigrated to the United States in her 20s. She has written about some of her experiences growing up undiagnosed in her memoir Being Seen. She also shared shared some of her experience as an autistic French immigrant to the United States in a recent interview for this blog. In this article, Anlor sheds light on the difficulty of living without a diagnosis and how we can support others with autism throughout their lives.

Autism Interview #47: Frank Ludwig on Autism Appreciation

Frank L. Ludwig is an Irish author of several short stories, plays, essays, and poems. He writes about autism appreciation, among other topics and believes “Autism is not only a natural but an indispensable part of human neurological diversity.” This week Frank shared with us his experience receiving a late diagnosis, and advice on how to not only respect individuals on the spectrum, but learn to appreciate the autism’s presence in society.

Autism Interview #23: Liane Holliday-Willey on Late Diagnosis, Conspiracy Theories, and Accepting Differences

Liane Holliday-Willey

Liane Holliday-Willey, EdD is an internationally-renowned author and speaker on autism spectrum conditions, communications, and learning diversity. She often speaks about both her positive and negative experiences living with Asperger’s syndrome while working in a variety of different positions as a university professor, writer, manure scooper, French fry maker, community volunteer, wife, and mother. Her advocacy goal is to help others understand the importance of accepting differences and individuality.

 

This week Liane shared with us her thoughts on late diagnosis, advocacy approaches, and protecting individuals on the spectrum from harm.

Autism Interview #18: Jeanette Purkis on Positive Autistic Identity

Jeanette Purkis

Jeanette Purkis is an Autistic author, public speaker, and self-advocate. Jeanette has worked in the Australian Public Service since 2007 and has a Masters degree in Fine Arts. She is the author of three books on Autism. Jeanette has given many presentations including at TEDxCanberra 2013 and presenting alongside Professor Temple Grandin and artist Tim Sharp in Melbourne in 2015. Jeanette facilitates an Autism women’s group and is the 2016 ACT Volunteer of the Year. This week Jeanette discussed some of her background and advocacy work and how to help individuals on the spectrum develop a positive autistic identity.