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Autism/Autism
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Question
Can autism go undetected for years?
Yes, most definitely. This is particularly true for high functioning individuals who might receive the diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome, a form or autism. If the person is an adult there is little chance that they would have received an Asperger's diagnosis as the term only became well known in the mid-90s.
There are some adults with intellectual disabilities who at one time may have received just the label of mental retardation but now that we know more about co-existing conditions, may be diagnosed with both autism and an intellectual disability. Dual diagnoses are also becoming more common with kids who have both Down's Syndrome and autism.
There are authors who write about how it feels to have an autism spectrum disorder. These people did not receive diagnoses until well into their adult years. A couple examples are Jerry Newport and Lianne Holliday Wiley.
Sharon A. Mitchell, B.A.,B.Ed., M.A., Ph.D. Candidate
www.autismsite.ca
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Answers by Expert:
Dr. Sharon A. Mitchell
Expertise
Sharon can help with parenting and educational concerns. She has worked in teaching, special education, counseling and consultingfor over thirty years and gives workshops to educators and parents on working with kids with autism spectrum disorders. Sharon speaks from both the education and parent points of view, having a son with Asperger's.
Experience
Sharon is a special education consultant with a school district and autism consult for the province's Department of Education, giving workshops and individual consults. She is also the parent of a son with Asperger's who is away at university. Together they have a website at http://www.autismsite.ca that offers strategies for home and school. Sharon's Master's thesis looked at the long-term outlook for persons with high functioning autism and Asperger's. Her Doctorate focused on strategies to help those with autism spectrum disorders
Organizations
Website at http://www.autismsite.ca and sits on Autism Today's Panel of Experts (www.autismtoday.com)
Publications
Author of "School Daze" ebook - a novel about autism, available on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/School-Daze-ebook/dp/B0085HN9HQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337999263&sr=8-1). Download a free sample at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/156913.
Co-author of Amazon.com bestseller, The Official Autism 101 Manual (http://autism101manual.com/).
Education/Credentials
B.A. in Psychology,
B.Ed. in Special Education,
M.A. in Educational Leadership
PhD. in Psychology Management, specializing in autism.
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