Why is it so hard to get an adult autism diagnosis?
Autism is usually considered a childhood disorder. The majority of discussions about how to identify and manage autistic characteristics are aimed at children with autism. However, these autistic traits don't just disappear when a child turns into an adult. Why, then, is it so difficult to recognize autism in adults, even for an autism specialist ? Severity of traits For many children, an autism diagnosis comes when they start showing unambiguous signs of autism, to the point that it interferes with their life and that adults around them cannot ignore it. If autistic traits are milder and less obvious, it is less likely that there will be an attempt to seek expert support. This means the diagnosis is also less likely. This may continue into adulthood, with milder traits easy to dismiss as personality quirks. When autism does not appear as a "disorder", then there may be less reason to diagnose. Masking Related to this is the ability of many ...