Yup, my daughter has the diagnosis, but every 3 years, we will have to prove she still needs her iep.

My heart is breaking. I hate that our country continually allows this to happen. School shootings should not be a thing our children have to fear.

3. Due to not being represented in the initial research, but so have people of color, and so many other people who do not fit the initial phenotype that was based on one specific demographic.

2. So now we need to identify other phenotypes that exist within the autistic population so that the diagnostic criteria and research reflect the whole of the community. Unfortunately due to our society things get boggled down to reflect our binary thinking. Yes, females have been missed.

1. Here is the thing as already noted by others autism research initially focused mainly on white middle class males hence the diagnostic criteria being skewed to pick up the typical presentation found in that demographic. However, we know that autism doesn't just affect that population.

Self diagnosis is completely valid, but I believe anyone who wants to seek medical diagnosis should be able to access it. Also, support needs change over time, so having a medical diagnosis is beneficial if one later needs accommodations, etc.