Labels

"It's better to know you are a normal zebra, not a strange horse" Frances Harris

“I don’t want to label my child” is a sentiment I often hear from parents contemplating an Autism assessment. The concern usually stems from not wanting to restrict a child or reduce them somehow by identifying a neurological difference. Our culture has a fear of being different from the pack. The stigma of being different and possibly an outcast is so powerful that it lives on despite plenty of evidence to the contrary. I once listened to a parent explain that she didn’t want her young son to be diagnosed because then he wouldn’t be able to get a driver’s licence or a job in the future. Her fear was palpable — and completely unfounded.

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

The current administration in the US is adding to parental fears by suggesting that Autistic individuals should be placed on a national register. The intent and purpose of the registry are unclear and unsettling. Thankfully, Canada and most of the globe have not adopted a similar approach. The chilling effect, however, has no borders thanks to social media.

If you are unsure about whether to seek an Autism Assessment for your child (or yourself), I want to tell you why it matters.

Chances are that teachers or caregivers have already noticed that a child isn’t hitting appropriate milestones. Sometimes those milestones are uneven. For example, a very verbal child’s poor motor skills and aversion to loud noises may be overlooked because they have exceeded expectations around communication. Teachers aren’t trying to blame your child when they inquire about diagnostics, they are looking for confirmation to get appropriate learning and behaviour supports for your child. These already scarce resources are nearly impossible to get without a professional identification¹.

There is a big social cost to not being supported in a classroom. Parents are afraid of labelling their child because of the social consequences at school but frequent meltdowns, difficulties with sensory processing, learning difficulties, language challenges, social skill gaps and issues with self-regulation are being noticed by peers and other parents. As children reach an age where they become more self-aware and the social dynamics start shifting (Gr. 4-5), they can sense that they are different from many of their peers. This awareness can lead to internalized shame and frustration. As Francis Harris says, “It’s better to know you are a normal zebra, not a strange horse.”

Photo by Peter Burdon on Unsplash

The evidence shows us that early interventions to support self-regulation and other skills are more impactful when introduced in an Autistic person’s² person’s early childhood. I believe this is true for all children. Children are wired to learn all kinds of things in their early years. The challenge for Neurodivergent³ and Autistic children is that they learn differently because of the way their nervous system interprets information. That means we need to adjust how we offer stimulation to Autistic children so that they can make the most of it. But don’t worry if you are late in receiving an identification as Autistic or Neurodivergent! There are lots of resources to help you learn about your ‘Zebra’ nature out there. (More on that in future posts.)

Let’s end the stigma and fear about Autism and neurodivergence. These old fears have no place in a society where 1 out of 31 people has a neurotype we call Autism. That’s two billion five hundred forty-two million people!

1. I prefer the language of “identification” over diagnosis because diagnosis implies a pathology

2. Identity first language is another way to acknowledge that Autism is part of human expression and not an illness.

3. Neurodivergent is a broader term for other types of neurology that don’t fit an Autism identification. ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder and Dyslexia are a few other neurological differences that fall under neurodivergence.