5 Fake Signs of Autism that People Actually Believe!

[@tonilafountain636]

I am late diagnosed autistic, and I have been told by someone I can't be autistic because I "can talk"..... Not all autistic people are non verbal.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah. People definitely need to be more educated. Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@Kison-lp5wg]

@@7Aheadfamily real ticktock really has made people think differently on the fellow autistic people as well my autism is mild and I don’t qualify for special education

[@fredericksaxton9782]

I got told I wasn't because I could "hold a complex conversation" of things I was passionate about. *hyperfixation buzzing in the background*

[@7Aheadfamily]

Interesting. People defiantly need to be more educated about autism. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤

[@sbocaj22]

@@fredericksaxton9782”I got told I was not autistic because I demonstrated autistic traits” literally the most relatable thing ever

[@M4TEO888]

Someone once told me I wasn’t autistic because I can maintain eye contact. Clearly they don’t know what masking is.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@melissacooper8724]

As an autistic myself, I used to have trouble making eye contact when I was a kid. As I got older, I eventually was able to make eye contact with people. That was all thanks to my speech teachers.

[@NeurospicyKat]

Yeah, and not ever autistic person struggles with eye contact. When I'm ok, then eye contact is easy.

[@Faesharlyn]

I had a similar experience, so I stared directly into his eyes until he asked me to stop.

[@J.84]

Yeah, just like looking on the forehead. Or looking right through, there is a part in us that makes people "invisible" whilst they are not.

[@MEe33E]

I was diagnosed as a kid with autism but as a later teen I was re-tested by a doctor who said he doesn't think I'm autistic because all the autistic kids he's seen just rock in the corner and don't talk or do anything. I stopped seeing him and was tested a year later by a different place and was re-diagnosed with Autism and tourettes and, for the first time, diagnosed with ADHD. I feel like a lot of people, even doctors, think that if you don't have severe autism then you don't have autism at all. Thank you for always educating people on autism.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah. Unfortunately that does often happen. I totally agree. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@thomasschoeck9080]

@@MEe33E That also how I remember it from when I was growing up back in the 1970 and 1980s. My sister is level one and always has been. She was about thirteen or fourteen when she was diagnosed. As a result she missed out on early interventions and about a decade of support services. When she was finally diagnosed it was almost the mid-1980s.

[@melissacooper8724]

I don't blame you on not seeing that doctor because he obviously went by stereotypes.

[@7Aheadfamily]

❤️❤️❤️ thanks for sharing

[@GroundhogBaby]

@@MEe33E Well it is true that the diagnosis is very, very overused and people's lives have been ruined due to being diagnosed as autistic when they are not. It's not a diagnosis to be taken lightly because it can exclude you from many careers including the armed forces. People get up on here thinking it's a trend to be autistic and self diagnose themselves, which I take with a grain of salt. There was a Dr that did a video and he said there is a brain scan coming soon that will weed out these wannabe autistic people and put a stop to the self diagnosis and misdiagnosis. If you want to be truthful most everyone has a few quirky behaviors that may be autism traits, but that doesn't make you autistic. I have even heard of parents pushing for a diagnosis. If your child is not truly autistic, you are labeling and harming your child's future.

[@こんでれやの]

I am an adult and I got the "you can't be autistic because you've graduated from college", and "you can't be autistic because no one noticed it when you were a kid" (i was a middle child of 5 and all adults in my life had their own mental struggles that led them to neglect the kids) as an adult now in family functions i see how they are not educated or informed at all on mental health and how they constantly miss signs in their kids, its upsetting but i am so grateful for the knowledge thats available on the Internet and the relief of finally understanding myself after all these years.

[@7Aheadfamily]

I’m sorry you had to go through your childhood without the support and understanding that comes with a correct diagnosis. I am grateful for your willingness to share and add to the video.

[@Hulachowdown]

Me : “ dad , I just got diasgnosed with autism” dad : “oh these doctors these days… no sweetie you make eye contact and aren’t weird. You can’t be autistic. That is just your anxiety talking, we’ve talked about this” 😂😂😂😂 this is also the same guy who had his mind blown since both my brother and I ended up have cancer and needed surgery even though we ‘looked healthy’. Bless him, he tries. I just keep trying to calmly explain to him that it is a spectrum .

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah. Sometimes people just need a little explanation. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@PixelTheExtraTerrestrial]

That denial from our parents is sometimes were our tisum came from and its sometimes cuz they can see themselves lookin back at them when the denial is that hard im 35 and autistic u dont no how many undignosed parent of autistic humans have this reaction ❤

[@imkaito4568]

it's funnny, im not autistic, but i taught myself eye contact and smiling when i was 10.

[@PixelTheExtraTerrestrial]

@@imkaito4568 lol u do relise autistic humams can make eye contact 🤣🤣 as many of uss that cant can

[@PixelTheExtraTerrestrial]

@@imkaito4568 and u shouldnt be saying ur autistic to ur dad if your not

[@KaylaAbrahamsen]

My in laws didn’t believe my son could be autistic because he was too smart and I actually had a therapist question whether or not he was autistic because I was able to potty train him rather quickly. He got diagnosed with High Functioning Autism and ADHD. He is very much social (but enjoys his alone time) and VERY affectionate, has an advanced vocabulary and no learning disabilities or delays. He actually spoke very early and learns very fast. Which I admittedly didn’t realize was a sign of his autism. I knew he had ADHD but it wasn’t until he started preschool and had a terrible time with transitioning, leading to meltdowns and aggressive behaviors that him being autistic came on my radar. Where his Autism comes through is the way he socializes and his repetitive and restrictive behaviors. I have other autistic family members and they definitely did not present their autistic traits in the same ways. It is truly different for everyone and I have become so much more aware of that this past year.

[@7Aheadfamily]

So true. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@AndysAutismLifeStory]

I asked Facebook meta if i can have intellectual disability with my IQ before age 22 like my doctors say. Is it possible to have Intellectual disability with an IQ of 87 and extremely low adaptive functioning scores. My response was. Yes, it is possible to have an intellectual disability (ID) with an IQ of 87 and extremely low adaptive functioning scores. Intellectual disability is characterized by: 1. Significant limitations in both intellectual functioning (IQ) and adaptive behavior. 2. Onset before age 18. While an IQ of 87 is slightly above the traditional ID range (IQ < 70), some individuals may still meet the criteria for ID due to: 1. Significant adaptive behavior challenges. 2. Strengths in certain cognitive areas, but weaknesses in others. Adaptive functioning assesses daily living skills, such as: 1. Communication 2. Social skills 3. Practical skills (e.g., self-care, cooking) 4. Community participation Extremely low adaptive functioning scores can indicate significant difficulties in these areas, despite a relatively higher IQ. In this scenario, a comprehensive evaluation would consider: 1. IQ score (87) 2. Adaptive functioning scores (extremely low) 3. Clinical judgment 4. Other factors (e.g., learning disabilities, mental health conditions) If the individual's adaptive functioning is significantly impaired, they may still be diagnosed with an intellectual disability, even with an IQ above 70. Support and accommodations would focus on addressing adaptive behavior challenges, such as: 1. Developing daily living skills 2. Enhancing communication and social skills 3. Providing ongoing support and guidance Keep in mind that each individual's situation is unique, and a comprehensive evaluation by a qualified professional is necessary for accurate diagnosis and support planning. Just like I have severe autism and can talk. Is it possible to talk about an ensyclapia knowlage and still have severe autism Yes, it is absolutely possible for someone with severe autism to possess encyclopedic knowledge in a specific area or areas. In fact, many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit exceptional abilities, such as: 1. Deep knowledge in a particular domain (e.g., history, science, music) 2. Enhanced attention to detail 3. Exceptional memory and recall 4. Analytical and problem-solving skills This is often referred to as "hyper-systemizing" or "specialized knowledge." Some individuals with severe autism might: 1. Focus intensely on a specific interest 2. Develop extensive knowledge in that area 3. Display exceptional expertise However, it's essential to remember that: 1. Autism is a spectrum, and individuals can exhibit varying levels of severity and impact. 2. Severe autism often involves significant challenges with: - Communication - Social interactions - Daily living skills - Adaptive behaviors In these cases, encyclopedic knowledge might coexist with: 1. Limited verbal communication 2. Difficulty initiating or maintaining conversations 3. Struggles with social interactions and relationships 4. Dependence on supportive accommodations for daily living It's crucial to appreciate and respect the unique combination of strengths and challenges each individual with autism presents. By acknowledging and supporting their exceptional abilities, we can help them thrive and reach their full potential.

[@yankasa98]

Please how did you help your son. My son is the same way but we are waiting for his evaluation. He is in kindergarten and the difficult transitioning and meltdowns and tantrums is beginning to affect me. Because we are still waiting for his evaluation, he was kicked out of 2 schools already and the third one is suggesting half day instead of full day all of this because he crys during transitioning. He is not violent or aggressive. Just the tantrums and screaming. I’m so exhausted

[@yankasa98]

Please how did you help your son. My son is the same way but we are waiting for his evaluation. He is in kindergarten and the difficult transitioning and meltdowns and tantrums is beginning to affect me. Because we are still waiting for his evaluation, he was kicked out of 2 schools already and the third one is suggesting half day instead of full day all of this because he crys during transitioning. He is not violent or aggressive. Just the tantrums and screaming. I’m so exhausted

[@KaylaAbrahamsen]

@@yankasa98 So my son was diagnosed when he was 3. He was kicked out of a preschool before he got officially diagnosed because they couldn’t handle him without an aid, but they were the ones that brought his autistic traits to my attention. When he started there, I had already scheduled an evaluation, but we were under the impression that he just had ADHD. The psychology clinic where his evaluation was scheduled was originally going to take a year for his appointment and they also had an in house ABA clinic there. Since the evaluation was so far out, they offered us the option of basically geriatric therapy (which was kinda like a soft ABA) for him and we accepted that offer. Because of the issues happening at school and since he was already an established patient in therapy with them, the psychologist was willing to move his evaluation up because of how much he was struggling and his therapist he was working with was also able to see that in session. Once he was officially diagnosed, we were able to put him in the Special Education Preschool program through our public school district. They worked with him a lot to help him through the issues he was having. He’s now in ABA, OT and Speech therapy. ABA has been amazing for him, we have wonderful clinic where we recently moved to (we’re a military family). He spent the summer going in clinic 4 hours a day, 4 days a week. Now he has started in a Special Education PreK here at his new school and is doing great. All this to say, I felt the same as you before his diagnosis. I had no idea how to help him and was so emotionally drained and exhausted because he was getting sent home early for behaviors in his first preschool that was only 3 hours long. It shattered my heart when they had to break the news to me that they just didn’t have the resources to accommodate him because of the teacher:student ratio in his class, he loved going so much but he was definitely struggling. I can’t even take credit for how well he’s doing because we have been lucky enough to find services for him with service providers who truly care about him and want him to succeed, and I know that is not everyone’s experience. My advice would be to see if where you’re getting him evaluated would offer him some type of therapy as a place holder like they did for my son. That was really what changed things for us because they were able to see the behaviors with their own eyes, not just hear it from me. Make sure you’re also on their cancellation list and push the issue that waiting on this diagnosis is effecting your son’s life if you haven’t already. I really feel for you, I really hope things work out🙏🏼

[@reneemoore1518]

They don’t look autistic!! I hate this one!!! I also had a lady of a girls group ask why my daughter was there if she can’t participate like normal kids. So many people and groups need education on autism.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah. That’s the worst. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@melissacooper8724]

I think people confuse autism with downs syndrome.

[@7Aheadfamily]

They might. ❤️

[@Ann963]

And INCLUDING PEOPLE is really healthy and important, even if she couldn’t always participate the same way! Not only does it improve quality of life for disabled people to be actually included in society…. But it actually improves many markers in the general population: improve empathy, improve creative problem solving, increase patience, increase appreciation, increase group cohesion, decrease individualism, decrease competition, improve nurturing all abilities and positive vulnerability and teamwork (if people aren’t ashamed to ask for help, the whole group improves functionality, and having disabled people included helps other people see that asking for help is not shameful).

[@rebeccabelnap3849]

I'm glad to see that you pointed out that level 3 can still learn. My 28F daughter was 8 before she was potty trained during the day and 12 before she could stay dry through the night. They do get it eventually. She was in 3rd grade when one day she picked up a piece of mail and read it out loud. She had us convinced that we had to do everything for her. She can only talk with promts. I had no idea how far school had taken her. Now we provide written prompts that she can read to remind her how to say what she is trying to say. Each person needs their education taylored to them.

[@7Aheadfamily]

I love this. ❤️ thank you for sharing. Ezra is progressing, but it has been a long haul getting him potty trained.

[@Ann963]

Night time bed wetting in particular is more neurological development than conscious learning. And autistic people are well known to often have a difficult time with interoception and recognizing when they need to poo or pee. OT has been very helpful to teach me how to recognize better how I feel in my body, and one thing I observed about myself as a 30-something light diagnosed autistic is that when I need to eliminate, I often get a heavy feeling in my stomach and a slight headache. I used to not know I needed to use the toilet until I was practically bursting! But the skills I learned in OT helped me notice and pay more attention to the sensations in my own body. Autistic means our brains literally work differently, but this can be either under or over in each category. Under sensitive to internal sensations is exaggerated by being over sensitive to external sensations, and vice versa.

[@deathbymajorityvote5448]

I’m glad to know I’m not alone when it comes to bed wetting. I didn’t stop wetting the bed until I was 13, and I used to wet myself in school when I was around 7 to 9. I got diagnosed with adhd when I was 13 but didn’t get my autism diagnosis until I was 18. I didn’t get the support I needed during school and I wish I did.

[@higherground337]

As a preschool teacher, I took a childhood development course in 2018 for my own professional development. This course covered how to spot early signs of autism in toddlers, but only level 3 non-verbal autism. There was no discussion of lower-needs or subtler presentations. It's no wonder that teachers don't know this stuff if the people training us don't know it either! Looking back, I know I missed the signs in a few students who would probably qualify for a level 1 or 2 diagnosis. And I missed the signs in myself until I was 39. 🙃

[@7Aheadfamily]

Wow! Thank you so much for your perspective and sharing ❤️.

[@Ann963]

In 2018? I heard psychology classes were getting better about it! SMH 😢

[@sandangels73]

Autism can present itself completely different in different kids. One autistic kid's strength may be another autistic kid's weakness. The biggest "learning" sign of autism isn't necessarily what their strengths and weaknesses are, but that there is a vast range in strengths and weaknesses. The strengths and weaknesses in autistic kids tend to be much more extreme than in neurotypical kids.

[@7Aheadfamily]

very true

[@Sonicfan-cc1te]

Also for another fake sign of autism: All autistic people are savants. While it’s pretty common (Both me and my brother have some pretty strong abilities but we also have lots of struggles, especially my brother who’s severely autistic) but a lot of autistic people are not savants, that’s something that was wrong with a lot of Dhar Mann’s Autism videos that the autistic characters were portrayed as super geniuses.

[@7Aheadfamily]

I’ve heard that too. It’s not fair to put that expectation on people, expecting them to be a savant or impress you with their knowledge, just because they had an ASD diagnosis.

[@haineko1989]

Yes! There is some noticeable difference in the % of high IQ and genius persons occurring among ND than NTs, but that's definitely not 1:1, more like 3% vs. 5% or something, but people still have this Rainman idea for any person who is "on the spectrum" and disregard the "normal" ones...so the majority :/

[@7Aheadfamily]

❤️❤️❤️

[@Sonicfan-cc1te]

@@7Aheadfamily Another fake sign of autism is being immature

[@SHerit-q3v]

Agree not all are smart or have high intelligence quotients

[@jennasink8743]

Argh, my boss at my old job literally told me one of the kids I was tutoring “isn’t going to get it because she’s autistic.” She said this. To her openly autistic employee. Who was tutoring this kid. At her tutoring center. I was SOOOO mad.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Wow! that is crazy and so rude to say that out loud, since she was the boss, there were probably people who believed her too, so she was setting such a bad example.

[@Minakie]

I've been told so many times that I can't be autistic because I don't look autistic, can make eye contact, am a woman, can hold a conversation, can keep a job... Similarly, I know other women have been told they can't be autistic because they are married and/or have kids. All of this coming from professionals. I just started deflecting with "And where is that on the diagnosis criteria?" but even that will not always bring them back to reality. It's really sad that the autistic community knows a lot more about autism than the professionals who are responsible for diagnosing it.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah. People definitely need to be more educated. Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@clairebloom7058]

I was told my son couldn’t be autistic because he didn’t have a speech delay 🤦🏻‍♀️ also told he couldn’t be because he has friends. Finally got an accurate diagnosis this year at age 8 after years of being gaslit, ignored, dismissed, and ridiculed.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Wow. People definitely need to be more educated about autism. Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@GroundhogBaby]

The one about being able to learn has nothing to do with autism. Some people neglect to say that their child is autistic as well as intellectually delayed and autism really is not the main diagnosis, like Abbey on Fathering Autism. I don't even watch him anymore because he always describes Abbey as having autism, misleading people to think Autism is why she is delayed. Even non verbal autistic people can learn as long as they are not intellectually delayed. People get the 2 things confused. Both of my sons are severely autistic, but not intellectually delayed and were completely potty trained, day and night, before age 2. And it took 1 week. They were reading before they went to school, but they have never by any means been social.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah. It’s an important distinction. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@ALG3228]

Thank you for pointing out that the same behavior can have completely different motivations, and that they require different responses from a teacher (or frankly a boss for that matter). This one drives me crazy.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@cleosl]

My son is the most affectionate child i know, loves hugs and kisses, he seeks out touch mainly from me, he's also soo social loves other kids, he has great eye contact, so many friends and familygive me and side eye looks when I say I think he's autistic, but I know my child. Your channels has helped me alot, my son reminds me alot of your youngest, very similar x

[@Ann963]

I am late diagnosed autistic, and when I was little, I got a stern talking to about hugging my friends too tightly 😅 I tried to explain I was showing how much I liked them with how hard I squeezed them, and I liked them a lot! But it’s not nice to hurt our friends even when we are trying to show affection. Like, there really were a ton of signs, but this one is particularly bittersweet.

[@7Aheadfamily]

That's great! Thank you so much for sharing. ❤

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤

[@cleosl]

@@Ann963 my son is like this some kids can be a bit scared of him as he runs and squeezes them, it's hard to see him being misunderstood, I'm sorry that happened you too xx

[@DeborahSummers-v7c]

my son is autistic and here is one fake sign that his teacher told me (all kids with autism cant participate in normal activities its impossible) and that one really put me off 😠

[@7Aheadfamily]

Wow, yeah, that is really annoying, especially coming from a teacher.

[@DeborahSummers-v7c]

​@@7Aheadfamilyyeah i know it's quite annoying but you guys are so supportive ❤❤

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@DeborahSummers-v7c]

​@@7AheadfamilyThanks for supporting me!❤

[@7Aheadfamily]

No problem. 😀❤

[@Jones-d8q]

Great video! There are some pretty awesome influencers making KZbin videos that are also autistic! So thankful for such a great community!!! Have a great day!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing. ❤️ You too.

[@chrysewymer9009]

A very young loved one of mine learned *faster* than other children. He would sit bored for over half the class because he already understood. His teachers started having him do quizzes and homework while other kids were doing the lesson

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah. People definitely need to be more educated. Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@GalXZ42081]

This was my experience in school as well.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤

[@breadcrumbhoarder]

I appreciate you mentioning that autistic kids can be social and affectionate, I’m autistic and was always a social and affectionate child with my family, which I think delayed my diagnosis. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t also autistic, I’ve also always had trouble with making friends, black and white thinking, sensory issues, etc., but I still wanted to be around my family. I wonder what would’ve happened if my parents had access to your videos back then, maybe I would’ve had an easier time with school, so I’m glad you’re putting this content out into the world now!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@tamaraanderson7260]

It’s fun to see how social both Simon and Ezra are! Thanks for sharing!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@tamsinwalsh7402]

I love that you are educating people…as a society we are conditioned to put people in boxes and it’s sooo important to treat everyone accordingly to their uniqueness, we all have our own strengths and weaknesses and it is ridiculous to think otherwise… Much love to you Mum ❤

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@MariaLopez-er8xm]

Marie is such an angel on earth . It’s so special to have such a caring compassionate sibling . Bless your entire family

[@7Aheadfamily]

She is. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@chloetoytime8338]

I was told that I can't be autistic because I don't walk on my tiptoes

[@7Aheadfamily]

Wow! I haven’t heard someone say that before, even though there are a higher percentage of Autistic kids who walk on their toes than non-autistic kids, it is still a small percentage and definitely not close to 100%

[@ALG3228]

Me neither. I had severe intoeing (pigeon-toed) and had to where special shoes (that basically made it look like my shoes were on backwards). So, yeah, no toe walking for me, Lol.

[@Chances29]

My child has mild autism and doesn’t walk on tip toes either.

[@TheHcjfctc]

What’s funny about that is that I have two daughters. One walks on her toes and the other doesn’t; one is autistic and other isn’t. The one who is autistic is not the one who walks on her toes.

[@7Aheadfamily]

❤️❤️❤️

[@the_skyisnotblue]

The myth that autistic people can't learn is so baffling to me. I've been in gifted programs throughout my youth and it's wild that the school never suggested I should get tested because of the classes I was in. Either that or the teachers weren't educated enough in ASD to catch my symptoms when I was a kid. Now I'm in the "there's lots of smoke but the fire department is still on its way" part of my autism diagnosis and I'm realizing how many misconceptions people have about it. Thank you for debunking these fake signs to show that everyone who is autistic will present differently. People forget it's a spectrum and don't consider the vast amount of ways people could meet the criteria for ASD.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing. Good luck on your journey and I hope our videos can be of service to increasing awareness about ASD.

[@amandamcquillan4741]

I was initially told I could not be autistic because I talked with my hands.

[@Ann963]

😂

[@FronteirWolf]

My mum got that one, after an autism assessment .

[@7Aheadfamily]

Interesting. I wonder why they thought that. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@katherine_marie12]

As both a late diagnosed autistic adult as well as a preschool teacher I appreciate this video so much! Everything you said was spot on.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you!💕💕

[@BlueFoodisGood]

Thank you so much for this video. I came here expecting to hear misinformation about autism due to past experiences with channels of parents of autistic kids with higher support needs talking about them like this is the only way autism can present itself, which for a long time prevented me from finding out that I am autistic myself, because I didn't relate, or at least at the time didn't think I relate to these experiences, so I love that you're sharing actual facts and disproving common misconceptions about it, keep up the good work and continue being an amazing mother. Also, I'm sorry if this comment isn't really coherent, my thoughts are a bit of a mess, plus English isn't my first language, but I hope I could get my point across.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thanks. Your English is really good. Thank you so much for sharing. We’re happy to here that. ❤️

[@NursissisticOfficial]

The way I needed an adult advocate like you when I was a child struggling. I had no idea what Autism was all about, even well into a nursing career when all along it was my literal neurotype. I'm so happy that your little ones have someone as mindful as you to walk through this with them in this life. Good job, Mama. And thank you, for sharing accurate information.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@Noone-of-your-Business]

The one that fooled me for _decades_ is the "no empathy" nonsense. That one kept me from seeing _any_ autistic persons for all my life. There is so much work to be done to overcome old preconceptions.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah, people defiantly need to be more educated about autism. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤

[@raven4090]

I don't have an autistic child, but I've been one, and I loved the way you presented this video! I was way late diagnosed. 51. I can confirm it does make life very difficult for the individual that can't get the support they need. Thank you for trying to prevent that happening to children in the future by putting out real information! 🥰

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@EricAllenGriff]

Often meltdown and shutdowns... Inertia... Got miss called antisocial. Or that if I can't pull my own weight out in public... Not be in the way... Not giving and taking. I'd rather be alone and hidden and sustaining somehow in private. But I always wind up back out to discover and find another new level. 56 years and ongoing now. Thanks for sharing and sorry for TMI. Just feedback on what I found here. Thank You Very Much!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@ReineDeLaSeine14]

I’m autistic and was OVERLY affectionate!

[@thetickedoffpianoplayer4193]

Me too. Heck, I still am, but I know now that you ask before you try to bearhug someone.

[@GalXZ42081]

Same here, until trauma and anxiety turned me into an introvert.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤

[@lucindasavona2278]

My 5 year old was just normal boy who made normal boy noises & walked like every other boy in his class. I was told, by his teacher that my then 5 year old was autistic because he walked on his tip toes & asked 100 questions in class. What the teacher didn't know was that my mean mother had scolded my 5 years old for being too noisy. Mother told my 5 year old to stop being noisy & stop stomping like an elephant when he walked!! Hence he started walking on tip toes so she wouldn't yell at him again!!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Interesting. We’re sorry to hear that. People can be very misinformed sometimes. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@Ann963]

- Taking an instruction and applying it everywhere literally, like tiptoeing even when he isn’t around the one who told him he was loud, sounds autistic or adhd to me. - Asking 100 questions in class is often related to difficulty picking up on social cues, not knowing when it is too much, and being very curious, sounds autistic or adhd as well. - neurodivergence and sensory differences are highly heritable, so Mother’s annoyance may have been related to her neurodivergence? - your logical explanation even sounds like how an autistic person might describe a situation. You might look into autistic creators like Purple Ella, Mom on the Spectrum, and many more. You may find a lot of strategies that help your whole family, once you get past the internalized ableism (“normal” and feeling defensive) Much love, life gets better when we know what we are dealing with and no longer reacting blindly. ❤

[@GroundhogBaby]

​@@Ann963ADHD or OCD maybe, but not autism. Autistic individuals are not known to ask lots of questions. I have never heard this one before.

[@fredericksaxton9782]

​@@GroundhogBaby Well, I mean, personally I ask a lot of clarifying questions. Being autistic I want to make sure I fully understand what people are saying because it can be taken differently.

[@sarahfairchild399]

Everyone i know that has ASD and esp my grand kids are super social! They just dont pick up on some cues. Love this video!!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@kimdennis3259]

I had a special education teacher at school tell me my child was not autistic because his IQ was to high. A year later my child was diagnosed with level 2 autism with level 3 tendencies.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah, people defiantly need to be more educated about autism. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤

[@Clevelandsteamer324]

*too high

[@susanshedd816]

Every child is different it's a huge spectrum

[@Jack_Noah_Main]

Exactly!

[@7Aheadfamily]

That's very true. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤

[@cowsonzambonis6]

Great video! I’d say no one would’ve thought I was autistic as a kid because I can make eye contact. (It’s really uncomfortable/I don’t understand how long to do it for/I think better when I look away, but I *can* do it.)

[@7Aheadfamily]

People really do need to be more educated about autism. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@Curious_Rayne]

I really appreciated the "..you're in good company".

[@7Aheadfamily]

happy to hear it.

[@MaddieElizabethMusic]

I have 2 autistic children. My oldest is 5 and my youngest is 3 1\2. My mom would ALWAYS say this about my youngest and it would big the crap out of me. She would say, "He's not autistic. He talks." 😑 My daughter is nonverbal and my son is hpyerlexic. But, he talks.

[@GalXZ42081]

I was hyperlexic with no intellectual delays, and quite social as a child, but also delayed in social and emotional development.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah, people defiantly need to be more educated about autism. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤

[@Rebecka_Emricson]

I am diagnosed with autism and have heard that I can't be autistic because I feel empathy. "Autistic people don't feel empathy for others, so you can't have autism." Sometimes I don't show my emotions, but that isn't because of my autism. Sometimes I express my feelings and empathy. An I still have autism.

[@7Aheadfamily]

I wonder where they got that idea. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@mojeanin]

I love your supportive attitude!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thanks. ❤️

[@vipsuperfanxalazikos8641]

I like see Ezra and Simon playing.I can understand kids with autism very well.

[@7Aheadfamily]

❤️

[@josephmartin1540]

And, you’re doing such a great job here!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you!

[@lexi_2021]

Good to see that Ezra is getting better everyday.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@nevereverr]

New to your channel! My (autistic) sister and I were kinda giggling because of the term "Level 3 Autistic" because it sounds like you're fighting a boss in a video game. Thanks for the information

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank so much for sharing with us!💜💜

[@aliciaknowles1148]

Praying for your adorable lil boys Hope they get better hugs

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing. ❤❤❤

[@aliciaknowles1148]

@@7Aheadfamily you welcome anytime hugs

[@7Aheadfamily]

❤❤❤

[@rubenrave08]

I'm currently undiagnosed with autism, but my best friend, who is high-functoning autistic says that he's 99% sure that I have autism based around the same symptoms and problems we have. We talked for almost 2 hours straight of just relating problems to each other. I've wanted to get tested for it for a long while now, and I told my mom that I wanted to get tested. She said "You're not autistic because you're smart." I look at my best friend who's been diagnosed with autism since he was little, can literally tear apart a whole car engine describe every part and what it does, and put it back together in such a short time span. He's also very knowledgable about computers. If that is not smart, then Idk what is.

[@7Aheadfamily]

I know so many autistic people who are highly intelligent. The only way to know for sure is to get an assessment from a professional, and not just any doctor, but by a board certified clinical psychologist. I would recommend the ADOS-2 test. It’s great you’ve got a supportive friend that you can talk to.

[@annie.hi.]

I mentioned to the director at the preschool I work at that a 3 year old girl in my class might need an evaluation because she was showing signs of autism. She said "no she can hold a conversation with me just fine". Meanwhile the little girl spent most of her time hiding under the loft, following me around asking the same questions over and over, talking nonstop about the movies she watches, or spinning in circles. But she was a pretty little Hispanic girl who smiled a lot so that didn’t fit the stereotype.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah. People definitely need to be more aware of autism. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@josephmartin1540]

I think the first one partially came from wording in the DSM 4. Which wording I don’t remember. I do remember reading expressions so very close to saying we could not socialize in some of the literature back in the last century. In other words, the semi professionals spread that myth! Thanks for this video!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Interesting. I haven't read the DSM-4 so I wasn't aware of that.

[@Jack_Noah_Main]

Omg the kids Bluey shirt is adorable, also thank you for this video -an autistic teen (Subbing)

[@7Aheadfamily]

I know, it's the best. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤

[@vanster1544]

Can't be autistic because he just looked me in the eye Can't be autistic because he's talking And perhaps the most ridiculous one " Can't be autistic because he noticed the carpet was a different material than the floor

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah. People need to be more educated about autism. ❤️

[@ALG3228]

Oh for Pete's sake. The eye contact thing makes me especially worried when medical professionals are saying it. Makes me wonder if they even know what the diagnostic criteria are. Kids can figure out how to look at someone's forehead/bridge of nose like adults can. Higher masking folks really get a double whammy on that one. We "can't" be autistic so we don't get any support and often diagnosis is delayed all for doing what people say they want us to do.

[@ALG3228]

Oh for Pete's sake. The eye contact thing makes me especially worried when medical professionals are saying it. Makes me wonder if they even know what the diagnostic criteria are. Kids can figure out how to look at someone's forehead/bridge of nose like adults can. Higher masking folks really get a double whammy on that one. We "can't" be autistic so we don't get any support and often diagnosis is delayed all for doing what people say they want us to do.

[@7Aheadfamily]

❤️❤️❤️

[@_BO.]

Just a polite suggestion for AD(H)D folks: can you make an enumeration in the call-out under your video? Some people like us are having trouble to focus on a video for that long, we like to listen to you talking in the background, while scrolling at the same time, while visualising what you're saying at the same time, and reading the summary, so it sticks better 😊

[@7Aheadfamily]

Good idea. I’ll have to figure out how to do that.

[@Theredman22]

As a child I was hyper social and affectionate and I would talk to anyone around me and told everyone everything about me and my special interest, I also hugged a lot.

[@Ann963]

❤ are you late diagnosed? I was diagnosed age 32.

[@Theredman22]

@@Ann963 Yes, I got diagnosed at age 13.

[@Ann963]

Is that considered late? It used to not be, when getting diagnosed as a girl was almost unheard of, 13 would have been more typical. But I know kids now are getting diagnosed before age 6, both boys and girls. So I think the point where it is “late diagnosed” may have shifted? I usually think of “late diagnosed” as “diagnosed as an adult after my parents, pediatrician, teachers, and everyone else didn’t notice so now I have to pay $1,000’s of dollars out of pocket since insurance doesn’t pay for evaluations like this” I may need to update my understanding, or at least pare down the assumptions I ship with the term.

[@Theredman22]

@@Ann963 I don't know I guess, because I was diagnosed one year ago.

[@GalXZ42081]

I was the same way as a child. Life and people burned most of that out of me well before it was even speculated by a clinician in my case.

[@kathielepage8403]

I have some family members that tell me my 4 year old grandson is just seeking attention, spoiled, or not getting his way when he’s having a meltdown. It’s sooooo frustrating! He’s super social. And he’s constantly moving (unless he’s sleeping lol), and also needs that deep compression.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing. ❤ People definitely need to be more educated about autism.

[@jasonkrick1614]

I was told by someone that I was autistic because I memorized 200 -hone numbers. This was way long ago when cell phones had limited and cumbersome memory. I personally don’t see what the big whoop is about knowing 200 phone numbers off the top of your head.

[@MissxLariz]

Ngl that is very impressive!

[@GroundhogBaby]

That's a photographic memory, not autism. Neither of my autistic sons can remember any phone numbers.

[@jasonkrick1614]

@@GroundhogBaby That’s what I thought! That idiot didn’t know jack about what he was talking about! Thank you for informing me on that.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah. That doesn’t necessarily mean you are autistic. ❤️

[@Antiope]

My son has autism. He was not diagnosed until he was 9 years old because his symptoms were not obvious not only to other people (even psychologists and doctors), but also to me as his mother. Ever since he was a little baby, I had felt something. But when I was thinking about his symptoms, I told myself that he couldn't be autistic, because he looks people in the eye, loves to cuddle, and learned to talk faster than his peers. However, when he was finally diagnosed, I felt relief because finally what was bothering me had a cause and I could start helping my child.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for telling us a bit of your story. That makes sense to not see the signs of Autism early on. It sounds like you are doing a great job getting him diagnosed even at 9 years old. Many level 1 Autistic adults don't get diagnosed till much later in life, like high school or even college age because they are able to seemingly function so well in society. I felt that too, that feeling of relief when my child got his diagnosed, finally I had some answers and support for him.

[@EricAllenGriff]

Back in the 70s I couldn't be autistic probably because I was diagnosed ADHD. So they drugged me into more of who I was not. Eventually I revolted. I can so feel what you said here and see many proofs of those from my many years. I remember everything. It takes joggling to come back at times. Watching this video did som Thank You :)

[@7Aheadfamily]

Interesting. People definitely need to be more educated. Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@EricAllenGriff]

@@7Aheadfamily So many of us can educate comparing notes. Im glad to see today there is a large community comparing notes. Learning and being rather than shoved aside or even abused. I went thru hell, but i did learn from it to. A different path but it has brought me much understanding of who I am. How I can. I wouldn't wish hell on anyone. Hopefully I can share my learns so others don't have to live their version of them. And glad to see society has come up as a whole to. We're all in this together!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yes we are! Thank you so much for sharing. ❤

[@EricAllenGriff]

One day I hope to hear Ezra and Simons view to if they find the way to do so and want to. I see my childhood in both. In ways. My drive to special interests always pinned on overcome fears. Standing up. Risking much to understand overcome the fear. The fear was far more traumatic then the realities I found. Devastating like. Finding out who I am. From that kid that could rock in a chair with headphones in the old console stereo rocking massively sounding non verbal. To today has been a long journey through heaven and hell. I wouldn't change it one bit. I wasn't bad. I was (and am) different. And I am grateful today is so much better for the future (The next generation). Pay it forward...

[@7Aheadfamily]

You got this!❤

[@bethtaylor9773]

My grandson shows and receives affection, is in gifted and talented, and is an extravert. The school kept wanting to take him off of an IEP because he does so well. Duh!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@MyHumanSuit]

I was diagnosed at 49 years old. I'm 50 now. I was told I wasn't autistic in the past because I was smart and I was a girl.

[@7Aheadfamily]

People really do need to be more educated about autism. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@AndysAutismLifeStory]

You just said the words we care about other people and can socialize with them. We can feel people emotions we just can not understand emotions and be able to express things to share interest the same way as people would expect. We also can learn. I can learn with my intellectual disability and autism.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤

[@ThatRandomBish666]

My older brother and little brother both have autism and I find it so annoying and slightly funny how people can claim they're not autistic because they act like regular people, when both of my brothers have had a professional diagnosis. People clearly don't get that autistic people aren't just weirdos, they can function, it just depends on the environment you're putting them in 😑👍

[@7Aheadfamily]

True. Others can have a skewed view of what Autistic people are really like.

[@Alan23552]

Thank you. I learned something from your video today. Now I can be a better school companion/supervisor.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Glad to hear! And Mark still has all those bills you gave him to add to his collection. he is taking good care of them.

[@loveycat5474]

Today one of my autistic students handed me my water bottle because she thought I was thirsty, very social and caring.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thats so sweet. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤

[@PaulaRoederer]

I was told I couldn't be autistic because I am very empathetic, and people with autism aren't capable of empathy. This person was a friend with an autistic child, who is possibly the most empathetic person I know. It's like she's never even met her own child. Unbelievable.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Wow. That is unbelievable. Thank you for sharing

[@malanamarie5206]

I think I might have autism but it was missed since my older sister also has autism but she needs more support and also has intellectual disability, bpd, and ptsd, so I think my parents weren’t educated on what symptoms went to which disorder and assumed it was all autism. Another thing is I was diagnosed with adhd which can have some over lapping symptoms. After a few months on working on how to know what emotion I am feeling, I had a therapist tell me that she wondered if I could be autistic especially since my older sister is which highers the risk of a younger sibling also having autism. I was the kid that needed extra classes in elementary but randomly became one of the top in my class after being at the bottom. One year at school I would not talk unless I was whispering and I still have a really hard time understanding how to interact with people and I rarely if ever start conversations on my own. One time I decided to have a conversation with a person that seemed neurodivergent because I usually find those people safe but she told me she didn’t think I was autistic because I was talking to her. Which I guess makes every verbal autistic I know not autistic. I sometimes wonder how it was missed when I look back at old videos, in the Christmas videos I would flap my hands if I got really excited about a present and when people were trying to make me do something social I would sit and rock. If I was coloring and messed up I would have a meltdown. I would also elope often and to the point where my parents had an alarm on the door and I had to be leashed in public. I feel like these are all extremely stereotypical autistic traits. I am sorry for such a long comment but it is frustrating that maybe if a teacher or doctor noticed I would have gotten more support and could be in a totally different position. Thank you for making videos to educate people more.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Interesting. People definitely need to be more educated. Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@katerinaptrv]

I don't know if you ever heard or already talked about it in the channel, but if not, it is really interesting, is the Double Empathy theory, is a new recent theory about autism that speculates where all these impressions of people originate from. It basically says autistic people experience/interact with the world in a different manner and they express themselves in a different way, but this is not the typical way of expressing or reacting to something and this is why they are marked as lacking that ability. So, autistic people usually are empathetic but they express their empathy in a different way, so most people do not recognize it as empathy.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Very interesting! We will have to look into that and maybe do a video about it. 😊 thank you for sharing ❤️

[@ALG3228]

The double empathy problem posits that when autistic people communicate with each other, there is no deficit. Just like when allistic (non-autistic) people communicate with each other there's no deficit. The miscommunication happens when (or as a result of) autistics and neurotypical people communicate with each other.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Interesting. We’ll look into this more. ❤️

[@JustMemyselfandI14]

Another one is, maybe it's already mentioned as it is too much to read all the comments, is that if people are emphatic they cannot be autistic. I even thought I couldn't be autistic because I feel too much empathy. Also, I understand sarcasm most of the time and I can use it myself.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@JC.13-j6s]

I love this family 🥰🥰 this always makes me happy when i watch 7-ahead autism family

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@JC.13-j6s]

@@7Aheadfamily your very welcome🥰🥰🥰🌻🌸💕

[@7Aheadfamily]

❤❤❤

[@hannahholland-d2r]

One time I was told that I wasn't autistic because I laughed and smiled

[@7Aheadfamily]

Well that’s weird. Why would someone think that. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@melissacooper8724]

Do people think autistic people are zombies or something?!

[@7Aheadfamily]

There is definitely a lot of misinformation out there for sure, we hope to dispel some of it anyways. 😊

[@Frankybeanselevators]

Another myth is that autistic people are highly intelligent, people love to say that Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin etc have autism... but if they were/are autistic they are a very very small minority, and playing up that stereotype does more harm than good.

[@7Aheadfamily]

That expectation of genius in an unfair expectation.

[@1EmuFan]

I’m autistic in 7th grade and in algebra 1 honors and apparently a lot of my classmates last year had autism and/or adhd so autistic ppl can be intelligent but not every intelligent person is autistic?

[@7Aheadfamily]

True.

[@amandamandamands]

I hate it when people put Elon Musk in a group of smart people. He started off with money and managed to buy businesses that were successful. Still trying to work out if the changes that he made to twitter that caused its stock price to plummet was on purpose or he is incompetent.

[@GroundhogBaby]

@@1EmuFan autism and intelligence are 2 different things. If you are autistic it does not determine how smart you are.

[@thomasschoeck9080]

Regarding potty training and learning: I think Ezra can definitely get there (at least during the day) when it comes to toilet training. The first step is having him use the toilet once a day. The next step is to have him use it twice a day. Next, three times a day. From there, four times a day is a good objective. It looks like Ezra is already using the toilet at least once a day (if not twice a day) and he sometimes initiates. That means that in time he should be able to get there. From what I remember of my own training once the objective of using the toilet three times a day is reached one is almost there (especially if by that point in time the toilet is often used for both of the activities that it was designed for).

[@7Aheadfamily]

Ezra will have bad days and good days. Sometimes he will use the potty the whole day and the next day he won’t. But over a long period of time we can see the progress he is making.

[@MotownCountry]

if i'm being social, then those that know me (aka family) should realize that it's a good day and to take advantage of that.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Makes sense. Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@MiaNapangarti-pn8ii]

I was officially (late) diagnosed with autism 4 years ago. Always knowing I was different it was about 20 years ago I first started learning about "aspergers" type of autism because I had grown up only knowing of autism through media as being like Rainman/savants etc. When I began to learn more about certain signs and that there was a spectrum, I began wondering if I was on it. 12 years ago when my daughter was born I asked a doctor (a GP who was known for being the doctor who you saw for autism cases in my small city) if he thought I was autistic. He had a conversation with me and told me he didn't think so and linked in a telehealth call with an apparent specialist in the capital city of my state. That doctor had a conversation with me and said "No you don't have autism" "Are you sure?" "You can't possibly have autism, you're too charming. You have good manners, you're intelligent, there's no way you're autistic". That ignorant conversation delayed my diagnosis until 8 years later, seeing a psychologist for anxiety, who spent many sessions with me, then asked me if I had considered that I might be on the spectrum and/or have adhd. I then was diagnosed by a psychiatrist with both autism and ADHD, received help, being linked with support systems including an adhd coach and medication, and advice on everything including sensory aids. I realised what was seen as reclusive or abnormal by others was ok and normal for me, which helped me accept myself and not feel 'wrong', and learned setting boundaries that made me happy was not rude. My life is so much better, my past makes so much more sense, and I'm able to manage myself and navigate my life in a way I didn't realise was attainable when I was undiagnosed and didn't understand why things weren't working for me. I wish not just the general public, but more people in the medical profession understood autism and adhd and how differently they present in different people and at different stages of life.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah, medical professionals especially need to understand more about autism. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@cat-xg2sp]

I was told I wasn't autistic because I understood emotions. Since I could look at someone who was clearly upset and know that they were upset and try to help them... apparently that meant I was not autistic. (Backstory, since I was way younger I was always trying to help people and have conversations. I had a regression when I was 11 and didn't talk for a month or two, that's when my parents got my diagnosed with autism, and also a brain inflammation called PANDAS that has made it more difficult to connect with people, because one of my main PANDAS symptom is regression, so talking, walking, writing, etc. I'm relearning how to do a lot of those things though and I'm getting a lot better now.)

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah, people defiantly need to be more educated about autism. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. ❤

[@jjbud3124]

I'm on the spectrum and I can say socializing was excruciating as a child and young person. It wasn't with my own siblings, family, or familiar people, but with strangers it was. I learned and forced myself to be social, but it has always been uncomfortable for me. I'm now elderly and I prefer being alone 100% of the time, but I still can be social if the occasion arises. I hate parties and meeting new people. Large crowds panic and irritate me. My grandson is also on the spectrum and no one, not even his family, ever heard him speak in a normal voice until he was an adult. He spoke, but not in his own natural voice. Neither of us had learning disabilities. I have navigated my way, always holding down jobs, and raising a family. I'm sure the only thing most people would notice about me is that I don't show up at social activities very often and the eye contact thing. I've taught myself to make eye contact, but I still have a lot of trouble with it. I have always stimmed, first nail biting, which I was able to stop, and to this day messing with my fingernails whenever they are free to do so. Can't stand the cacophony of all the voices in busy places. I didn't "learn" any of these behaviors. My parents were very social people, especially my mom, with lots of friends. Sometimes they had trouble understanding me I bet. My other siblings were quite normal.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@FronteirWolf]

You can't be autistic because you're not always happy and autistic people ate always happy - true story, it happened to my friend. "We thought our son might be autistic, but he started talking, so we've ruled autism out" paraphrase of what some parents said on a documentary about children. He didn't interact with the other kids and spent all his time playing with buses. When I was 4 they ruled out autism because I had an imagination and talked to my teachers, never mind the not interacting very successfully with my peers.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah. People definitely need to be more educated. Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@misspat7555]

I thought autistic people couldn’t enjoy socializing; turns out it’s just my family that are antisocial nerd-geeks! 😅

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@youareenough94]

My daughter wasn't diagnosed initially because she, like her L1 autistic speech, didn't have delayed speach. He was a mini professor.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@helenalena6193]

I was a very social kid, just didn't KNOW how to be social with other kids. I also thought I did maintain eye contact, until I realized I didn't quite know the eye color of most people I knew.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. Simon can have eye contact, but not as much as a neurotypical kid.

[@ankitadeepkumar1159]

Your videos are super helpful, especially for me as a young mom just learning about the world of autism! I was wondering if you could do a video about behavioral differences at 3 yrs old bw level 1 and level 3 autism?

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you ❤️. Yes! If you get that PDF, we mention in the video that is in the description. We actually send you examples of pretty much every age.

[@Dakoda-Scarlett]

I was very social and loved to hug as a kid

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@susanblake5823]

I have two autistic grandchildren - one is SUPER SOCIAL! (often followed by some alone-time to decompress!). /S

[@7Aheadfamily]

That sounds familiar. Thanks for sharing

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@Gwenx]

Fake signs of autism: #1: Only boys can have it. #2: Autistic people are always considered to have high support needs. #3: If you are good at being social or navigate social situations well you cant have autism. #4: Autistic people cant speak well, aren't well formulated, they will shudder, speak baby language, or have poor language skills. #5: Autistic people cannot have relationships. #6: Autistic people cant make friends. #7: Autistic people cant handle minor stressful situations. #8: Autistic people have violent and loud meltdowns. #9: Autistic people can be violent and dangerous. These are things i heard growing up, i have always had a lot of people around me that was, "different" and i would often hear adults saying these things about some of the children in the "Special Classes" (what a horrible name for a class that handles the kids who have some form of learning disability..) i have experienced so many autistic people, both people who knew and people who like me didn't know until later in life. I have seen people with extremely high support needs, people with other disabilities on the side, and i have a good handful of friends who are low support need, who are working full time, have relationships, are social and live like most other people do. I myself lay in the middle, i need more support then i get, but I'm am too "well functioning" to qualify for anything, i cant work or study, and my energy is generally a roller coaster - i too have mental health issues on the side that pulls me even more down. I am a female, I am social, navigate social situations well, very emotional intelligent, vocabulary and language is fine, i have friends and a partner, i handle stress fairly okay, my meltdowns are silent, and I do not like to hurt other people even if i do get extremely angry. But all of this, is me masking, all of this is when i have the energy to withstand the stressors life throws at me, when i don't have much or any energy, i can do none of these things well.. I'm still not dangerous, and my meltdown is still silent and calm on the outside. That's why i have to watch my energy. We are all different, some Autistic might not want a relationship, some may prefer to be more alone, some love socializing (I have met many who do), some sound or look awkward others dress nicely or use makeup, some have sensory issues, others not as much, we are all different, we all exist.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah. People definitely need to be more educated about autism. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@private-local-enemy]

after posing general inquiries at the continued behest of family members, i had a psychologist tell me i couldn't be autistic because i've been to college (for subjects that interest me) twice and because i did 'decently' in high school (let's ignore how i only passed one grade because the teacher was retiring and didn't want to teach summer school maths). lol

[@7Aheadfamily]

Wow. What subjects interest you?

[@sunniiai]

i was diagnosed with autism, i am in middle school and 2 of my periods + advisory are in a special ed class. my friend asked me why i was in them, i said it was because i was autistic, guess what they said! “no you aren’t”…. yeah…. “you aren’t like ben” no. i am not like the kid who needs a caretaker. more people need to understand autism is a spectrum..

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah. People do need to be more educated about autism. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤

[@mailosgirl2]

My child is awaiting the waitlist of over a year to being diagnosed and I am so scared they are going to say yeah no he is ok. My child is in ot and st and they say they see all of the signs. He needs a lot of help and gets over stimulated easily and his meltdowns are awful and most times the insurance won’t help us if he doesn’t have a diagnosis 🤦🏻‍♀️ my baby isnt social with ppl outside of the home but very social with me and my family.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️ We wish the very best for you and your son.

[@johnnywind6404]

I do tiptoe. Not sure why others would tiptoe, but the reason that I do it is to reduce the stress from the excessive noise when the back of my foot hit the ground. The sound will go through both my ears and bones. I am also super stressed when others walk “normal” and make a lot of noise.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Interesting. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@tracygarrett11]

Preach mama bear! Love your videos

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you! ❤️❤️❤️

[@deathbymajorityvote5448]

I was told I couldn’t be autistic bc I had lots of friends and that I could make eye contact 😣

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah. People definitely need to be more educated. Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@StaceyShaffer-mg7uw]

I was told I was not autistic because I looked you could see the eyes but I'm not looking at there eyes I'm looking at their noise and eyebrow . And I talk to much .

[@7Aheadfamily]

People really do need to be more educated about autism. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@JennyField-l5t]

This one wasnt in relation to autism it was ADHD but i was told numerous times my daughter wasnt ADHD because she could concentrate 'when she wants to'. Mind you this was before formal schooling and to be fair they agreed with me fairly quickly (I had the feeling she was adhd).

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@beccasflyingrainbow7886]

I’m just a little autistic goober who is keeps on trying to find a hyperfixation because I keep on getting scared of all of them for no reason :(

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing!❤

[@Mummyk01]

My son is almost 6 he was refused a thorough autism assessment on the nhs because he can speak? And give small eye contact. He was diaognosed woth anxiety and sensory processing disorder.and saying he has adhd but cant give a written diaognosis until he is 6 He struggles socially emotionally.high anxiety trouble making and keeping friendships.lashes out kicks hits bites hits himself. Low attention span. Has a special like of trains and lining them up. Mental health went into school to give him some talking thereapy. They said after 3 sessioons they cant work with him.he doesnt give eye contact doesnt respond ,and doesnt show that he has heard the questions. Now with evidence he has now been accepted for a full asd assessment .

[@7Aheadfamily]

Wow. People really do need to be more educated about autism. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤

[@sownpeace]

I know a child who missed their opportunity for diagnosis (though I still did all the interventions) because more than 2 professionals said said child was super social. But, the reading the situation and responding are not what you would expect from a child well loved and taught. 15 and still extremely social and very intelligent - but perhaps a little different.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing💕

[@EvlynWilson]

I'm autistic and look after my old mum plus I spoil her. I don't have friends but my love for my mother is a lot. Well one woman said I'm too helpful to be autistic.

[@7Aheadfamily]

That’s so nice of you to take care of her. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@SnickerDoodleBug05]

Everyone I'm friends with thinks I'm either autistic, have ADHD, or both. Getting tested for autism this October

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@thomasschoeck9080]

Some people in my family believe the myth about learning and/or equate it with having a learning disability like dyslexia.

[@7Aheadfamily]

I see. I am sorry they believe this, when it’s not true.

[@thomasschoeck9080]

@@7Aheadfamily Equating autism with laziness and/or stubbornness is another thing that I have seen. When I was growing up I was sometimes on the receiving end of this but more often then and now I would see other people go through this.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Well, we appreciate all the comments that you do on our channel! I know this helps educate many people. 😊

[@GroundhogBaby]

??? Autism= laziness??? That's a new one on me. Sometimes I wished that was true with my 2. It was the opposite for us. It seemed like they never stopped or sat still. They were going day and night to the point of being dangerous.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤

[@thomasschoeck9080]

The myth about wanting to be alone all the time is as old as the world “autism” itself. This myth seems to go back to at least the 1940s.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yes. People have thought that for a long time.

[@TheHcjfctc]

@@thomasschoeck9080 True. My daughter absolutely needs her alone time, but she’ll also be in my room often with me just because and desires to be with others sometimes.

[@7Aheadfamily]

❤️❤️❤️

[@Ann963]

@@TheHcjfctc yeah, autistic people are like cats in this way. I need my alone time, but also sometimes I just want to chill near you. ❤

[@thetickedoffpianoplayer4193]

This is because Leo Kanner made the diagnosis criteria so strict that only the most stereotypically obvious cases were caught. We're still feeling the effects of that dude.