would like some input about experiences

[Guest guest]

Hi all, I am a normal list member/contributor with a 4y/o ASD child. I am

also a graduate student in sociology at a university. As a graduate student

I teach classes & discussion sessions, often having to do with things like

social inequality. It puts me in a unique position to educate a captive

audience about things, sometimes. This term, the professor is not talking

about disability inequality or stratification at all, so I am addressing it

in my discussion sections. Since I have 3 children with varied

disabilities (physical, mental, and developmental) I thought it was

appropriate.

Since I am pretty new to the DD/ASD stuff, and knowledge thereof, I would

love some input from others about how people with ASD are stratified and

discriminated against in US society (or others, I know we are not all from

the US). I am especially interested in older teens and adults; since my DS

is so young, I am starting to see this within his age group (though he is

high functioning and I know his experience would be much different if he

was not), I do not know what it is like for older kids, or even adults.

I would be interested things like services that are denied after a certain

age, social stigma, discrimination, etc. If anyone is willing to share any

of that with me. Of course, no names or anything would be mentioned. I

would be talking about this in a general sense, and probably using my kids

(w/o names) as examples.

I have really seen the need lately to inform people about autism and ASD

and this situation gives me an opportunity to do this for some college aged

kids/adults.

thanks in advance!!!!

Donna R-L