He is not stupid!

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I just need to vent. I know there are a lot of posts about venting, so I'm sure I'm the right spot.

My little brother Bud is an Aspie. Some people call him high-functioning, some people say he's just got some funky little quirks about him that make him who he is. I have to agree with both descriptions of the kid.

But I HATE when someone looks at him and tells me "there's nothing wrong with him."

I'm not saying there is something "wrong" with my brother; there is never anything "wrong" about being a person with Autism. Never. But it can make functioning in society difficult because society has norms that some with ASDs don't fully recognize, understand, etc.

We have been trying to get social security benefits for Bud, but of course it is a long and winding road with many obstacles. We have had many meetings with many counselors, as is protocol to make sure he really is an Aspie and that we aren't trying to milk the system. I understand the importance for these meetings. However, I feel as though these counselors don't really know what Autism is.

These people, these complete strangers, are expecting to meet Rain Man or Forrest Gump. But they meet Bud, and because Bud is not profoundly autistic and horrifically socially awkward, as they might say, "there's nothing wrong with him." They don't know him outside of the meetings. They don't see how he can break down at school assemblies or how he can completely block the world out when he gets upset. They do recognize his difficulty with communication, but some have attributed that to him being "slow."

Slow?! He is one of the smartest kids I know! He knows how stars are made and can name all of the planets in our system and even what their cores are made of. He can tell you how a solar-panel works, how a steam engine works, how electricity is run through wires. He knows the history of the Titanic and how it was able to sink. He can build you a functioning safe out of LEGOS for crap's sake!

But he's slow. That's a nice way of telling us that Bud is stupid. And he's not stupid!

It really peeves me. Some counselors agree that he is an Aspie, and others don't. It's a horrible place to be in, and I worry that he won't be able to get the help that he needs. Some have even questioned the legitimacy of putting him into the ASD class at his school.

I just wish people wouldn't pigeon-hole those of us with ASDs.

Bleh.

Gah, some of them just needs to learn more about AS before opening their mouths. Hopefully they will in the future but for now just tell bud to stay tough.