Just do jazz hands...!!!

"Still no reason to expect everything to change just for them." Agreed. There is too much expectation of that nowadays in all sorts of ways.

[roasrchicken] Meaning I have other stuff to do too. S'later, dudes (as the saying goes).

Mine was a reply to Jingl. I type slowly!

Or being on the spectrum (like my DH )

I don't mean autistic people themselves should develop coping strategies, jings. I mean research into dealing with the problems autistic people experience should try to develop coping strategies than autistic people can be taught.

And benefit from, hopefully.

Greenfinch often they are damned.

Still no reason to expect everything to change just for them.

It's not about being seen as "normal" either. It's about learning to live to the full in spite of difficulties, whatever they are.

There is no way they can develop "coping strategies". To do that

No. I'm not getting into this. I am starting to get really angry

which being interpreted in this instance means vacuum cleaner, washing machine and bicycle.

"develop[ing] coping strategies" is exactly what we should be doing, not asking people who don't find clapping or similar noises a problem not to clap. It's the more democratic approach and, I think, more ultimately useful for sufferers. I'm not talking about 'masking'. Coping is different from masking.

Exactly Jane. Conform to "normal" or be damned !

. What do you think a spectrum is?!

jings there's no such thing as "the outer edges of autism". You're either on the spectrum or you're not. How you experience or manifest the condition depends on your cognitive ability. Hence more cognitively able people tend to develop coping strategies which can mask their difficulties. Its often easier to diagnose in childhood but many were not identified in previous decades. In our service the average age of diagnosis was 38. Eldest diagnosed was 84. All had had difficult lives but coped one way or another to a greater or lesser extent. I really respect the people I know with ASD. They do what they do despite having to deal with a lot of our (non ASD) social nonsense and expectations.

I know, *merlotgran' I shall be humming Oh happy day alternating with Mameeeee all day now and wanting to wave my hands in the shops.

Not PC I know but it just makes me think of Al Jolson singing, Mameeeeee.

I mean the 09:51:13 one.

soontobe, you are taking an awful lot for granted with that statement.

thatbags. I assume that because many people on the autistic spectrum have some problems in common, that that may be a hard thing to accomplish. Especially in the near future.

Yes whenim64. I do know people on the spectrum participate in ordinary life, and how difficult life can be for them. But, I don't think anyone can expect the world to turn completely in a way that would accommodate them.

Jazz hands - cue for 'Oh Happy Day' if you are unsure what it is.

Seriously though, both DGD and I must be ' noise-sensitive' as we both dislike overwhelming cacophony in a hall and neither of us is autistic.

But surely polite clapping is not too overwhelming although whooping etc is unnecessary imo.

It always surprises me that when people have had no experience of something, that they are still not able to empathise with people or someone, when things have been explained well to them.

By "real autism" I mean actual, full autism, rather than on the outer edges of the spectrum.

I think it's at least as important, and possibly more important, for research into such problems to focus on finding personal solutions to the problems individuals experience as to try and prevent everyone else from behaving in natural, non-offensive ways.

Jinglbellsfrocks We have an autistic grandson and all I can say is that we get very upset by people's attitude to something they don't understand and is not visible. It is heart-breaking.

I have a relative who is hyper-sensitive to sound and describes it as very painful when particular noises occur. In her bag she has ear defenders, ear plugs, ear muffs, a handy scarf draped round her neck and will quickly cover her ears with whatever is handy when sustained noise starts to hurt and it makes her feel disorientated.

Not sure what you mean by 'real autism', Jingle? The majority of people on the autistic spectrum partipate in life like anyone else, but have to deal with obstacles that others don't think twice about.

Maybe they could take a valium before they attend.