Autism Spectrum Disorder: Many Questions Many Answers

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a developmental disorder that often interferes with a person's ability to communicate with and relate to others, affects about 1 in 68 school-age children. Dr. Bennett Leventhal, a psychiatry professor at UCSF, discusses the history and diagnosis of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) such as autism and Asperger’s. He also looks at the prevalence, assessment and risk factors. Recorded on 05/25/2016. [9/2016] [Show ID: 31002]

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[Elizarge]

I'm an adult with self diagnosed ASD because the ADOS is flawed in the use for Adult Female diagnosis. You speak of learning social behavior and as I am 45 I can say I've had to learn how to act and now I can't get a diagnosis because I'm such a great actor. Acting normal takes a lot of work for us thru our lifetime and it is incredibly stressful. So much so that I have been diagnosed with a myriad of concurring mental disorders including ADHD. Please help us Adults get our diagnosis so we can accept ourselves better.

[pelqel]

Although I take issue with ASD being referred to as a "disorder" (I prefer the neurodivergent viewpoint), I am SO thrilled to know that there is much support out there for kids with ASD. My hope is that they don't have such a rough time throughout their childhoods and into adult life as some of us older ASD people had, many of us who are just beginning to understand ourselves, and why we are "different".

[LorraineChenx]

Couldn’t love this lecture more. So informative and so funny, he’s a joy to listen to. The note at the end before he took questions, made me tear up 😢

[jenniferwithrow]

Thank you Dr. Leventhal. This was the most informative video I've ever listened to on ASD.

[miracbarsusta]

I thought Temple Grandin and Simon baron-cohen were good, but after seeing this guy realize he's on another level.

[MrKaypet]

Thank you Dr. Leventhal. This was the most informative as well as contemporary video I've ever listened to on ASD.

[miracbarsusta]

this is the best presentation around! thank you

[ZKJonathan]

Very informational and practical presentation ! Thank you Dr. Leventhal !!

[foldby]

Thank you, I have 2 sons, who have autistic disorder, 17, and 20yo now, I am a alone dad to take care of them, for many years, there mom got a autistic spectrum diagnose at the same time at our youngest son..

[fishtales]

I live in the UK, I found this video interesting to watch as in America your ASD diagnosis is a lot qu?Icker the!an here. I was told b.y my sons nursery when he was 3 that he might be autistic, it wasn't till 8 years later that he was diagnosed officially as being autistic. So I ended up trying how to help him with no support from anyone, apart from this he is doing really well in mainstream school and I am so proud of how far he has come.

[galacticchihuahua]

One of the best lectures I've watched on the subject

[davegunner]

There are almost 80 million people with an ASD around the globe who deserve much better. Despite my daily struggles I contributed more in terms of tax income to society than 60% of the non-disabling population. However, often I am still being treated like shit which is a disgrace. People hate me for no other reason than being different. My daily functionality is volatile but I can contribute tremendously in ways normal people cannot. However, society makes it hard for me to just do my job and live a happy life in accordance with what I am capable of. I am always reminded of failing to meet certain NT standards and people do not realise I am giving my best. So I would say a large chunk of the disability is due to society which drains me. I would rather live in an Aspie community and not have to deal with neurotypicals at all. My quality of life would be way higher. It's ridiculous I am being exposed to society at all. Nobody likes to be oppressed and discriminated against every day. Actually, I have the opportunity of a medically assisted suicide in one year. I will probably opt for that. If there was a button to make NT's disappear or to just end my pain, I would push it instantly without a second thought. Society would benefit largely from the talents of Autistic people but neurotypicals do not care. Why should they? Having the neurological privilege is quite comfortable. Virtually every social setting is optimised for their needs.

[JamieHumeCreative]

Theory of Mind is Bunk. Have a look at the Double Empathy Theory. People with ASD, do understand difference extremely well.

[elizabethwutzke]

And it's not nice to be mean to them. Don't most people want to be "nice" ? I read a letter to the editor from a mom of a special needs child who acted up in a local store. They were asked not to return to the store which really hurt the mom's feelings and made her reconsider her decision to move to the community. I felt so bad for the mom. I think her child had asd, though I have forgotten.
Let's be kind! What's it going to hurt?

[shannonlyons]

For myself the mirroring works well with emotional recognition, it does not translate well to behavioral recognition because people may feel one way but act another. It was one of the most confusing things about growing up. At 53 I've recognized that it is more often because they are hiding something they feel is personal than directly lying. I no longer lean so heavily on that group of sensory information to inform my understanding of social cues. I believe mirroring at least through the form recognized in synesthesia is the sensory interaction of personal electromagnetic fields. I've known about my synesthesia for 9 years, I found out about my asd October 2018, I've spent the last nine years thinking asd is more or fewer forms of synesthesia interacting. I do not feel autism needs a cure, I feel autism needs to be regarded as a brain model that comes with a different manual. If it was treated as such I feel that for myself, my own path would have been extremely different. I do not feel that the angle of needing to match behaviors between people but rather the extension of our societal values to be inclusive in different ways will make the shift. Gut biome issues and sensory management being addressed from childhood would make it a more viable opportunity for society to evolve holistically. Thanks for your choice to work with this subject.

[arissetiawan]

Thank you UCTV . this is very helpfull

[satturatedphat]

Where was this when I was a child?!?!? I feel like I'm losing it doing these things.... trained myself for years just like this.. where's my support?

[Litful]

Wish more was done for adults with autism

[TheEyez]

1:28 - Dance therapy. Interesting you bring that up. I'm 40, diagnosed some 6 yrs ago and since about 2017/8, I've pretty much been a recluse. I've struggled most of my life with drug addiction, they provided an outlet for all the pent up anger. emotions, energy! Stopped using and now there's no outlet. The one place I'd go whenever there was a local-ish event was a Psytrance (Psychedeliic trance) rave/stomp (every 6-8wks). Could just let it all out go crazy, high energy/BPM, Darklit/UV-lit (inoffensive to the eyes) for 8-12+hrs, with like-minded/open-minded people, people I'd just talk to (I'd go to these by myself), everyone unified in good vibes (all accepting/unjudgemental; not that I look it) to just have a Mad'dun! It's truly cathartic and freeing for me, my happy place... until the pandemic. I accept and understand why they were stopped but it doesn't change the fact that it has greatly affected my mental health, become further withdrawn and have lost 3st. Whether that counts as the sort of dance therapy you were referring to or not, it was beneficial to me, so doubtlessly there'll be others that my benefit from such things.
A really interesting talk! :)

[missnazstylee]

amazing information thanks so much for the upload as a parent to 3 year old ASD I really appreciate this ❤️❤️❤️❤️