An unexpected silver lining for some

There seem to be quite a lot of people on GN who are either themselves diagnosed as being 'on the spectrum', high functioning Autism/Asperger's whatever, or have a relative or friend with the diagnosis.
I wonder what the cause is or is it faulty genes?

My grandaughter has autism, albeit high functioning, she is happy because her mum is working from home and she has their cats.

She is very relaxed but I worry about this in a perverse way because of course this is not how her life can be and at some stage things will go back to normal.

I have Aspergers and am revelling in my 12 week lockdown (other health concerns). My only problem is I’ve been attending lots of webinar/zoom/messenger meet-ups and have found them draining so have stepped back from all bar one or two.

I started an Aspie ladies weekly meet-up in Norwich in 2018 and we continue with a weekly messenger link up which I do enjoy but only for an hour - any longer an I start to get stressed.

Some autistic people will really struggle and I have a problem with Matt Hancock refusing to be drawn on the subject of whether the national lockdown will continue after Monday - we all know it will but he needs to be upfront about it as the other political leaders in the UK have.

Hope everyone is enjoying this glorious weather meantime - the lockdown would have become infinitely worse in the grey, wet winter we’ve just come out of

My brother has never interacted socially and never leaves his flat. I can honestly say the lockdown has made difference to him other then I am having trouble getting him an online shop and although there is a marvellous volunteer group who will get him shopping they cannot give an exact day and time so he is reluctant for me to arrange this. So other then this inconvenience he is quite happy doing his own thing

Im not on the spectrum as far as i know,I love the quiet lack of demanding friends,lack of haste,no airplanes flying overhead,Its made me finally realise that i need the quiet,im moving to the country to be near my family when its all over-thats if im still here! I still dont forget the pain and suffering that is happening because of the virus,(we have to remember it is happening all the time) ,this virus has made us more aware.

I love that the cleaning/tidying Im doing now is to make the house functional and pleasant for us

Usually at this time of year I would be making it "visitor ready" for other people

Milly
DH is quite happy at present, He is very much an introvert and doesn't much like socialising. I am a little more sociable though hate parties, but he is happy just with me and doesn't need friends. I worry what will happen if I go before him.

we all feel (felt in Dad's case) like this, big effort to be "normal" and chat- I over compensate and am very jolly!! Long may the lock in continue!

Yes I definitely feel that pressure because I dont want my urge to cocoon away to impact or limit my girls, so I make an EXTRA effort to have an open house and book loots of "fun" things

I hate crowds too so the distancing out and about is right up my street.

I miss being able to see the people I would chose to see. But I do NOT miss the crowds in the types of places teen girls like to be taken (amusment parks, pools, shopping centres, concerts, cities etc)

Notatana and Jane 10 how refreshing to read your posts. I too am relieved no one will expect me to socialize and thought I must be very odd maybe I am on the edge of the spectrum, but then so was my Dad and cousin as we all feel (felt in Dad's case) like this, big effort to be "normal" and chat- I over compensate and am very jolly!! Long may the lock in continue!

Not having my outside activities means I have time to de-clutter my house and garden

I don't have any diagnosed SEN but have social anxiety, hate talking on the phone and really dislike being in crowds (parties etc).

I LOVE no one coming to the door and knowing I haven't got to try to force myself out.

Unfortunately, I AM quite anxious about online conference teaching online from next week. Can't avoid phone calls either now.

FOBIA fear of being invited anywhere My husband is afflicted so currently ecstatic.

I can feel for you as my son who although he is high functioning is only 77on the intelligence score and as he grew aware he was diffrent wanted to kill himself and come back "normal". It took me two years to encourage him to accept that he wasn't abnormal just diffrent as we all are diffrent and not everyone is the sharpest knife in the box. He is probably now as happy and less anxious as he will ever be and I still have long discussions with him. So don't despair talking to him will help even if he appears not to take it in.

As I said on another thread, am secretly glad our easter plans are cancelled. Its always expensive and exhausting. Multiple visits all over the place. Shoe horning in a family holiday just because we havent had one since last year and feel we should.

I dont actually miss it. We rush around seeing everyone but its not quality time because we have multiple people to go see. Lots of service station bloaty eating.

Its not my favorite holiday usually. But am actually enjoying it this year now the pressure is off and we can just stay home and spring clean

Don't assume everyone with AS has difficulty finding work. I have experience of meeting doctors, accountants, Web designers, civil servants and even a vet with AS.

My unemployed son has managed to get a few hours of casual work, so that's been a bonus.

People on the spectrum are just like us .... different from each other ......some will manage some won't. Most are financially badly off and will have trouble organising themselves and need support which social isolation will make difficult ....a close family member is on the spectrum

Like Jane 10 I still keep in touch with all the many parents and the children on the spectrum that were in my special support unit. I am still so interested in how they all managing in life over the last 20 years (I met them all aged 4 or 5). I am so happy to see them now if I bump into them in the supermarket or town and they all seem very happy to see me. It's what makes teaching so worthwhile.

I'm high functioning Asperger. I'm fine with being alone and I don't have a problem with the change of routine. I'm running support groups (Aspie and other) online. A close friend is also high functioning Asperger and is having problems with the change of routines. I'm trying to give encouragement and keeping a routine of chatting online.

At school, class time can be fine. Rules and structure. From my discussions with adults it's the breaks that are the problem. The nightmare of the playground with so many unwritten rules that all the other children seem to understand. The dining hall filled with sensory overloads plus even more unwritten social rules. No wonder some of your DGC seem calmer at home.

I have a gc who is more chilled out, less challenging than ever before. This thread makes me think that there might be something in what I have previously suspected.

Dinahmo, it isn't just the children who are benefiting. I have asthma and some lung damage so am checking my peak flow regularly at the moment. It has gone up and today went up even further. I put it down to no planes travelling overhead to the nearby airport, very few cars and some of the factories have closed. It's an ill wind............

Jane my daughter ended up home schooling my GS as for all primary school level the assistance and support was great, at comprehensive level there was next to none. So from the middle of the first year there she had to take him out. Then of course no help as he fell through the cracks! She had to fight for anything. Then she moved to another local authority area and bingo there was support. Now though the same authority do not have much in the way of adult provision,

Large reduction in pollution. The subject of small children in pushchairs being at the same level of vehicle exhausts has come up again. They will definitely benefit.