Sometimes, autistic people don’t get an autism diagnosisWhen a doctor says you are autistic., and we might get diagnosed with other disabilities instead. Sometimes, we also have these disabilities, but other times, doctors are just confused. They might not realize we are autistic.
Women and people of colorPeople who are not white. For example, black people are people of color. get the wrong diagnosis the most, and get diagnosed with other disabilities instead.
Some of these other disabilities are:
- Deafness
- Schizophrenia
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Avoidant Personality Disorder
- Schizotypal Personality Disorder
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- Social (Pragmatic) CommunicationHow we show others what we want and need. Everybody communicates! Disorder
- Nonverbal Learning Disorder
- Sensory ProcessingHow you think about and understand your senses. Disorder
- Depression
- Bipolar Disorder
- Anxiety
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Intellectual Disability
Autistic people can have disabilities besides autism. But some doctors don’t know a lot about autism, and might say we have these disabilities instead of autism. Doctors can be wrong.
Anyone can be autistic. Girls, women, transgenderWhen your gender is different than people thought when you were born. people, and non-binaryWhen someone isn’t just a boy or a girl. people can be autistic. People of color can be autistic. Teenagers, adults, and older people can be autistic. People with other disabilities can also be autistic.