Chrisette Michele, a popular singer and podcaster, has broken barriers and made headlines after confirming that she was just recently diagnosed with autism at the age of 42. As she was going through the diagnosis process, she was surprised to learn that her official diagnosis report made a point to say she was “severely” autistic despite not being diagnosed until 42.
Often, a late age diagnosis can be very shocking but validating. It’s shocking to learn that you’ve been going through life with a severe disadvantage, but it’s equally as validating to learn that the struggles you’ve had are not only the result of personal failings.
This diagnosis is also surprising to fans, who have noticed the star’s recent silence on social media. According to Michele, she’s taken a brief step back from social media to focus on learning how to unmask and come to grips with the diagnosis. The singer stated, “My life and its challenges finally make sense. So so much sense.”
This diagnosis also sheds a lot of light on a recent controversy that isolated the singer and left her fan base feeling alienated from her. According to the singer, she was invited to perform at Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017. The invitation, she believed, was one of the biggest opportunities of her career. Despite reporting being “confused” about Trump’s campaign rhetoric, Michele made the decision to perform for the president. As a result of her decision to perform, she faced severe social backlash. Michele was reportedly dropped from her label and was “disowned” by her family.
Finding the Right Autistic Support
In recent years, many more individuals have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) later in life as a result of improved diagnostic criteria, subtle symptoms, a general lack of awareness about the condition or symptoms in the past, misdiagnosis, and masking. Masking is a common trait for autistic individuals, and it involves camouflaging and hiding certain traits to make them less noticeable and help them blend into society better.
Despite these individuals showing significant struggles in social and emotional development, they were often perceived as being difficult or hard to teach.
Under current standards, a late diagnosis is considered to be a diagnosis that occurs anytime after 12 years old. Early diagnosis, experts and researchers have found, is critical in helping autistic individuals survive and thrive.
For one, a diagnosis helps connect the individual with the appropriate support and resources necessary to help them cope with and overcome autistic challenges they may face. For another, a diagnosis can help the individual understand themselves better and help society understand them better.
If you have a young loved one who has been diagnosed with autism, then it will be a huge advantage for them to get connected with the right resources and help. Here at the Nevada Autism Center, we help empower bright futures by providing appropriate levels of ABA therapy and care for young autistic children and adolescents.
To learn more about our programs, you can call our team at (702) 660-2005. If you’re ready to enroll, then you can use our online form to get started.
