a lot more are adults are ASD than are actually accounted for

only kids born after DSM-5 was released are diagnosed if they're observed during childhood
many still slip through though because they're
"not autistic enough" to get the parent's concerned


prior to DSM-5, anyone that wasn't "classic" ~Rainman~ etc. types of autism wouldn't be given a diagnosis
the diagnostic criteria was much more strict and rigid in DSM-III and DSM-IV

I'm spectrum, high function
but grew up while DSM-II - DSM-III was current
so no "official" diagnosis for me

they don't like to diagnose adults because many of the
diagnostic criteria must be observed during childhood
- the coping / compensation mechanisms we develop to compensate for the disability hinder accurate diagnosis

unless the "patient" is an extreme case with obviously consistent observable autistic behavioral patterns that can't be masked / hidden via compensation
they won't give the diagnosis


and that's the one thing
no one would realize looking at me
- high function ASD
until they try to interact and it all goes out the window
and without knowledge of ASD they still wouldn't know what it is they're seeing