<p>In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr Angela Kingdon welcomes Daria Brown, creator of Affect Autism and host of the <em>We Chose Play</em> podcast.</p><br><p>Daria shares her journey from parent advocate to late-identified Autistic adult, reflecting on the decade between her son’s diagnosis and her own. What began as a search for how to support her son eventually led to a deeper understanding of herself, reframing lifelong traits, parenting experiences, and ways of relating to the world.</p><br><p>They discuss DIR Floortime, rejecting compliance-based approaches, and the role of connection, regulation, and play in both parenting and personal growth.</p><p>This is a conversation about unlearning, identity, and what happens when the lens finally shifts.</p><br><p>🪑 Attendees</p><p>Chair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocate</p><p>Guest: Daria Brown — Parent advocate, podcaster, and late-identified Autistic adult</p><p>You: The Listener!</p><br><p>🗒️ Meeting Agenda</p><ul><li>Opening remarks from the Chair</li><li>Member introduction: Parenting, advocacy, and late self-recognition</li><li>Discussion: Son’s diagnosis, seizures, and early understanding of autism</li><li>Medical model, ableism, and the “fixing” mindset</li><li>Discovering Autistic voices during the pandemic</li><li>Questioning identity and the late diagnosis journey</li><li>DIR Floortime, connection, and rejecting compliance-based therapy</li><li>Key learnings</li><li>Club announcements</li></ul><p><br></p><p>🧾 Minutes from the Meeting</p><br><p>1️⃣ Opening Remarks</p><p>Angela introduces Daria Brown, a long-time parent advocate and creator of Affect Autism, whose work focuses on supporting families through DIR Floortime and neurodiversity-affirming approaches.</p><br><p>2️⃣ Member Introduction: Daria’s Story</p><p>Daria’s journey into the autism world began with her son’s diagnosis following a serious medical event involving seizures and brain inflammation. At the time, her understanding of autism was shaped by ableist narratives and a belief that her role was to “fix” her child.</p><p>Over the years, as she supported her son and connected with other families, Daria became deeply involved in advocacy and alternative approaches like DIR Floortime.</p><p>A decade after her son’s diagnosis, Daria received her own autism diagnosis, reframing her identity and life experiences.</p><br><p>3️⃣ Discussion Highlights</p><ul><li>Early assumptions: Autism initially understood through an ableist, deficit-based lens</li><li>Medical trauma: Son’s seizures, hospitalisation, and lasting impact on parenting</li><li>DIR Floortime: Choosing connection and co-regulation over compliance</li><li>ABA tension: Navigating systems that prioritise behaviour over individual needs</li><li>Late recognition: Seeing lifelong traits through an Autistic lens</li><li>Imposter syndrome: Questioning identity despite strong resonance</li><li>Reframing traits: From “bossy” or “controlling” to regulation and coping strategies</li><li>Special interests: Intense projects, creativity, and lifelong patterns</li><li>Community: Finding belonging through shared neurodivergent experiences</li></ul><p><br></p><p>4️⃣ Key Learnings</p><ul><li>Understanding autism often begins with outdated or ableist assumptions that require unlearning.</li><li>Parenting a neurodivergent child can reshape identity and self-understanding.</li><li>Connection and co-regulation are foundational to both parenting and personal growth.</li><li>Traits once labelled negatively may be reframed as adaptive or regulating.</li><li>Community plays a crucial role in reducing isolation and building self-acceptance.</li></ul><p><br></p><p>📌 Notice Board</p><p><a href="http://affectautism.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Affect Autism Website</a></p><p><a href="https://theautisticadvocate.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kieran Rose, The Autistic Advocate</a></p><p><a href="https://www.pesi.co.uk/speaker/kathleen-platzman-1621406" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kathleen Platzman, PhD</a></p><p><a href="https://affectautism.com/episodes/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">We Choose Play Podcast</a></p><p><a href="https://shows.acast.com/the-neurodivergent-experience" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Neurodivergent experience Podcast</a></p><br><p>📣 Club Announcements</p><p>🎧&nbsp;<em>The Late Diagnosis Club</em>&nbsp;is available on&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0TXhqtffSfmJrGm5zHANCQ?si=90e3cdf219fe43eb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Spotify</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-late-diagnosis-club/id1847627224" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a>, and all major platforms.</p><p>💬 Join our online meetups and community at&nbsp;<a href="https://latediagnosis.club/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">latediagnosis.club</a>.</p><p>📌 Check the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autisticculturepodcast.com/t/noticeboard" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">LDC Notice Board</a>&nbsp;for Member Contributions</p><p>💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.</p><br><p>🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at&nbsp;<a href="http://autisticcultureplus.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AutisticCulturePlus.com</a></p><p>🌐 Visit<a href="http://www.autisticculturepodcast.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&nbsp;www.autisticculturepodcast.com</a></p><p>📲 Follow us on Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/autisticculturepodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&nbsp;@autisticculturepodcast</a></p><p>🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.</p><br><p>🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>