An NBA player discovers at the age of 31 that he is autistic: “Now everything fits” – Spain’s News

Toney Snell, player for the New Orleans Pelicans until 2022, He decided to undergo medical tests after learning of his son’s disorder when he was 18 months old and the surprise was great. This was reported on the NBC “Today” program.

Snell revealed that he was able to discover as an adult that he had autism spectrum disorder after his son Karter, now 2, was diagnosed. “When he was diagnosed, I thought I might have the same disorder as well. That gave me the courage to get tested.” Snell has explained, who assures that he had the suspicion since he was little. “I was always very independent. I was always alone. I couldn’t connect with people.”

The player assures that, despite having received such shocking news, he feels liberated because he has finally understood many things: “I am relieved: ‘Ah, that’s why I am the way I am’. It simply made my whole life, everything about my life, it made a lot of sense. It was like seeing the light, like putting on 3D glasses.”

“My son gave me the courage to go for a checkup,” Snell told “Today.”

As a child in California, Snell said that he “just couldn’t connect with people on the personal side of things.”

After being selected by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 2013 draft, Snell played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers and finished the 2021-22 season with the New Orleans Pelicans. He played in 19 games this season for the Boston Celtics’ G-League affiliate. And, before this career, Snell assured that he believes that not having been diagnosed earlier in his life was what helped him get to the NBA.

“I think I probably would have limited myself with the things that I could do and my sports career would have stalled,” Snell said. “I don’t think I would have been in the NBA if I had been diagnosed with autism. [a la edad de su hijo]. Because back then they would say what is autism? They would have put a limit on my abilities and would not have allowed me to play at the highest level.”

Now he claims he just wants to support his son. “I want to make sure my son knows I’m tucked in,” Snell said. “When I was a kid, I felt different, but I can show you that I’m here and we’re going to face this together, we’re going to grow together and we’re going to achieve a lot together,” he said.

What type of autism does your child have?

As reported on social media, Karter suffers from grade 1 autistic disorder. It would correspond to what is commonly called mild autism. This degree includes people with verbal communication skills and motivated to interact with others, but whose attempts to approach may be peculiar to others.

These patients need help in both social communication and in the area of ​​restricted and repetitive behaviors.

This is the best known degree of autism spectrum disorders. It was described in 1941 by Leo Kanner, who gave it the name Early Childhood Autism, becoming the first disorder to include all children with characteristics of the autism spectrum, without distinguishing between symptoms or severity. Today it is known simply as Grade 1 Autistic Disorder.

To diagnose a child with a grade 1 autistic disorder, it is necessary that they have not developed their language and tend to avoid looking at each other and isolate themselves from the world. It must also present stereotyped movements that are strange and do not have a defined objective. In addition, she must manifest a great inability to express emotions and maintain a very small sphere of interests and activities.