Pros and cons of formal diagnosis

Hi.

My younger daughter is 15, and has problems with anxiety at school.  On reflection, she has a number of traits that fit an Asperger's type profile closely, and has had since childhood.  She's been referred for assessment with a view to that diagnosis. Our anxiety is that currently, she's a geeky girl who's a bit awkward socially, and has some anxieties, all of which are either within a normal range and/or she could expect to grow out of.  Once she's diagnosed, she will be considered to have a lifelong condition which can not be cured. 

In my family, lots of us (including me) have Asperger's-type traits, but none of us has had a formal diagnosis, and we've all grown up to be happy, working, having families, and maybe remaining a bit nerdy and shy, but that's all. Once we've escaped from the pressure-cooker of secondary school and have been able to choose who we spend our time with, and what we do, none of us has has significant problems.

I'm concerned that with a diagnosis, although my daughter will get help for the significant difficulties she is having at school (these centre around anxiety attacks and stress- she is doing really well academically), she will also become very difficult to employ for the rest of her life.

I'm not clear who would have to be told in future about her diagnosis.  It is likely to affect her in getting a driving licence, or insurance for her life, health, mortgage or travel? Would she have to put it on a university application? Job applications?  

She's lucky to be clever and I am fairly confident that she could learn to fake being neurotypical well enough to manage... so I'm not fully convinced that she'd be better off with a formal diagnosis than she'd be knowing what it probably is and doing a whole lot of reading about coping strategies.

I'd appreciate your thoughts...

Thanks!

Parents
  • I feel on the employment in the future issue that just like marrying up with the right school, it is the same for employment.  As she is so young if she has any specific interests self employment may be a way forward, with your support.  Self employment can start out very small - sometimes as a hobby and then turn into something which will give her money and a profit.  Many people with mental health support needs find they can do some work self employed under therapeutic earnings and still keep some of their benefits if they only worked say less than 16 hours per week.  This allowed them to manage their anxiety and then slowly build up to full time.  I do not know with the government cut backs that this still exists but there should be some system in place to support your daughter.

    In relation to future job expereince What I would do as a parent would be to use the existing networks I have at my disposal to see if I could get her a work experience as a taster to the world of work, with a trusted friend if possible for initially parts of a day then build up to a full days work.  Voluntary work during the summer holidays is also a good way to start work type experiences for her - again not full time I would say.  This will add to her CV and life experience and enable any transition to be at her own pace and in her own time.  She sounds a lovely young woman and clearly has a loving family behind her which is half the battle! Good luck x 

     

    PS - on diagnosis - I am feeling the same as you even though my son is only 6, but hey if it helps - then what the heck I say! You can't have too much help these days!

Reply
  • I feel on the employment in the future issue that just like marrying up with the right school, it is the same for employment.  As she is so young if she has any specific interests self employment may be a way forward, with your support.  Self employment can start out very small - sometimes as a hobby and then turn into something which will give her money and a profit.  Many people with mental health support needs find they can do some work self employed under therapeutic earnings and still keep some of their benefits if they only worked say less than 16 hours per week.  This allowed them to manage their anxiety and then slowly build up to full time.  I do not know with the government cut backs that this still exists but there should be some system in place to support your daughter.

    In relation to future job expereince What I would do as a parent would be to use the existing networks I have at my disposal to see if I could get her a work experience as a taster to the world of work, with a trusted friend if possible for initially parts of a day then build up to a full days work.  Voluntary work during the summer holidays is also a good way to start work type experiences for her - again not full time I would say.  This will add to her CV and life experience and enable any transition to be at her own pace and in her own time.  She sounds a lovely young woman and clearly has a loving family behind her which is half the battle! Good luck x 

     

    PS - on diagnosis - I am feeling the same as you even though my son is only 6, but hey if it helps - then what the heck I say! You can't have too much help these days!

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