Diagnostic assessment

Hi Sunflower do you remember where you saw those statistics? I'd love to see them..........

Thank you for your response. What you have written sounds very familiar. I will try and read some of your other posts too, along with other people’s.

My daughters assessment was today. I’m glad it’s over. We did and said all we could, but I’m not hopeful for a diagnosis, as they feel her social skills are too good, or she’s masking very well. Such a difficult experience. We sat there, and she was talking in her monotone voice throughout. Soon as we get outside into the car, she’s talking normally. I just wish they could see things like that. She’s good with expressions and things, but behind the surface she’s deadpan, if you know what I mean? 

I thought they would see through it, but obviously not .

In the session without my daughter, they were keen to address my new found knowledge, and did ask me a few things about my past and struggles. They suggested once things are settled, I should seriously consider coming for an assessment. They did also say it was really common for things to come to the surface when children are being diagnosed.

I am going through a similar situation with my daughter and to be honest, I’m glad that we are going through it together because it has helped her not be scared for want of a better word.  The problems she faces are problems I had growing up and facing them with her and getting her help has improved how she feels about herself and school so far.  For her to know that she isn’t alone has helped.  

I look at my journey as an aside from what’s going on with her. If I find out I have it, great, If i find out I don’t, great.  I don’t lose anything.  You can only gain from getting a better understanding of yourself.

I have got this far, but it was an uphill struggle and I still find things hard.  For me it’s socialising and communication that I have the most difficulty with.  It can be exhausting trying to explain to professionals what you are thinking especially when they ask why you think you have autism.  

Initially I was being assessed for ADHD.  But through a private consultation the psychiatrist said that I have traits but my main problem was he believes I have Aspergers, and suggested I go for a formal assessment. So I arrived at this inadvertently.  

It can be scary to think there is something ‘wrong’ with you but I don’t look at it that way anymore.  I may hopefully be able to put a name to what I felt was different about me all my life.  I feel that it is empowering.  I’m helping myself and I’m helping my daughter. If I can get some helpful tips for coping from others along the way then I will be extremely happy.   

All my life I felt as if I was missing something, or one step behind others.  I don’t want to feel like that anymore.   I worry about assessments and appointments too and what to say to people.  How I deal with them is I stick the date in a calendar and forget about it until it comes up and then I just go and just be myself. 

I hope u feel better about it all and I understand it is a scary time.  I’ve posted a few things on here before and hearing feedback from other adults and females has helped.  

This is the fifth time I’ve started to write a reply! 

In a nutshell, I’ve just had the realisation I am autistic. It hit me Friday out of nowhere. I don’t actually want to believe it, but I can’t stop thinking about anything else. I don’t know if I want a diagnosis. I haven’t told anyone yet, and  I don’t know how anyone can help me. I feel I’ve got this far (I’m 45) and am very set in my ways. To say I struggle with life is an understatement.

I’m simply feeling shell shocked. I don’t feel I have strength to deal with it anyway,  as I am putting all my energy into my daughter  who has her assessment  tomorrow. She the priority for now.

If there was no need for a diagnosis, why would anyone seek one.  As with any condition there are characteristically things people will struggle with.  I’m not an expert on autism so I don’t know how others cope with the things I struggle with therefore I sought a diagnosis to see if there is a more helpful way than the way I muddle through if it is autism I have.  That’s it in a nut shell really.  Can I ask why this post interested you? 

This post really interested me. Can I ask why you felt you needed a diagnosis? What sort of help do you think you might need.

It seems likely that the assesssor found enough evidence of autism for you to progress to the next stage. Being seen by two people is standard procedure for the ADOS-2 which was an assessment I had. The AQ and EQ will also have confirmed a likelihood of you being autistic. If they felt a full ASD assessment was not appropriate they would have said so by now. Even up to the very last minute I felt my assessor might lack some vital information. One of the psychologists tried to reassure me by saying they ask for additional information if they need it. Try not to worry, I am sure everything will be fine. 

So I went for my initial assessment. It went ok but I’m not sure I told her enough.  She said I would hear when I would be seen next and that I would see 2 people next time. I don’t know if that is good or bad. I’m really nervous now.  I had filled out the AQ and EQ assessment before they gave me the appointment.  

Any idea what I should expect next?

That’s good to know going in.  I’m nervous but excited too I think. Just want answers at this stage.  Thanks for your help.

Yes, that is what usually happens either through completing tests or an initial exploratory meeting. You can be reassured that if they had not seen signs of ASD they would not be doing a full assessment. From some statistics I saw it seems that virtually all negative assessments of adults are at the initial screening stage. 

I have already sent in some assessments they sent me out.  Not sure if they used that as a screening tool before offering me a face to face assessment.

Try not to worry - ASD assessors are very good at seeing behind masks and the assessment itself is designed to facilitate that. It is hard to say what to expect as there are many different ways of doing an assessment.

I am a woman in my late 50's, diagnosed with ASD nearly 4 weeks ago. The psychologists who assessed me gave me a description of the stages they would work through and specified one of the tests they would use (ADOS-2). There are other ASD assessment tools like CLASS and DISCO.

You can always ask what format your assessment will follow. I supplied written notes about my infancy, childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. That wasn't requested by the assessor but it made me feel better. I wasn't sure what my parents and siblings had said as I asked them to send their questionnaires straight back to the psychologist.

My school reports were all very positive - I was no trouble at all at school, and to my mother it seemed that I had a perfectly normal infancy and early childhood. Having said that I am sure my mum is autistic too, so she might not have picked up on ASD characteristics in me.

I am sure everything will go fine. I worried hugely about the different stages of my assessment and had several sleepless nights beforehand. In some ways the type of assessment where everything happens in one half or whole day might be less stressful. The incremental approach used in my assessment did give me time to adjust and add in additional information though. There are advantages either way.

The process can be quite exhausting so try and build in some 'me' time if that is possible with 5 children and a full time job. The biggest benefit to me post diagnosis has been understanding why I get so tired and how to use energy accounting to protect myself from meltdowns and burnout. I am using a workbook at the moment called Living Well on the Spectrum by Valerie Gaus which is really helpful too.

Very best wishes to you.

I'm just under 30. I didn't believe I screamed ASC although I was definitely not like others my age but my assessor had no doubt. I found it hard to mask in the assessment as I was so anxious. My assessor was very aware of behaviours I have learnt rather than ones that are intuitive though.