Why

Over the last few weeks and months, I have been asking my self the question. Why my parents didn't seek diagnosis while I was a child. I saw many educational psychologists and other professionals. 

I got through so many pencils, because I used to chew them, my concentration levels at school was poor (it still is). I started school in the late 70's, even at an early age i was struggling, from what i can remember even before I started school there were problems. 

I remember having the struggles of being singled out because my work wasn't up to scratch.  

 I'm now 47 and stuck on a waiting list that is making me feel anxious. 

Parents
  • Go private?

    i had problems I went to school in 1974, in took until the day before my diagnosis at the tender age of 46 for my mum to tell me, that when my parents got divorced and she couldn't afford to send me to the school I was at the nuns told her, I would need to go to a 'special' school, I was 4 years old, I then went to the worst schools in the area I lived, primary and secondary and had the worst education possible, needless to say left school with very little to show, went back to education 9 years later spent 5 years studying for GCSEs A Levels and my nurse training to then find out I was considered special needs all those years ago. I also think the same as you if I had the support would things have been different? Who knows but its made for an interesting journey....

Reply
  • Go private?

    i had problems I went to school in 1974, in took until the day before my diagnosis at the tender age of 46 for my mum to tell me, that when my parents got divorced and she couldn't afford to send me to the school I was at the nuns told her, I would need to go to a 'special' school, I was 4 years old, I then went to the worst schools in the area I lived, primary and secondary and had the worst education possible, needless to say left school with very little to show, went back to education 9 years later spent 5 years studying for GCSEs A Levels and my nurse training to then find out I was considered special needs all those years ago. I also think the same as you if I had the support would things have been different? Who knows but its made for an interesting journey....

Children
  • I had problems but not as extreme as some on the spectrum.  In fact, my new diagnosis, demonstrates how good an actor in masking it I had.

    I am similar to Bookworm as the roughest estates, worst education possible, endless bullying and little to show from my school results although I ended up forging my own journey through education/work.

    It was not until the late 90’s that Autism/Asperger’s became recognised in schools and even now the assessment via NHS is a lottery (numbers needing assessment, bean counters and screening gatekeepers).  

    Anyway, if you do not pass the first screening then appeal and also take someone that knows you well enough to spot certain behaviours/traits.  I was unable to pass through the NHS Screening to get a full assessment but luckily paid for it all.  I know the person that assessed me could identify the likelihood I needed the full assessment via the AQ/CQ questionnaires.

    Good luck in your journey and hope you get to my current milestone and to the future steps going forward

  • We lived on a terrible council estate in Oldham in the early 70s and I went to the local scummy infant's school.   I was spotted by the teacher who told my parents I really needed to go to a special school - I was one of those little professor / super advanced kids - but my parents couldn't afford to send me there - the teacher was trying to get me a bursary but it didn't happen.

    We moved a couple of hundred miles away the following year so I couldn't have gone there anyway.

    I went through life doing very strange jobs because I could learn new things like Neo in The Matrix - I had no self-imposed limits so I just managed to get on even though I had great difficulties with people.

    I didn't get diagnosed until 42 - my private diagnosis was paid for using my company health insurance.

  • i only meant if its an option it would speed up the process and shorten the mans wait