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Advice Please - Autism Diagnosis

NAS65016

Hi all, 

I'm Joe and i'm 29 years old.

After becoming more familiar with what autism is, I suspect I may be autistic myself. It is something I have thought about for the last 5 or 6 years.

After finding myself in some tough social interactions recently and getting quite upset over it I decided to go down the route to see if I am autistic.

I booked an appointment with the doctors and I wrote a list of all my unusual behaviours, I also had my mother add to this list.

I spoke to the doctor and after getting through about 1/3rd of the list he stopped me and said he has more than enough information to refer me.

I got a call from the doctors this morning to say that my referral has been rejected and they are unable to give me a reason as to why.

What should I do now?

I would perhaps feel a bit better about this had the doctor let me go through my full list rather than cutting me off early.

Parents

  • My gp refused to put me forward for an autism diagnosis, so I reluctantly went private.

    In any case, it would have been a two year waiting list and due to the problems I was having at the time I could not wait.

    However, there are one or two things you can do.  Have you done the AQ 50 test?  This is a self test which indicates whether further investigation may be beneficial. It is not a diagnosis tool but an indicator. Answer the questions honestly, although there wouldn't be much point in doing it if you were were not being honest with yourself.  

    You could also contact a local autism charity for help if there is one near you that deals with adults.  They will not diagnose but they will be able to give you some useful information.  You can also do as much research as you can on how you are affected autism has an infinity of effects on people and how these are dealt with.  Your old school reports may help show and remind you of problems you had, from underperforming, to being quiet or talking too much, to being clumsy and careless, to keeping to schedules, to mixing with others or going your own way.  This combined with your mother's recollections may help.  Write everything down and send a copy with any diagnosis request, however long it might be.

    I think a great problem in gaining a diagnosis through e NHS for an adult is the fact that there is some very mistaken belief that if you have attained adulthood or are into mature years you are not affected in everyday life and so you would not benefit from a diagnosis.  This ignores the fact someone may have been having treatment for years for anxiety and depression, may seek solace in alcohol or illegal substances, may have gone years without employment and cannot hold down a job, is thought of as 'strange' and is bullied, is clumsy and accident prone.  And it is not helped by the present governments autism strategy apparently being to cut funding for diagnosis in adults and a view of the general public that autism is a 'disease' of childhood and people can snap out of it by a good talking to.  

    Good luck in your quest for a diagnosis.  I think you may have to be persistent as well as be prepared for a very long wait.

Reply

  • My gp refused to put me forward for an autism diagnosis, so I reluctantly went private.

    In any case, it would have been a two year waiting list and due to the problems I was having at the time I could not wait.

    However, there are one or two things you can do.  Have you done the AQ 50 test?  This is a self test which indicates whether further investigation may be beneficial. It is not a diagnosis tool but an indicator. Answer the questions honestly, although there wouldn't be much point in doing it if you were were not being honest with yourself.  

    You could also contact a local autism charity for help if there is one near you that deals with adults.  They will not diagnose but they will be able to give you some useful information.  You can also do as much research as you can on how you are affected autism has an infinity of effects on people and how these are dealt with.  Your old school reports may help show and remind you of problems you had, from underperforming, to being quiet or talking too much, to being clumsy and careless, to keeping to schedules, to mixing with others or going your own way.  This combined with your mother's recollections may help.  Write everything down and send a copy with any diagnosis request, however long it might be.

    I think a great problem in gaining a diagnosis through e NHS for an adult is the fact that there is some very mistaken belief that if you have attained adulthood or are into mature years you are not affected in everyday life and so you would not benefit from a diagnosis.  This ignores the fact someone may have been having treatment for years for anxiety and depression, may seek solace in alcohol or illegal substances, may have gone years without employment and cannot hold down a job, is thought of as 'strange' and is bullied, is clumsy and accident prone.  And it is not helped by the present governments autism strategy apparently being to cut funding for diagnosis in adults and a view of the general public that autism is a 'disease' of childhood and people can snap out of it by a good talking to.  

    Good luck in your quest for a diagnosis.  I think you may have to be persistent as well as be prepared for a very long wait.

Children
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