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Undiagnosed Autism of my friend’s 21 year old Daughter

NAS70851

Hi all, I am writing as my best friends’ 21 year old daughter has been struggling a lot for years with Autism like symptoms, but she has been unable to persuade her daughter to get a potential diagnosis and/or help. It is affecting both their lives unfortunately.

She has once mentioned it to her and the conversation didn’t go down well, which is not unexpected as this is all new to her. Have you got any experience with this and perhaps some tips on how to persuade her to get help and where to get help?? It’s like a minefield out there!

Thank you so much in advance 

  • It is often useful, when people have very negative feelings about autism, to introduce them to the existence of successful autistics, such as Daryl Hannah, Greta Thunberg, Anthony Hopkins etc. and the great figures of the past who showed autistic traits: Mozart, Michelangelo, Picasso, Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. 

  • in reply to FSCR

    Hi

    I have just been reading your post, we are in a similar situation with my 21yr old daughter. Our GP is going to give us a referral but i am worried about  the time scale! but i am happy to pay the costs if it puts i a better place.How has life been since the diagnosis? are you able every day life bearable? It is great to read that we are not the only ones.

    cheers

    matt

  • in reply to FSCR

    Thank you for taking the time to reply, will forward it to my friend, i’s tough because her daughter is 21

  • It would be useful if you knew, or could find someone, who has been able to cope with their life better as a result of a positive diagnosis for ASC. Knowledge is power, the more that you know about yourself the better placed you are to seek the appropriate help and support. When it was suggested to my sixteen year old daughter that she might have autism she was very upset, did not want a diagnosis and did not want a label, even though she had a friend who she liked and admired who had been diagnosed about a year earlier. When she had had more time to think about it she decided that she did want an assessment. Now that she has had her diagnosis she is pleased, even proud to have her 'difference' explained and proud to be different. She will boldly state that she is autistic and even joke about it in a positive and empowering way. She can see that she, and we, are so much better placed to find support now that we know what is causing her to struggle. 

    As aidie says going to the GP is the first step. However I will add that despite our GP being supportive and referring our daughter for assessment we were told this could take up to two years to receive. Things are particularly slow whilst we are held prisoners to COVID-19. I had been watching my daughters mental health deteriorate over the past five years and did not want her to continue suffering so I paid for a private assessment. I know that this is not possible for everyone. It cost £2,200.00 including a clinical interview and assessment for ADHD. It was money well spent.

    Good luck

  • ur best friend has to go with his daughter to a GP and ask for an autism assessment