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Adult female diagnosis - mum doesn't think I had many childhood traits

NAS72736

Hello. I am an adult female (35) and think I might be autistic and have self-referred to my local autism service. They sent me 3 questionnaires to fill so I did mine (the EQ and AQ tests) which came out with a high likelihood of autism. But my mum filled out the CAST questionnaire for childhood autistic behaviours/traits and I scored quite low on that and my score indicated low or no autistic traits. I have just posted these off and am now waiting to hear.

I am wondering if this will affect the chances of me getting diagnosed with autism. I am worried that based on this CAST questionnaire I will be refused an appointment for diagnosis. My mum just seems to think I was a quiet and shy little girl but that I did very well in school, had no learning disabilities, had friends and had no problems with eye contact, strange behaviours, adherence to routines, etc. I just think my mum probably can't remember what I was like as I am 35 now and it's probably all a bit hazy, either that or she just didn't think any behaviours I did have were unusual (when actually they were!). I also think that the CAST questionnaire focusses on stereotypically male autistic traits.

I think I have so many autistic traits now as an adult woman (including social anxiety, general anxiety, obsessions, rigid thinking, resistance to change, and problems sticking to education and employment) that I am very doubtful that I had so few traits as a child.

Does anybody here have any experience of adult female diagnosis and problems with the developmental history part, especially perhaps with parents not thinking you are autistic or that you had any traits as a child? Would a low CAST score on its own be enough to refuse a diagnosis appointment or do they take into account current traits?

Thanks!

Parents

  • Hi

    I wouldn't dream of getting parents involved with my diagnosis - they can really muddy the waters - parents always normalise any odd childhood behaviours - they don't want to think that they were bad parents for missing out something so vital - they will down-play or minimise everything strange you did.

    It also reflects on them personally for having s 'faulty' child - a weakness - and admission of that might make them lose standing within the family - there's always sibling competition in the background - they might have difficulty swallowing that..

    Another thing is one of them might be on the ASD scale too - and admitting your issues makes a penny drop for them.

    It's complicated.

Reply

  • Hi

    I wouldn't dream of getting parents involved with my diagnosis - they can really muddy the waters - parents always normalise any odd childhood behaviours - they don't want to think that they were bad parents for missing out something so vital - they will down-play or minimise everything strange you did.

    It also reflects on them personally for having s 'faulty' child - a weakness - and admission of that might make them lose standing within the family - there's always sibling competition in the background - they might have difficulty swallowing that..

    Another thing is one of them might be on the ASD scale too - and admitting your issues makes a penny drop for them.

    It's complicated.

Children
  • in reply to Plastic

    I would agree with Plastic on that one I had my mum with me when I had my assessment because they needed someone to talk about my childhood. My mum didn't think that I was autistic before getting assessed she always said about my personality traits "well that's just you" which because she didn't know anything about autism was autistic traits.

    The questions she had to answer for me did come back with a lower result than the ones I did for my self but it still "passed" the quota of an indication of autism. You might find something similar I think my mum played down the symptoms too but there's playing down and just straight up lying about who you are which you can obviously challenge.