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Disadvantages of getting and autism diagnosis

NAS74114

Hi I think I may be autistic and am considering trying to get a diagnosis, but I am worried about the negative implications there might be for getting a positive diagnosis and wondering how i might be able to avoid them.

I've read that in some cases it might be harder or more expensive to get insurance and that is something I would really rather avoid.

Another really big concern is that if i were ever to separate from my partner it could impact the custody of my child, right now i am very much the primary parent. 

I can potentially self fund the diagnosis so it wouldn't necessarily need to be in my nhs records, but it is something I would want to be fairly open and honest about and not keep secret. 

Parents

  • Thanks for the replies.

    For me I am definitely looking into this for personal reasons, like some people have said, the relief of just knowing.

    But I want to be able to make an informed decision.

    There is plenty of information about the benefits, and how to go about it, although thanks some of the extra info here is useful.

    What I am really after is information on where I might be legally obligated to disclose it, or where it might be disclosed on my behalf if known, so it is outside my control.

    Eg insurance I know about, but I am looking for other areas, maybe certain professions where you need to be vetted, like working with children or jobs that need security clearance. Maybe travel, applying for visas or residency in other countries and I'm sure there might be many other areas I cannot think of.

    I am also after information about how I can possibly avoid this, eg can I get my private report, get my piece of mind, then put the report in the shredder and carry on with my life like it never happened, or could that potentially go very badly for me.

  • in reply to NAS74114

    There is quite extensive anti-discrimination legislation that protects disabled people, including autistics. As autism is not a mental illness, the bar for reasonable proof of an autistic person being incompetent to do anything or be anything, job-wise or parent-wise, should be the same as for an allistic person. I say 'should' because knowledge of the realities of autism is not widespread.

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  • in reply to NAS74114

    There is quite extensive anti-discrimination legislation that protects disabled people, including autistics. As autism is not a mental illness, the bar for reasonable proof of an autistic person being incompetent to do anything or be anything, job-wise or parent-wise, should be the same as for an allistic person. I say 'should' because knowledge of the realities of autism is not widespread.

Children