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Autism Assessment & Communication.

NAS77957

Hi everyone. 

Wondered if any autistic adults going through the assessment process had a problem with communicating to the clinicians to answer their questions? I have my assessment this week and I’m very aware that my verbal communication can lack and often people do speak on my behalf, I’ve had a suggestion by my care worker to write down any information that I need her to say on my behalf through the assessment. 
I am really worried this will affect getting a diagnosis if they’re not able to get all the information from me. 
I have filled out screening forms but I am aware that not all information is put in there as there were only small boxes to fill. 

If anybody has any experience in this then please share if your willing. Thank you for reading and have a nice day. 

  • I wouldn’t worry too much. If you attempt to communicate and you can’t, that’s something obvious they can see and hear. They know it’s an anxiety inducing experience, so you can’t think of what to say, or how to say it, it all goes in your favour. 
    Write notes and reminders, or even a little report for them to read and ask questions on.


    You mentioned in your post above that you haven’t had friends for years. That’s also very telling. Generally, people have several friends. I myself haven’t had any for 24 years, and I said that in my assessment. I had no school reports, but I did have a lot of memories, and I wrote 2 long and detailed reports for my Psychologist to read. One prior to our meeting, and one after. I’m waiting for my final report and diagnosis, should I get one!

  • in reply to NAS77957

    'Just anxious' don't generally have communication problems.  They'll be looking at your communication difficulties as part of the package.  I wouldn't worry on that score. :-)

  • in reply to Dawn

    Thank you for your really detailed reply. 

    Unfortunately I do not have any of my school work/old books or reports as I felt school work and items is related to school only and not home life, and felt difficult adapting to this. 
    I currently have no friendships and haven’t had any for over 15 years so life is somewhat isolating. I do have family but they are unable to understand and would like to say that I am more of an anxious person. 
    However, I will do what you have suggested is to reread the screening questions and try to elaborate more on them with some prime examples and hopefully my care worker can be armed with more informative examples.

    I merely worry that my communication in this respect will let me down and based on what my guardian had reported of just being anxious. 

    Thank you for taking the time to read and reply to me. 

  • It's hard to say as I went through the Lorna Wing Centre not the NHS, but personally, I wouldn't confine myself to the size of their boxes.  Why not go through the questions again writing down anything and everything you can think of that may be relevant.  Also have a dig around any old school reports you may have, old diaries or videos that could help.  I had all sorts of stuff in my teenage diaries.  I copied pages for the assessors and my school reports were full of references to 'not mixing' etc.  Even your hobbies... if you do anything obsessively that is photographable or has other evidence, snap it.  For instance, my crochet sock collection with my designs and extensive yarn stash was one.  They can then visually see and decide for themselves which side of the hobby/special interest line that might fall on. Is there anything friends or family would note and like to express about it? I'd then arm your key worker with all that.

    They may not need all of that information in the end to come to an objective conclusion, but you don't want to walk away thinking anything has been left out.  If it's all in front of them, they can pick a couple of examples of each trait to examine carefully.