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Got a referral! Question

Kalina

Hello!

I recently got a referral, I am so so happy as this took such a long time and I am a step closer. 

I know it may take years for an assessment, but I really struggle with not knowing what will happen. I was wondering if anyone could tell me what happens now? I know I will have an autism assessment but I would love to know what happens during them (non personal of course, just the generic questions they ask, what they do). I just struggle with not knowing what will happen exactly, my GP is overloaded so I don’t want to bother my doctor anymore than I have done. I found out that I am being referred though a SMS so they are definitely struggling. 

  • I was diagnosed through the Lancashire Autism Service, referred by the NHS.

    About 4 months after the doctor sent the referral, there was a short phone appointment, though this was mostly just for triage/safeguarding purposes - they just asked about personal circumstances and not anything diagnostic at this stage.

    Six months later a link for a set of online forms arrived (AQ-50, relatives questionnaire, and empathy quotient)

    Another six months and there's a video interview over microsoft teams, which takes about 2 hours. Many of the questions are similar to the ones on rating scales like the aq50, and go over a description of my history.

    a year later, there's another ms teams meeting with the results, and I get a short report in the e-mail. They said I'd be receiving a longer report, but that was 7 months ago and I haven't received it yet, and my doctors surgery haven't received anything yet..

  • Now, I will always say that being unprepared is the best way to approach an assessment, and it will be in your favour. Naturally, you will be asked plenty of questions about your childhood, current problems, and medical history. They will ask about your family too. As long as you prepare and gather as much useful information you can, the better you will be helping yourself, and them.

    If it’s on the NHS, you will probably have at least 2 appointments.

    I had mine privately, and I attended 2 appointments in person, and had 2 telephone appointments, and plenty of to and fro email contact when I had questions etc.

  • There are different assessment methods so hard to predict.  They will all go into your developmental history though, so it's worth thinking about the problems you may have had at school etc.  It's worth digging out old school report and diaries or videos of you as a child, if you have any, to see if there is any previous reference there to anything that could be rooted in ASC and also having a word with your older relatives or siblings, if you have any.  They may well remember stuff you've forgotten or else have perceived as odd things that seem normal enough to you.

    They are also likely to ask about your interests and hobbies.  I collected quite a bit of photographic evidence of mine, so they could judge for themselves which side of ordinary enthusiast/obsessional they thought they fell and how they thought they might link to Autistic strengths.  If you collect/produce anything as a hobby take a few snaps.

    Other than that there are a good number of youtube videos out there made by people who have been through the various assessment methods.  They are worth a watch.