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Should I get a second opinion?

Kyle

Hi, 

I've already posted here recently but it was before I had my feedback interview so I have sort of an update on my situation. 

I recently received a result saying I didn't meet the criteria what I was initially understanding of. Today I asked this assessor who did my ADOS test why he thinks I scored low points. He said that because I could look at him for even a second when he was talking to me that anyone who is autistic wouldn't even acknowledge him. He also said that a sign was that he told me a joke and I laughed and that anyone who is autistic does not show any facial expressions. I told him that my special interest was video games at this assessment as I not only spend basically all my time playing games to the point I neglect important things, when I'm not playing games I'm watching video analysis of game design and looking up videogame trivia, he said that videogames aren't a special interest and they're just something that people get addicted to. He also said that if I was autistic my behaviour wouldn't change regardless of my surroundings so I would behave around my parents the exact same way I would around complete strangers who are making me anxious. 

At this point I sort of just felt like this assessment wasn't at all based on any kind of any ASD spectrum and just came down to that if you didn't show the stereotypical traits of someone who is low functioning then you're not autistic at all.

I know these are professionals and I'm not but I just personally feel like this particular assessor was basically using no intuition and just basing his decision off stringent guidelines made to only diagnose people who can't even function in everyday life.

I was just wondering what everyones thoughts on this were and if I should seek some kind of private diagnosis as I asked this assessor for an appeal and he said he wouldn't know who to go to and I'll have to return to my GP and start this whole 3 year process again.

Thank you if you read this. 

Parents

  • That is shocking and I am sorry you had to go through that. So much of what he said is just so wrong. It sounds like his only experience of autism was in his previous job as a PIP assessor, trained to reject everyone.

    I think a complaint would be in order, to try and prevent someone else experiencing the same as you have. The NHS should not be using a clinic who employs someone so unprofessional. I know waiting times are bad but seriously who employed this person. If they had dragged a member of the public off the street to do your assessment they could not have done any worse.

    From the reviews you have read it sounds like your experience is not uncommon. What about those people who do not have the inner strength and family support to be able to fight and seek a second opinion. Having their struggles dismissed and minimised could have a lasting negative impact on their mental health. Somebody who is already struggling badly could be driven towards suicide. 

  • in reply to Autonomistic

    I completely agree. My initial letter basically just said "You do not meet the diagnostic criteria" "You no longer require this service".

    They started talking in this feedback session and we were completely lost to what the results they were talking about were and apparently I was supposed to receive the written results by post but I haven't yet. 

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  • in reply to Autonomistic

    I completely agree. My initial letter basically just said "You do not meet the diagnostic criteria" "You no longer require this service".

    They started talking in this feedback session and we were completely lost to what the results they were talking about were and apparently I was supposed to receive the written results by post but I haven't yet. 

Children
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