• Replies 3 replies
  • Subscribers 85 subscribers
  • Views 755 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Adult autism assessment

NAS84358

How much do adult autism assessments rely on childhood experiences? My memory of my childhood is pretty hazy, possibly due to trauma, and I'm worried that I won't be able to get a diagnosis if it's not clear that the traits were present during childhood. I feel as though everything that I experience now as an adult has always been present for me but I will have trouble thinking of actual examples of this. The first part of my assessment is on Monday and I am so nervous 

  • You need to show that you had difficulties and certain behaviours as a child. I wouldn’t have said anything stood out for me, just that I was supposedly shy. But I went on to write pages of situations and thoughts I had as a child.

    My mum wrote some things on a bit of notepaper. She said things like I read very early, spelled above my sister who was 3 years older, was very quiet and serious, was very clever, had one best friend, didn’t mingle with other children, spoke when spoken to, good at drawing and playing instruments, full of facts, didn’t show emotions etc. In context it is very telling. 

  • Hi there, I was assessed last December for both ADHD and Autism. I don’t know if this helps but … The clinical psychologist asked me questions to gain information from my mums pregnancy through school and college, to university and working life. My memory was hazy, very hazy in places. My mum was also asked to complete approx 30 questions about my childhood and my behaviour - she did so with minimal detail (I’m now mid-40s so both our memories are hazy). Between the interviews, questionnaires and questions a joint diagnosis was given as there was evidence of autism from childhood. Hope your assessment goes ok … and remember, it’s natural to feel nervous (I know I did!). 

  • I think one thing that’s quite common is that early childhood cushions the overwhelm threshold and it’s secondary school where the cracks really begin to show. Nevertheless there probably are some early things you could try to think of. What do you know of how you were as a toddler? Could you sit with one toy for a long time without losing focus? Was learning to write a challenge (pen grip was something I got ‘wrong’ early on and affects me to this day). If it was a sunny day and everyone was ‘treated’ to a special day outside did your stomach turn over at the unwelcome break in routine and expectation of sporty endeavour? Did rapidly given instructions tend to bounce off you? Things like that.