ADHD: Private clinics exposed by BBC undercover investigation

This news has completely thrown me off balance. I had my ASD diagnosis through Psychiatry UK in February following an hour-long online assessment.

Even though Psychistry UK weren’t one of the clinics investigated, the report and the discussion of how ineffective the online assessments were (all of which were longer than mine) has left me not knowing what to believe anymore. I was already having doubts about my diagnosis and now I just don’t know what to do. 

Don't let it doubt your ASC status if you feel comfortable that it's right. Doubt only if you don't feel it genuinely fits.

That said, I'd have doubts about an assessment that took no more than an hour. Mine was a full day, following the submission of a big fat bundle of old school reports, questionnaires from my mother, my one questionnaires, old dyslexia diagnoses and MH correspondence.

They need all that to be confident in making a diagnosis in many cases. 

What would be a shame is if your assessors come under scrutiny now and are found wanting as that might cast a shadow over your assessment, even if the outcome was correct in your case.

Dawn said:

That said, I'd have doubts about an assessment that took no more than an hour. Mine was a full day, following the submission of a big fat bundle of old school reports, questionnaires from my mother, my one questionnaires, old dyslexia diagnoses and MH correspondence.

They need all that to be confident in making a diagnosis in many cases. 

I find that disconcerting as my ASD one was only two 1 hour sessions, the second one being with a consultant psychiatrist (online).

None of the documentation you say is needed was requested (or exists) as far as I can remember and in any case my parents are deceased.

The RAADS questionnaire I completed seems very thorough and there were a few other questionnaires to complete as well beforehand.

Would you feel that my own diagnosis is questionionable then?

Dawn said:

That said, I'd have doubts about an assessment that took no more than an hour. Mine was a full day, following the submission of a big fat bundle of old school reports, questionnaires from my mother, my one questionnaires, old dyslexia diagnoses and MH correspondence.

They need all that to be confident in making a diagnosis in many cases. 

I find that disconcerting as my ASD one was only two 1 hour sessions, the second one being with a consultant psychiatrist (online).

None of the documentation you say is needed was requested (or exists) as far as I can remember and in any case my parents are deceased.

The RAADS questionnaire I completed seems very thorough and there were a few other questionnaires to complete as well beforehand.

Would you feel that my own diagnosis is questionionable then?

In light of this I recently spoke with a long term better-than-acquaintence-work-friend haha - who lives in the US. She has a 4 year old who is out of control. They have money, so the kid is a bit spoiled, but she's at her end and looked into ABA as a friend had a kid who was diagnosed & after ABA this child was literally changed. 

ABA were pushing to get her son diagnosed "High Functioning Au Spectrum" as he is quite gifted as well, but she's a composer and the father a filmmaker, so they're in an artist community. But in our hour long conversation I had inquired about far more matters concerning the kids well being, parenting styles and perhaps discovered there might be a potential of ADHD in the family. But!! ABA were ready to diagnose based on intense interests, watching the same thing on repeat and meltdown/tantrum issues that may or may not just be a 4 year old. We discovered some traumatising events and while she's a great mom, she doesn't always give him her full attention when needed and can be a bit patronising - antagonising a situation without realising it. This kid speaks 3 languages and can tell you in graphic detail how he'd like to annihilate his enemies. He's competitive and - perhaps impulsive? But ADHD wasn't even raised as a possibility.

Yet, here is another company who needs Hard Data - proven effectiveness, to keep their funding. All the better with NT kids! (Eye roll...)

Not necessarily. It depends on the quals and professionalism of the assessors. It's not for me to say what did or did not happen for you.

But an autism or ADHD assessment does need depth and a readiness to find objective truth, whatever that maybe.

Whilst there are legitimate questions about some private assessors and indeed some NHS ones, there are also good ones too. 

Kind of whilst I thought that program did legitimately point to a scandal but failed to advise people about what the SHOULD look for in a reliable assessment.

My ASC assessment was from the NAS Lorna Wing Centre. They use the DISCO model and ADOS.

There are extensive questionnaires for patient and if possible a parent.

I dug out all my school reports etc too. I was then eith them all day.