Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi
I'm a 24 year old cis-female. I was referred to Healios by my GP for ASD assessment after asking for an ADHD assessment (still on NHS waiting list).
Process was very quick from referral to the final report but I was given no diagnosis for ASD. I scored more than triple the threshold on the RAADS-R screening but hit non of the markers for the DSM-5. This is incredibly frustrating and now I feel like I'm back to square one.
I was unable to speak to my parents or use them as informants as I'm no contact with them.
I had an appointment with Healios on Tuesday to discuss the outcome of my assessment.
My assessor told me that although I show a lot of autistic traits and scored 204 on the RAADS-R screening, I hit none of the markers for the DSM-5. She told me that my experiences in childhood and adolescence (neglectful & abusive parents, moving during adolescence, abusive and manipulative relationships, being 'quirky') could be a cause of my current behaviours and traits, and while I don't disagree that I hold a lot of unresolved trauma, I don't necessarily agree that I'm not autistic. She also told me that my experiences point towards ADHD and she's mentioned this in my report to pass on to the ND team I'm working with.
I told her that I feel that I'm so efficient at masking that I've become a hindrance to myself.
I understand co-morbidities and similarities between ASD and ADHD but I just feel like I've slipped through the net.
It is what I did for my assessment. I'm afraid I do not trust the majority of clinicians to look at a person and decide that they are, or are not, autistic, accurately. Or rely on clinicians asking the right questions, or phrasing them in a way that I would understand unambiguously. Also, autistic people can be very able in some things and so give the false impression that this ability is general, when they struggle profoundly in other areas. The more information you can present, the better.
Hi Martin
That's helpful, I'll do that asap so it's ready for my next appointment!
Thanks
Darcie x
I would recommend looking at the DSM-V diagnostic criteria for autism (they are available online). Make a very detailed list of all your traits and experiences and distribute them into the diagnostic criteria headings, making sure you have at least one trait or experience for every necessary criterion. Take it with you to any assessment. It sounds very cold-blooded, but if they are treating it as a box-ticking exercise, then being able to tick all the boxes is an advantage.
Hi Elise
Definitely going to wait for my ADHD assessment until I get a second opinion!
I told my assessor when I had my feedback session that I feel that I've learnt to mask so well that I'm doing myself an injustice by appearing neurotypical
Fingers crossed I get some more answers
Hi Dawn,
I truly am of the belief that I'm autistic and have ADHD. I think trauma is a factor too but I'm definitely going to wait for my ADHD assessment then ask for a second opinion on my ASD outcome! X
Trauma is a big thing for professionals to use to deflect the true issue. And obviously, many autistic people do have past trauma. It’s oar for the course. ADHD can be similar, but I’m thinking if you identify and know you are autistic, you’ll need to get a second opinion, a private assessment, or just stay self diagnosed. Often times, they see you as functioning, and will say no. Or it’s down to their budget how many people they give a diagnosis to. Again, it’s often about how they ask you the questions during assessment. If they don’t ask the right way, you won’t give the answers they need to tick off the markers in the DSM 5.
I ‘knew’ my daughter was; they said she wasn’t. I knew I was, but I was told by a professional (not in an assessment), that I certainly couldn’t be autistic, and that everything was attributed to my upbringing, and other people, bullying me as a teen. Bull. We then both went through a lengthy private assessment to get a result, that quite frankly, has made life more bearable.
Hi Darcie. Do you have a full list of your symptoms and identified which of those fall within which diagnosis.
I am waiting for my autism assessment, but i am aware that i have some issues due to childhood emotional neglect, some that are specifically autism and some that could be either.
Perhaps listing out all of your behaviours and identifying what you believe is the cause and why, would be beneficial to you and any assessor?
For example my sensory issues are not due neglect, but could be autism.
My inability to emotionally bond could be either.
The above are broad examples, i suggest you be as specific as possible.
If you’ve also been referred for an ADHD assessment I would wait to see the outcome of that because it could be that you have both and the ADHD is masking a lot of your autistic traits. My assessor told me that if you go on the ADHD medication it would make any ASD traits more prominent so you could see it that happens for you and then get a second opinion on ASD.
Sounds like either they missed your diagnosis or trauma plus ADHD might be your true explanation.
Trouble is autistic people can be more vulnerable to early trauma and that can tangle the picture for the assessors. Also they may have been missing some information.
I guess options are wait and see what they say at your ADHD assessment. Let them know that you are concerned something may have been missed.
Get a second opinion on the ASC as a double check. Your only option might be private for that though.