Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi all,
First post here and I'm looking to see if anyone has run into a similar situation to mine in the assessment process.
Had my interviews a month or so ago and recieved the assessment letter this week. I'm pretty confused by the write up really.
The 1st interviewer says I fit the criteria. The second interviewer says It's not possible to reach a diagnosis due to chronic pain since childhood (i'm mid 40's now).My reading of this, and my partner's is that by logic alone it's difficult and unlikely to be diagnosed with ASD if you have chronic childhood pain.So the diagnosis summary says No.
My brain has slipped into a freeze state, errr. i honestly don't know what to do with this. It's neither of the outcomes I had anticipated. I really thought i'd get a Yes or No, lol. I'm laughing but it's also comically not funny.I guess i could ask for a second opinion on this, or walk away and make my own decision. I don't really know why but i think i want some kind of validation if it's likely, Not sure what to do atm.Has anyone else had this experience?Thanks for reading,Paul
I work with chronic pain populations and there is belief that chronic pain in itself can cause hypersensitivity, thus the trait of sensory issues could be caused by the chronic pain condition and not be an Autism trait. However, knowing which is which is anyone's guess and I am unsure how the psychiatrist could make that distinction. The evidence points the way as Iain states a lot of autistic people can manifest their hypersensitivity as chronic pain and again as stated one does not cancel out the other. Trying to figure out which caused the chronic pain is unnecessary and isn't helpful to anyone.
Many diagnostic tools for other conditions state exclusions. The diagnostic criteria for Autism does not although the DSM5 states:
D. The symptoms are not attributable to another medical or neurological condition
and the ICD 11 has one exclusion which is Rett syndrome.
If there is still push back if you can provide any evidence for sensory issues prior to the chronic pain starting, that may help.
As someone else states if you can get a second opinion if possible.
Thanks for this insight - upon looking again at the report, it does mention this Category of exclusion for the basis of being non-determined. I've had chronic pain since the age of 4 though. The only evidence i've been able to collect from before this age was being late with my milestones for speech. Didn't talk until i was 4-ish.