Published on 12, July, 2020
I did terribly on the ADOS assessment and declined most of the things she asked me to do. Well I started of trying but ended up not being able to. I told her I needed time away to practise before I could answer them.
Anyway the ADI-r took place with my mum answering the vast majority of the questions. Mum told her I was very shy as a child, and didn't have any friends and preferred my own company. From he questions she was asking, and how my mum answered it sounded like I did not have many developmental delays. I learned to talk around the right age, learned to walk around the right age, BUT the teachers would think I couldn't hear them because I didn't learn to respond to them properly until I was around 5 or 7 years old. Mum told them she reckons it was cos we didn't speak English at home. I had convulsions as a baby and because two of my uncles have epilepsy they thought it was a good idea to put me on meds for 4 years. One of my uncles who has epilepsy thinks he has autism but never got assessed. My dad had got assessed as having a learning disability but not dx'd autism. Sadly he passed away.
I'm afraid cos I don't know what the result is going to be. Plus I have had psychosis so maybe that explains the situation more than autism.... so she may refuse to diagnose me
Plus I have had psychosis so maybe that explains the situation more than autism.... so she may refuse to diagnose me
You can always ask for a second opinion.
I went via RtC after waiting on the NHS for three years, I don't think I will be able to get a second opinion easily unless I go private which I cannot afford at the moment. I already sent her the letters where my psychiatrist is asking my GP to refer me for the autism assessment because he thinks I have that. But of course he's not qualified or allowed to give me the diagnosis.
I don't think I will be able to get a second opinion easily unless I go private which I cannot afford at the moment. I already sent her the letters where my psychiatrist is asking my GP to refer me for the autism assessment because he thinks I have that. But of course he's not qualified or allowed to give me the diagnosis.
That’s a difficult situation, some private providers are very expensive after all.
Would you feel happy with self identifying as autistic for the time being or do you need a formal identification (for example, for adjustments at work)?