Early signs of autism in low support needs adults? Freaking out before assessment.

Hi guys! I'm thinking about getting assessed for autism and the main part I'm really hung up on is the early signs. I didn't really seem like a very autistic baby, but started showing lots of signs by age 4. I was a sensory seeker as an infant and had a love of spoons where I would hold them and look at them. I also used to cry when I couldn't express my ideas, as I was a slightly late talker but was still within the normal range. By age 4, I had strong food sensory aversions, was referred to an SLP for pragmatic communication issues, had very literal communication, struggled to make friends and understand social rules, was a diagnosed sensory seeker, and had black & white perfectionistic thinking. I also had chewlery & was stimming by then as well. 

However, I was great at imaginative play, and would often play with my brother. I was a bit bossy at times and would complain that the other kids were doing it wrong but had good play skills in general. For example, I would yell at my brother for passing the ball the wrong way or would yell at my dance class when people turned the wrong way. I was also very hyperempathetic and personified my dolls. I had to put them to bed because I couldn't handle them being in a box.

Also, I have always had great eye contact and have always been affectively expressive. 

  1. Is this enough early developmental history? Or I guess has anyone been diagnosed with this type or amount of history? I'm worried about wasting my money if I won't qualify. 
Parents
  • Hi and welcome to the community! 

    Whilst some of what you've described might be relatable to autistic people, we're not allowed to offer medical advice to each other here.

    I suspect you might not be in the UK, but will post the same resources that I usually share - both in case you are, and for others who will read your thread over time. If you're elsewhere, please let us know (just the country, nothing specific about where you live) and one of us can signpost you to other resources that might be more directly helpful.

    If you haven't yet seem them, you might these NAS resources helpful - they explain the main signs / symptoms / characteristics of autism:

    NAS - What is autism?

    NAS - Signs that a child or adult may be autistic (lists over 60 signs)

    You might find it helpful to note down all of the signs that you recognise in yourself (and perhaps also that others might have noticed), and then include this list when talking to your doctor, if you decide to get assessed.

    To learn more about getting assessed, this article is a good place to start:

    NAS - How to request an autism assessment

    It's from the NAS's diagnosis hub, which covers all stages of the process.

    For those who live in England, it also includes information about requesting an assessment via Right to Choose (which enables access to private providers who might have shorter waiting lists than the NHS, but with your referral and assessment still fully funded by the NHS).

    The NAS articles include links to some screening questionnaires that you can complete, to get a better idea of whether your suspicions are correct. But you might prefer to use the website below for this. It provides a useful commentary for each questionnaire, and enables them to be completed online (with scores calculated for you), saved as PDFs and - if the results support your suspicions and you decide to seek a formal diagnosis - printed off or saved to share with your GP.

    The AQ-10 or AQ-50 seem to be the most frequently used / required by GPs in support of NHS referrals. (RAADS-R might also be helpful, but recent research has thrown doubt on its clinical validity as a screening tool).

    Embrace Autism - screening tests

Reply
  • Hi and welcome to the community! 

    Whilst some of what you've described might be relatable to autistic people, we're not allowed to offer medical advice to each other here.

    I suspect you might not be in the UK, but will post the same resources that I usually share - both in case you are, and for others who will read your thread over time. If you're elsewhere, please let us know (just the country, nothing specific about where you live) and one of us can signpost you to other resources that might be more directly helpful.

    If you haven't yet seem them, you might these NAS resources helpful - they explain the main signs / symptoms / characteristics of autism:

    NAS - What is autism?

    NAS - Signs that a child or adult may be autistic (lists over 60 signs)

    You might find it helpful to note down all of the signs that you recognise in yourself (and perhaps also that others might have noticed), and then include this list when talking to your doctor, if you decide to get assessed.

    To learn more about getting assessed, this article is a good place to start:

    NAS - How to request an autism assessment

    It's from the NAS's diagnosis hub, which covers all stages of the process.

    For those who live in England, it also includes information about requesting an assessment via Right to Choose (which enables access to private providers who might have shorter waiting lists than the NHS, but with your referral and assessment still fully funded by the NHS).

    The NAS articles include links to some screening questionnaires that you can complete, to get a better idea of whether your suspicions are correct. But you might prefer to use the website below for this. It provides a useful commentary for each questionnaire, and enables them to be completed online (with scores calculated for you), saved as PDFs and - if the results support your suspicions and you decide to seek a formal diagnosis - printed off or saved to share with your GP.

    The AQ-10 or AQ-50 seem to be the most frequently used / required by GPs in support of NHS referrals. (RAADS-R might also be helpful, but recent research has thrown doubt on its clinical validity as a screening tool).

    Embrace Autism - screening tests

Children
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