Having an assessment

Thanks luv,xx

Social communication is one of the three main symptoms that lead to a diagnosis of autism. Salt won't be qualified to give an actual diagnosis but they are able to identify this as an issue.

The paed may value the school's opinion as a diagnosis often relies on other peoples observations of his behaviour in normal situations.

It all points to him getting a diagnosis that will enable them to provide him with better support.

No would you belive recombined! the gp said it was obvious he was on the spectrum when i asked for a re referal to cahms,the pead said she would doagnose him with high functioning and sensory depending on what school said,bt senco has been off a lot lately,pead was going to call a meeting with school,but it hasnt happened.

Surely i would kow if they had diagnosed him? the socail communication came from salt who done the assesemnt a few weeks ago,they have done assesemtn previously but it diddnt seem to carry any weight,perhaps now they have said socail communication??? perhaps they may diagnose him when i next see the pead? i did ask salt to make sure pead got a copy.

Thanks for responding.

Your GP must refer him for a diagnosis. I'm puzzled because you have had autism parent training and he is being flagged for social communication  problems. Are you sure that they haven't diagnosed him already? Perhaps you need to see his records at the GP surgery to see what they think his problem is?

Hey guys how do you go about getting an assesment? i done that teat on my son and he scored 43. nobody has ever offered us an assesment?

The diagnosis involved provoking/challenging/testing how I reacted to social cues. I fear that it would spoil things if I give to much away though. Also, I suspect that different doctors go about it differently. The message to anyone being diagnosed is just to relax and do what comes naturally rather than trying to do what you think they want you to do.

Actually what you said about contradictory information resonated with what I did this week. I've done a lot of reading about management and a fair bit of training on the subject. My managers, however, just go on gut feel and instinct and they trust in their authority due to their positions in the firm to carty them through. I couldn't cope with the difference between what the theory says and what they are intent on doing to me in practice and I basically had a meltdown. I managed to walk out of the building without smashing anything up but basically I blew my fuses.

Personally, I don't respect authority for the sake of it. I don't respect bosses that haven't earned respect through their work or qualified themselves by gaining qualifications. There is an interesting observation in this Life Scientific recording...

www.bbc.co.uk/.../b0213yfk

Listen out for the bit where she is asked about the way that physicists and biologists organise their departments.

Discuss!

Hi Recombinantsocks! I am particularly interested in Q3 - how you deal with being challenged, how you deal with contradictory information, how you deal with authority.

Do they try to put you on the spot? I am fine with authority (the law may be an ass but if it is the law I just get on with it) but if I am challenged my mind just goes blank, and contradictory information blows the fuses. 

Hi good luck , just sit there and tell them all about your self and your friends and family and all the things you like doing and the things you don't like doing and what ever thay ask you just give them a answer please let me no how you get on.i when 8 times at 1hr each time then on the 9 time thay toll me aspergers then do what i did looked it up there is lots of information out there and help but its time , yes thats the big word time take care talk soon 

As Omicron highlights, the procedure can vary according to how you get into the system. I expect they will want someone else there at the time of the interview as this provides more background and help for the diagnosis. It also changes the dynamics of the consultation as the specialist will see how you behave with another person present. I find that I am better in a one to one situation and you are likely to behave differently with someone else there and it is helpful, for the diagnosis, to observe this in real life.

My experience was as painless as Omicron's. It isn't like an inquisition or an interview for a job, they will hopefully be looking to work out whether you have the condition or not. The NHS and employment services etc would rather have someone with ASD rather than an unexplained condition or a mental health condition, that people on the spectrum often present to the doctor, that has to be treated with drugs and other expensive services.

It isn't easy to describe what happens but don't worry, they won't bite and they won't be trying to trick you into avoiding a diagnosis.

For me there were three components

1) A questionnaire for me to complete about what I liked doing, preferences for various situations, whether I had lots of friends, etc etc.

2) A questionnaire for my wife (i.e. someone who knows me fairly well) this gives a different perspective from the outside looking in at you whereas your perspective of your behaviour is likely to be different.

3) An interview with a specialist. They are trying to observe how you handle a number of social and communication situations. They need to see how you deal with being challenged, how you deal with contradictory information, how you deal with authority.

For all three stages I would advise that you be open and honest and try not to think of what the answer should be. Just be yourself.

In each of these they also need to identify whether this is a condition or problem that has affected you since you were very young. It can help if you have a number of anecdotes about situations where you have got into unexpected conflict or just things that didn't make sense to you at the time. They need to make sure that this isn't a psychiatric condition that has developed recently. You may not have been aware of great problems until recently but if you have an ASD then you are likely to be able to remember curious or weird or unpleasant incidents from school or home life that you haven't been able to understand.

Sometimes they want a parent to give evidence from when you were young but this is not absolutely necessary, it can help though IF you have a co-operative parent to hand. Sometimes parents can have problems themselves and sometimes they want to deny that their child has a "mental problem" so they don't co-operate. In my mind ASD is a difference, it is not a mental disorder!

Have you done the free online AQ test? It asks similar questions and its a fairly reliable (but not guaranteed and certified) test that may help you.

Okay thanks for answers :/ still very hard to understand what i shall expect what type of questions to expect 

I had 4 one hour sessions. The first was about the process of the assessment and family history, the second about current behaviour, the third was multiple question test and discussion about the answers and the fourth was about the diagnosis and what options were available.