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Had first interview by adult autism team today

dogdude

Hi all.

I had my first interview today and it has left me very agitated. I was told I would either be asked back for a follow up or told I dont have it, and I have been asked back but he said it was very "mixed" from what they see. This is because  it was all based on info from my mum about how I was when I was little. This was 30 years ago and my mum was not sure of alot of the questions. I have most of the symptoms and have had my whole life as far as I remember, but in the interview they kept saying they are not sure there is enough evidence from when I was little. I did alot of hand flapping(stimming) when little and was quite eccentric this was drawn to parents attention in early primary school(age 5ish). I still do that to this day at 33. I am concerned he seems not particularily interested in any symtoms I have now but insists on me remembering things from childhood. As far as I am aware I have been how I am all my life. I hope that my mums info is not all this is based on or I am concerned I will be dismissed out of hand at the next stage. Since learning that aspergers is probably the explanation for most of my problems it has helped greatly with understanding my self and I am terrified of the fallout of being told I am wrong. I have terrible social anxiety and time management isssues as well as sensory sensitivity and relationship problems.  Has anyone else encountered this issue with the distant past being the main focus and point of contention? Hope to hear from you guys. I can form friendships but bore people to death with my various obsessions and avoid busy social settings a lot which makes maintaining friendships awekward. I can act "normal" sometimes but it takes a lot out of me and is very stressfull making small talk and things. 

Thanks

Parents
  • Former Member
    Former Member

    Parental information has to be optional as has been discussed. Information from childhood is still desirable as they want to differentiate between a lifelong permanent condition and an acquired condition. This is important for the doctors to know exactly how to treat you - they have to know that they should not try and eradicate the condition and they have to be able to prescribe appropriate assistance.

    Another reason for them wanting to be confident of their diagnosis is that autism qualifies as a disability under the Equality Act. They may feel that they need to be confident in case the DWP or anyone else decides to challenge the diagnosis. They have to be able to demonstrate that they performed a complete diagnosis and the childhood experience is part of that. I wonder if it might be sensible to give a diagnosis of "probable autism" when they are unable to satisfy this standard of evidence.

    In my own case, I was able to tell stories from childhood and adolsecence etc about things that had puzzled me or made me anxious. There have been a number of odd things that I was previously bafflled by that now make sense in the light of diagnosis. Examples were being told off for things that made no sense to me, hating going to parties because I never understood what the rules of the games were and I got no enjoyment from being with loads of other children doing non-sensical (to me) things.

    So, in my case, parental evidence was not required - either the evidence that I was able to offer was sufficient or I am so barn-door obviously autistic that the doctor had no difficulty.However, having survived for 56 years without anyone saying anything I think it was my evidence of eary life that was satisfactory.

    HTH

Reply
  • Former Member
    Former Member

    Parental information has to be optional as has been discussed. Information from childhood is still desirable as they want to differentiate between a lifelong permanent condition and an acquired condition. This is important for the doctors to know exactly how to treat you - they have to know that they should not try and eradicate the condition and they have to be able to prescribe appropriate assistance.

    Another reason for them wanting to be confident of their diagnosis is that autism qualifies as a disability under the Equality Act. They may feel that they need to be confident in case the DWP or anyone else decides to challenge the diagnosis. They have to be able to demonstrate that they performed a complete diagnosis and the childhood experience is part of that. I wonder if it might be sensible to give a diagnosis of "probable autism" when they are unable to satisfy this standard of evidence.

    In my own case, I was able to tell stories from childhood and adolsecence etc about things that had puzzled me or made me anxious. There have been a number of odd things that I was previously bafflled by that now make sense in the light of diagnosis. Examples were being told off for things that made no sense to me, hating going to parties because I never understood what the rules of the games were and I got no enjoyment from being with loads of other children doing non-sensical (to me) things.

    So, in my case, parental evidence was not required - either the evidence that I was able to offer was sufficient or I am so barn-door obviously autistic that the doctor had no difficulty.However, having survived for 56 years without anyone saying anything I think it was my evidence of eary life that was satisfactory.

    HTH

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