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Finally a diagnosis for my daughter @ 18 yrs old

Denise63

Hi everyone - I've been on the message boards a few times over the years as we were struggling to get a diagnosis and help.

Finally we got some help for my daughters anxiety and referred for an assessment which has come back as a diagnosis of autism (high functioning). 

Its something we've battled with for years trying to get medical professionals to listen to us. It changes nothing in our family unit as we all knew including Amy in the latter few years what exactly the issues and daily challenges were that she faced. A diagnosis simply confirms it.

So please - never give up on going for that diagnosis if that's what you want. It's a struggle at times and I found I had to repeat myself many times to different people, & passed from pillar to post constantly over the years!

Its actually a relief for Amy, she now says she understands so much more, she reads about Aspergers, she talks about the many people she knows who has it at college. I can honestly say it's helped her since knowing.  She hasn't told anyone as yet and still feels awkward to say anything about it for fear of people seeing her differently but I will leave that up to her to decide. 

Im wondering what reactions as a teenager or adult you faced when telling people you or a family member has autism / Aspergers?

Xxx 

Parents

  • Hi Ells,

    We talk to our grandson constantly about his ASD and what it means. He was quite young when first diagnosed but even then he felt a sort of relief and very quickly an acceptance of it. If you stress to him that ASD has nothing to do with intelligence so you can be very clever and have it, and that it gives you lots of special talents as well as some challenges. Our grandson likes to the look at the list of very famous and learned people who are suspected of having had it. You may find that he is very relieved to find out the reason for the way he thinks and behaves.  Its probably better to wait until you get a diagnosis before you mention ASD specifically but you could chat with him about how he feels different from other youngsters.

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  • Hi Ells,

    We talk to our grandson constantly about his ASD and what it means. He was quite young when first diagnosed but even then he felt a sort of relief and very quickly an acceptance of it. If you stress to him that ASD has nothing to do with intelligence so you can be very clever and have it, and that it gives you lots of special talents as well as some challenges. Our grandson likes to the look at the list of very famous and learned people who are suspected of having had it. You may find that he is very relieved to find out the reason for the way he thinks and behaves.  Its probably better to wait until you get a diagnosis before you mention ASD specifically but you could chat with him about how he feels different from other youngsters.

Children
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