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People who self-diagnose gaining access to services

Shek

A major autism organisation is giving access to groups/services for adults with Asperger's and high functioning autism to adults who self-diagnose.

Those who self-diagnose are highly motivated, unlike many adults with autism where motivation can be an issue.  They are more likely to attend groups than those with significant problems. These self-diagnosed adults as service users have a say in how services are run.  In this organisation, they want groups set up that exclude those with Asperger's and high functioning autism who have more problems than they do.

This mirrors what has happened in some online groups for people with Asperger's that have been dominated by those desperately seeking a diagnosis.

What other condition allows those that self-diagnose to be given access to services?  It could be argued that everyone as some autisitic traits i.e. is on the autism spectrum.  But surely the point of diagnosis is to identify those that are in need of support services.  To be given a diagnosis, there must be 'significant impairment'.  Many of those desperate for a diagnosis do not meet the criterea.  For many 'Asperger's Syndrome' seems a trendy diagnosis - it doesn't have the baggage of many conditions linked to the mind/brain.  They have little awarenees of the many difficulties faced by those living with Asperger's/high functioning autism.

I believe allowing people who self-diagnose access to services makes diagnosis meaningless.  In the long term, it is likely to have a negative affect on funding for services for adults.

What are your thoughts?

 

Parents

  • Regarding over-diagnosis: I can give you one example of a case that I believe was given a diagnosis when the behaviour could have been explained differently, and the diagnosis was done privately. My 16 year old cousin was not doing well at school academically. He would not concentrate and preferred to spend his days  riding around recklessly on his bike. He has always been a very active boy but his parents had never suspected that anything was wrong until this moment. His sister is an academic high-flyer and is studying law at university. Both parents are very middle-class (their mum is a top consultant and boss at their local hospital and the dad is a teacher). My cousin was diagnosed with ADHD last year, but my own comparatively humble immediate family think he was given a diagnosis because of his pushy middle class parent's fears that he would not end up in a professional career. My mum has always known I was different, but she did not have the money or the power to get her voice heard. I have had noticeable problems since infancy, but my cousin has not. Moreover, he has a sales job within which he is very successful; he has a girlfriend, and he is  personable and is sure to do well whatever path he chooses to take, although he is not academic - much to the bane of his parents.

    I think that pushy parents with power and money can 'buy' their children a diagnosis, be it ADHD or Asperger's, when their child is 'normal' but not academic.

Reply

  • Regarding over-diagnosis: I can give you one example of a case that I believe was given a diagnosis when the behaviour could have been explained differently, and the diagnosis was done privately. My 16 year old cousin was not doing well at school academically. He would not concentrate and preferred to spend his days  riding around recklessly on his bike. He has always been a very active boy but his parents had never suspected that anything was wrong until this moment. His sister is an academic high-flyer and is studying law at university. Both parents are very middle-class (their mum is a top consultant and boss at their local hospital and the dad is a teacher). My cousin was diagnosed with ADHD last year, but my own comparatively humble immediate family think he was given a diagnosis because of his pushy middle class parent's fears that he would not end up in a professional career. My mum has always known I was different, but she did not have the money or the power to get her voice heard. I have had noticeable problems since infancy, but my cousin has not. Moreover, he has a sales job within which he is very successful; he has a girlfriend, and he is  personable and is sure to do well whatever path he chooses to take, although he is not academic - much to the bane of his parents.

    I think that pushy parents with power and money can 'buy' their children a diagnosis, be it ADHD or Asperger's, when their child is 'normal' but not academic.

Children
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