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Not Autisitic enough

Al 1

Hi Everyone

i have just been for an assessment at the Nhs centre in Sheffield. I comcluded a session of 2 hours of assessment mainly verbally asking me questions and at the end of it I was informed that had I been assessed as a child then I would of got an ADOs test. It was explained that whilst I have many Autistic traits then this is not enough to warrant an ADOS test, which feels a bit like telling someone with 1 leg that can't be provided with a wheelchair unless they have no legs.

i went because I had an idea after my son was diagnosed and I also think my dad has had it for years, given I now know quite a lot about the condition. I racked my brain back to my childhood and now present day and I am clearly Autistic, but clearly the view is that if you are not Autistic enough then basically you can't get the same support Which is very fustrating for me. I was further told that basically I had adapted through learnt behaviour and that I found strategies and routines in my life that suit my situation and by default I have indirectly protected myself in some ways. When I basically explainer at the end  of how I could be defined with Aufistic traits, yet effectively not be Autistic enough it was positioned with me that 'The reason I taken this literal view was based on my Austism'.

So basically, I am just sharing this with this network to look for other people's experience where they may feel let down by the process to gain an ADOS test and the relevant support.

Thanks for listening and appreciate any feedback.

Al

Parents
  • Former Member
    Former Member

    JennyRobin said:

    She also suffers from depression, anxiety and social phobia, but the mental health practitioner told her it was because of her condition and to use breathing and relaxation strategies, but she finds it  hard to do so when she is stresssed.  The GP has prescribed anti-depression medication which has helped a bit.

    Autism isn't a mental illness so the mental health team discharged her, and said they didn't need to see her again, once she was diagnosed at the end of last year.  

    Autism isn't a mental illness but people with autism do suffer mental issues. They should only have discharged he if they have resolved her mental health issues - depression and anxiety. It is inappropriate, in my opinion, to give a person drugs for condition if there is an underlying cause that indicates that CBT therapy would be more appropriate. Your daughter sounds unwell and should be treated by the appropriate people (the mental health team) rather than having drugs doled out by a GP.

    There is an issue with autism diagnosis in that a diagnosis leads to a categorisation as disabled with all the appropriate protection that brings for some people but other people who are less affected cannot get a diagnosis even though that diagnosis may help them get better treatment. Diagnosis in many conditions is a black and white issue but autism introduces a spectrum of affect that is problematic for the health and legal systems that struggle to cope with the idea that someone can be somewhat affected without having it classed as a disability.

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  • Former Member
    Former Member

    JennyRobin said:

    She also suffers from depression, anxiety and social phobia, but the mental health practitioner told her it was because of her condition and to use breathing and relaxation strategies, but she finds it  hard to do so when she is stresssed.  The GP has prescribed anti-depression medication which has helped a bit.

    Autism isn't a mental illness so the mental health team discharged her, and said they didn't need to see her again, once she was diagnosed at the end of last year.  

    Autism isn't a mental illness but people with autism do suffer mental issues. They should only have discharged he if they have resolved her mental health issues - depression and anxiety. It is inappropriate, in my opinion, to give a person drugs for condition if there is an underlying cause that indicates that CBT therapy would be more appropriate. Your daughter sounds unwell and should be treated by the appropriate people (the mental health team) rather than having drugs doled out by a GP.

    There is an issue with autism diagnosis in that a diagnosis leads to a categorisation as disabled with all the appropriate protection that brings for some people but other people who are less affected cannot get a diagnosis even though that diagnosis may help them get better treatment. Diagnosis in many conditions is a black and white issue but autism introduces a spectrum of affect that is problematic for the health and legal systems that struggle to cope with the idea that someone can be somewhat affected without having it classed as a disability.

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