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Diagnose or not?

Bluejen

My 15 year old daughter behaves like a 'normal' teen at home, however she suffers social anxiety at school and is unable to sustain relationships with peers, which causes great distress -Behavours such as self harming and talking of suicide. She has managed to sit 7 national 5's (Scottish equivalent to GCSE's) and has coped well with limited support. She has been at CAMHS for several weeks and they're now suggesting ASD, which I can now see why.

Our concern is what are the benefits of getting a late diagnosis?

All we can see are negatives: labelling, stigma and limitations being placed on her if she goes ahead with this. We've let her know it's her decision and at the moment she's adamant she doesn't want this. We want to know the benefits for her, we've been told she'll get a free laptop for university!!! Is that it?

I want her decision to be an informed one yet at the moment I can't disagree with what she says.....Please help!

Parents
  • Former Member
    Former Member

    A free laptop is pretty irrelevant in my opinion!

    Diagnosis comes as a great relief to many people. Suddenly you can begin to understand why you are different and how you can start to work with what you are rather than trying to be something that you aren't.

    The diagnosis can be kept as private as you want to keep it. Nobody needs to know unless they really need to know. Many people (self included) feel the urge to tell the world that we have a diagnosis but very few people are able to do something with this knowledge when you give it to them so there isn't as much point telling people as one might think.

    I was diagnosed later in life after gaining three degrees and having held down a succession of jobs. In hindsight I could have had a happier, more settled life if I had known earlier as I would have been better able to work out how to find a good place to fit and how to work with the rest of society rather than repeatedly clattering about with disputes and misunderstandings on a regular basis.

    There can be negatives as it feels very odd to have the knowledge that one is labeled and different - one can use it as an excuse rather than an explanation and that is not a good recipe for life.

Reply
  • Former Member
    Former Member

    A free laptop is pretty irrelevant in my opinion!

    Diagnosis comes as a great relief to many people. Suddenly you can begin to understand why you are different and how you can start to work with what you are rather than trying to be something that you aren't.

    The diagnosis can be kept as private as you want to keep it. Nobody needs to know unless they really need to know. Many people (self included) feel the urge to tell the world that we have a diagnosis but very few people are able to do something with this knowledge when you give it to them so there isn't as much point telling people as one might think.

    I was diagnosed later in life after gaining three degrees and having held down a succession of jobs. In hindsight I could have had a happier, more settled life if I had known earlier as I would have been better able to work out how to find a good place to fit and how to work with the rest of society rather than repeatedly clattering about with disputes and misunderstandings on a regular basis.

    There can be negatives as it feels very odd to have the knowledge that one is labeled and different - one can use it as an excuse rather than an explanation and that is not a good recipe for life.

Children
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