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New here

Cookie123

Hi,

I've just signed up and wanted to say hello.. A couple of years ago I was diagnosed with ADHD (combined - I'm in my 50s) and the assessor said I had a lot of autistic traits and it might be something to look into. I ignored it at the time, but I've recently started putting the pieces together that I actually might be autistic. I've masked for so long that I didn't even realise I was doing it - but once I started learning more a lot started making sense. 

I work in education and have always felt a strong connection with neurodivergent kids, especially autistic ones - now I'm wondering if that's not just a coincidence! I'm also a parent and life is busy but full of joy.

I'm here to learn, connect and hopefully feel a little less alone in this. I'd love to hear from others who've discovered their neurodivergence later in life - or who's had that 'oh, that's why!' lightbulb moment. I feel I have to confess that AI helped we write this so I could get my thoughts out succinctly. I hope that's ok. 

Looking forward to connecting Slight smile

Parents

  • Hi and welcome to the community! Wave

    Please don't worry - it's absolutely fine to have used AI to help compose your post; it's a wonderful aid for that purpose.

    I'm late diagnosed (almost two years ago), having first gone through the process of research and self-realisation, spending over two years on an NHS waiting list, and finally a re-referral and diagnosis via Right to Choose (more on that below).   

    These NAS resources explain the main signs / symptoms / characteristics of autism:

    NAS - What is autism?

    NAS - Signs that a child or adult may be autistic

    If you'd then like to learn more about getting assessed, this article is a good place to start:

    NAS - How to request an autism assessment

    It's from the NAS's diagnosis hub, which covers all stages of the process.

    For those who live in England, it also includes information about requesting an assessment via Right to Choose (which enables access to private providers who might have shorter waiting lists than the NHS, but with your referral and assessment still fully funded by the NHS).

    The NAS articles include links to some screening questionnaires that you can complete, to get a better idea of whether your suspicions are correct. But you might prefer to use the website below for this. It provides a useful commentary for each questionnaire, and enables them to be completed online (with scores calculated for you), saved as PDFs and - if the results support your suspicions and you decide to seek a formal diagnosis - printed off to take with you to the GP.

    The AQ-10 or AQ-50 seem to be the most frequently used / required by GPs in support of NHS referrals. (RAADS-R might also be helpful, but recent research has thrown doubt on its validity as a screening tool).

    Embrace Autism - screening tests

Reply

  • Hi and welcome to the community! Wave

    Please don't worry - it's absolutely fine to have used AI to help compose your post; it's a wonderful aid for that purpose.

    I'm late diagnosed (almost two years ago), having first gone through the process of research and self-realisation, spending over two years on an NHS waiting list, and finally a re-referral and diagnosis via Right to Choose (more on that below).   

    These NAS resources explain the main signs / symptoms / characteristics of autism:

    NAS - What is autism?

    NAS - Signs that a child or adult may be autistic

    If you'd then like to learn more about getting assessed, this article is a good place to start:

    NAS - How to request an autism assessment

    It's from the NAS's diagnosis hub, which covers all stages of the process.

    For those who live in England, it also includes information about requesting an assessment via Right to Choose (which enables access to private providers who might have shorter waiting lists than the NHS, but with your referral and assessment still fully funded by the NHS).

    The NAS articles include links to some screening questionnaires that you can complete, to get a better idea of whether your suspicions are correct. But you might prefer to use the website below for this. It provides a useful commentary for each questionnaire, and enables them to be completed online (with scores calculated for you), saved as PDFs and - if the results support your suspicions and you decide to seek a formal diagnosis - printed off to take with you to the GP.

    The AQ-10 or AQ-50 seem to be the most frequently used / required by GPs in support of NHS referrals. (RAADS-R might also be helpful, but recent research has thrown doubt on its validity as a screening tool).

    Embrace Autism - screening tests

Children
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