Lost...

Hello there, I am a mother of a 14yr old girl who I am worried about.  She has always been demanding - not naughty, just different.  I don't know where to start with this really as I just want to hear from those who have had personal experience. There is a danger of me rambling but here goes...

I've spent years of feeling that something, apart from her dyslexia - which I had diagnosed privately, was not quite right.  Finally, we are now 'in the system'.  To cut a very long story short, She has now been seen by a Speech & Language Therapist; a Education Psychologist was requested but due to budget there weren't any available. The SLT has given Her a full and thorough report, indicating her concerns towards ASD. She was quite astonished that nobody had picked up on this before. However, she has also seen a doctor at The Edwin Lobo Centre who felt unsure as She does sometimes give eye contact etc.  However, a lot of her social skills have been taught.

It is extremely difficult with girls as there seems to be so much ignorance out there, through nobody's fault.  Teachers are expected to complete forms from doctors and yet they're not trained themselves.  Plus, even doctors seem to only go from text books and tick boxes.

My daughter is in such an unhappy and anxious place.  She so desperately wants some friends.  My heart breaks to see her so lost and outcast from her peers.  Yet because she is well behaved at school, like the SLT suggested, she has flown under the radar.

Can anybody please help me with a route to a quick diagnosis as I have been advised that this is what she needs.  She is in year 10 and time is running out.

Thank you.