Sally Anne test

Hi Justfour.

Longman didn't mean any offense to you, from the layout and context as well as how his reply was laid out, his grievance was directed towards the 'proffessionals' who decide whether we need help or not based on a brief interview, not you.

I'd be doomed if it wasn't for my mum, I was diagnosed last year aged 17 despite all the symptoms being there, only none of the proffessionals spotted it until things got really bad sadly.

What Longman was trying to express was that, even though you as a mum know virtually everything about your daughter, there will be things that you will merely know, and not fully understand.

I adore my mum, shes always supported me and knows me better than anyone, but its only in the past year since I was diagnosed that we've really actually tried to understand each others points of view, I'm now used to her asking about why I'd reply a certain way, and she's used to me asking simply why she'd respond to something the way she has. e.g. an old lady appears to struggle across the road, she'll run over to offer assistance despite to me gaining nothing from it. Rather than explaining about morals and such (which I only have an idea of), she'd state 'if I was old and needed help, I'd like for someone to do the same for me'. A philosophy I can understand and relate to without the complex matter of feelings (I have them, its just really hard analysing or expressing them most of the time). Shes accepted I will never 'get' what it is to do volunteer work or help others out of the 'goodness of my heart', but still helps me to act as part of a community while loving and accepting me fully.

Another example is that I pace a lot, this used to worry her and though she accepts it, I know she doesn't fully understand why I do it, despite being aware that from a young age putting me in a pram and pushing me around (the movement) would help me relax and sleep.

In terms of tests, when I was diagnosed, I had to fill in a form that rated my responses to questions from 'hate it' to 'love it', i.e. How do you feel when surrounded by people? To which I'd rate 'hate it'.

The second test was a lot of pictures of just peoples eyes. From those images, I was asked to try and decide what those people were feeling, and the methods I used to decide that.

There was also a lot of discussion about how much I hated change, and needed routine or would suffer from servere anxiety. Early childhood was an in depth discussion point. I've heard of this basket test, but I believe its only really used in America, and it only targets individuals further down the Autistic Spectrum (I've got Aspergers Syndrome/Higher Functioning Autism).

Also, a lot of people on the spectrum are pretty creative, the issues mostly lie within social interaction. I love drawing and animations, when I was little, all I had was imaginary friends because it was so hard trying to make sense of all the other kids (one pushes the other down, the kid crys, gets up, then suddenly they're best friends again?). But, I still think of things in a very structural, routined fashion. i.e. process of elimination is my main method. I'm not saying this in any kind of offensive manner, its just from all the paperwork and books out there about autism, people seem to think there can only be one or the other (creative autistic or logical autistic). XD

Good luck with your assesment.

Hi Justfour.

Longman didn't mean any offense to you, from the layout and context as well as how his reply was laid out, his grievance was directed towards the 'proffessionals' who decide whether we need help or not based on a brief interview, not you.

I'd be doomed if it wasn't for my mum, I was diagnosed last year aged 17 despite all the symptoms being there, only none of the proffessionals spotted it until things got really bad sadly.

What Longman was trying to express was that, even though you as a mum know virtually everything about your daughter, there will be things that you will merely know, and not fully understand.

I adore my mum, shes always supported me and knows me better than anyone, but its only in the past year since I was diagnosed that we've really actually tried to understand each others points of view, I'm now used to her asking about why I'd reply a certain way, and she's used to me asking simply why she'd respond to something the way she has. e.g. an old lady appears to struggle across the road, she'll run over to offer assistance despite to me gaining nothing from it. Rather than explaining about morals and such (which I only have an idea of), she'd state 'if I was old and needed help, I'd like for someone to do the same for me'. A philosophy I can understand and relate to without the complex matter of feelings (I have them, its just really hard analysing or expressing them most of the time). Shes accepted I will never 'get' what it is to do volunteer work or help others out of the 'goodness of my heart', but still helps me to act as part of a community while loving and accepting me fully.

Another example is that I pace a lot, this used to worry her and though she accepts it, I know she doesn't fully understand why I do it, despite being aware that from a young age putting me in a pram and pushing me around (the movement) would help me relax and sleep.

In terms of tests, when I was diagnosed, I had to fill in a form that rated my responses to questions from 'hate it' to 'love it', i.e. How do you feel when surrounded by people? To which I'd rate 'hate it'.

The second test was a lot of pictures of just peoples eyes. From those images, I was asked to try and decide what those people were feeling, and the methods I used to decide that.

There was also a lot of discussion about how much I hated change, and needed routine or would suffer from servere anxiety. Early childhood was an in depth discussion point. I've heard of this basket test, but I believe its only really used in America, and it only targets individuals further down the Autistic Spectrum (I've got Aspergers Syndrome/Higher Functioning Autism).

Also, a lot of people on the spectrum are pretty creative, the issues mostly lie within social interaction. I love drawing and animations, when I was little, all I had was imaginary friends because it was so hard trying to make sense of all the other kids (one pushes the other down, the kid crys, gets up, then suddenly they're best friends again?). But, I still think of things in a very structural, routined fashion. i.e. process of elimination is my main method. I'm not saying this in any kind of offensive manner, its just from all the paperwork and books out there about autism, people seem to think there can only be one or the other (creative autistic or logical autistic). XD

Good luck with your assesment.