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Masking at assessment

NAS39248

Hi 

This is a bit of a strange question but I'm just looking for a bit of insight.

We are currently trying to get my daughter assessed as we have no doubt that she has asd however she is incredibly good at masking her symptoms and compulsions to the point that school are only just starting to notice them and that is because they are looking 

She is in year 3 and until last year she was just described by her teachers as quirky or unique however her last teacher started to notice issues such as not liking eye contact or maintaining it, anxiety in busy areas limited social skills. She supported us and gave her opinion when my daughter was referred but the child development centre rejected my daughter as they claimed no social or communication issues identified as she does have one or two friends.

Luckily the school nursing team have backed me and are getting help for daughters anxiety and getting us a family support worker (which I really don't want)  hopefully to build a case to refer her again. This is incredibly frustrating because while this is going on my daughter is isolating herself more as her "friends"  won't do what she wants all the time. Her new teacher has noticed that she doesn't make eye contact and generally us looking behind you not at you. She is popular during lessons which I used to find reassuring but after parents evening I discovered that this was down to my daughter telling everyone the answers so of course they want to work with her. 

My rambling concern is that even if we get her referred again that she will act completely normal and we will be at square one again. I know girls are better at masking the signs and acting will this be taken into account? 

  • I, too, was concerned that I would behave 'normally' at my assessment.  But the psychologist who assessed me could see through.  She noted my lack of eye contact, my 'overall flat vocal effect', my over-detailed answers to routine questions, my constant digressions to things I thought were relevant.  Then my mother's testimony helped.  She could point out that I was a 'Jekyll and Hyde' character as a child, and had never really grown out of it.  She pointed out my problems at school, plus my quiet behaviour there compared to my disruptive behaviour at home.

    Hopefully, as NAS37035 has said, the assessor will take things into proper account.  Having one or two friends is a very obtuse reason for refusing a diagnosis.