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Concerned our high functioning child will not be diagnosed as autistic because his traits aren’t severe.

NAS78326

Hi,

As parents we are in the middle of having our 7 year old boy assessed for autism. In the last consultation they are happy to continue to assess him but aren’t sure if he is on the spectrum, this is because they only spoke to him and watched his interactions for an hour, whereas at home there are so more signs of definite autism.

We are wondering if anyone else has experienced doctors not believing your child is autistic because they are high functioning and if there’s any way to have them tested for longer than a short doctor’s appointment, other than going private which we cannot afford.

Thank you in advance for any help you can give us.

Parents

  • My daughter was older than your child, and she wasn’t observed as such. She is high functioning and was masking, and they put all her issues down to anxiety and the fact her father had split with me. I had given them a long and detailed report of all her problems, divided up in sections. Of course, that strangely went missing, so I had to bring it again, and have them copy it. The report from her school was out of date, so there was nothing to show she had any difficulties. She didn’t get diagnosed. I went private, several years later. No I couldn’t afford it. I used my emergency savings….

    I would say, as mentioned already, be prepared. I really think it’s luck of the draw these days. You do always get a second opinion, and there is always the private route. It depends if you absolutely need the factual evidence, or if you can just get used to self diagnosing your child. Any help can be given without a diagnosis, especially in the school environment.

  • in reply to Catlover

    Yes, our daughter very much first presented with chronic tummy aches and anxiety, usually around school and bedtime. It is only since we have started talking to her more about it that she has opened up a bit more and her reactions to certain situations has become more obvious to me.

    It's so hard because you constantly second guess yourself! Also, as I am training to be an SLT, I have some training around autism, so I worry that I am over-pathologising everything! 

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  • in reply to Catlover

    Yes, our daughter very much first presented with chronic tummy aches and anxiety, usually around school and bedtime. It is only since we have started talking to her more about it that she has opened up a bit more and her reactions to certain situations has become more obvious to me.

    It's so hard because you constantly second guess yourself! Also, as I am training to be an SLT, I have some training around autism, so I worry that I am over-pathologising everything! 

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