Undiagnosed Autism my daughter

I can only comment based on our experience of trying to get our 9 yr old daughter assessed for Autism. She also demonstrates sensory issues so we have put in a referral for a Sensory Processing Disorder assessment. I would say if you think she is autistic then push for an assessment - the traits you describe sound that this would fit. From our experience and research shows girls present differently and therefore often go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. I would also not assume that any professional, counsellor or even mental health professional will see the traits and consider autism. The counsellor your daughter is seeing may not be experienced enough to see the gender differences of autism and therefore not consider this a possibility. We had to bang down many doors to be listened too. Even at school who did not see it either. I would go back to the single point of access or CAMHT's and ask specifically for an autism assessment. The assessment will only confirm what you believe to be true, sounds like she needs some support for how she feels but from someone who specialises or at least has a really good understanding of autism specifically for girls so she receives the right advice and support. Good luck. 

In the mean time it looks like you're doing a great job at being her parent, understanding and respecting her "sensory issues". In fact, even just having a parent who we can trust cares about how we're impacted makes a world of difference.

Sensory Perception is something all life-forms have. As humans, we sense the external and internal world in order to navigate and communicate. With the right help, we can train our ears to hear exact frequencies, such as an audio acoustician, our smell to find notes in coffee, wine and scotch, like an engineer to find the electrical fire, or like a chef in the kitchen. We can notice the difference between natural and unnatural light (LEDs don't have infrared which the human eye uses for contrast - things go blurry without it). We can 'listen' to our muscles when we need to stretch or pay attention when we need more salt, feel dehydrated, need a bit of citrus. Humans used to be able to know what was happening with the weather without hard instruments to read it. 

Our skin needs to breathe, polyesters are made from petroleum essentially, it's like wearing plastic. The skin cannot breath in it. The right fibres like wool and silk will actually help regulate our body to a balanced human temperature. We can absorb minerals through our skin and help our cells stay hydrated. Biology is quite amazing, really.

Sensory perception relates to so much else. But what I've found in medical journals is that our Autistic "neuro-wiring" doesn't seem to have the same capacity to Dull our Senses like our non-autistic peers. There are many possibilities why this is. But it was well noted mid 20th century by psychoanalysts. 

With this information, if you assume Autistic senses can be similar to the vulnerability of an infants, there are multiple reasons why the cinema will have an overbearing effect and too much happening all at once causes biological Anxiety (it's positive counter: Excitement). The smash cut edits and flash lighting, the decibel levels at levels which cause hearing loss. The scents of chemically treated foods. I have ear plugs with me at all times and as I get older the cinema gets louder. It's usually the reverse. Except, I've had a decibel reader application on my phone so that I have proof.

WHO safe listening https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/deafness-and-hearing-loss-safe-listening 

Smell: https://oneseedperfumes.com/blogs/news/world-environment-day-why-your-perfume-may-be-polluting-more-than-your-car

Regardless of Autism, it's always good to mind our children and their sensory experience/environment. Most of our senses, like an natural innate quality, can be disciplined/sharpened.

For most autistics, it is the Intensity of Impact that is crucial to be aware of and to mind/navigate/shield from. That intensity can cause a flood of immediate surge or stress to navigate through, and confusion. For many of us, this added intense impact>surge creates a confusion, which prohibits one from identifying and thus, expressing anything but discomfort, anxiety or fear. While at 40 something I can better identify emotions, I simply couldn't when younger but I still struggle from Alexithymia. https://neuroclastic.com/alexithymia-and-autism-what-its-like-to-not-know-how-you-feel/ 

Senses include Emotional senses, Psychological senses (laws of Nature), Balance, Gravity, Internal and External. So yes, a button may feel like something pushing on the chest. Sometimes I need to check that it's not a pain, a lump, or something more frightening than just a button :) 

It is highly likely that the counselling team reserve their opinions until after the course is finished. They will usually discuss their findings before creating a report. As autism is not a mental illness and there is no cure as such, though its effects can be ameliorated, there is no particular pressure on time from a clinical viewpoint. The traits you describe do sound fairly typical for Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC), which is the standard diagnosis given for all autism-related conditions these days. As a child I had to be taken out of a cinema because seeing real actors interacting with cartoon characters totally freaked me out.

Dear NAS81470,

Thank you for sharing this with our community.

While we're waiting for the community to respond, you may be interested in checking out our page about sensory differences https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/sensory-differences/sensory-differences.

Thank you. I hope this helps.

Best regards,

Eunice Mod

no, i have experienced the gp referring me for a assessment and the assessment never coming, so you have got farther than i had with them and should be proud that they went that far before they gave you the silent treatment and totally forgot you exist lol