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Help with assessment outcome

NAS92468
6 months ago

Hi,

Hope it's ok to post this here but I'm really not sure where to go. My 18yo son has been through the assessment process and the report has come back to say he hasn't received a diagnosis as he didn't meet the criteria. I've had a follow up call as I didn't really agree with some of the observations in his report from his in person assessment, and actually following the assessment he was very shut down and exhausted for a few days, as he'd tried to hard to mask his usual behaviours. During the call it felt like the response was 'as he can learn to correct his behaviour, this doesn't fit with an autism diagnosis', but isn't this just what masking is?

I appreciate I'm probably overly emotional following the call this morning, but am just looking for advice really and whether anyone has been in a similar situation? Is there a 'next steps' or do i just let it go?

Just to add I could be being especially sensitive as I myself have been late diagnosed and in all honesty I just don't want that for him.

Thanks in advance!

Parents
  • 6 months ago
    NAS92468 said:
    Is there a 'next steps' or do i just let it go?

    You can ask for a second opinion as people are fallable, but you will have to pay for this yourself I think and wait times are long.

    You can speak to your GP and flag up the specific issues of concern and back these up with some research about masking to present to the GP (since they often know little about autism),

    It is quite possible that your son has autistic traits but does not meet the criteria for a diagnosis.

    This is because the definition used for a diagnosis involves assessing if you have enough autistic traits at a severe enough level to justify calling you disabled.

    It does not stop him being on the spectrum, but just not severely enough to need to be defined as disabled in order to get help.

    It sucks that it is defined that way but due to the nature of spectrums there will always be some who fall on the wrong side of the arbitrarily drawn threshold.

    While you are waiting for feedback on a second opinion you are best to read up on autism and in particular the traits your son exhibits as these often have useful recommendations on how to make it easier to live with them.

Reply
  • 6 months ago
    NAS92468 said:
    Is there a 'next steps' or do i just let it go?

    You can ask for a second opinion as people are fallable, but you will have to pay for this yourself I think and wait times are long.

    You can speak to your GP and flag up the specific issues of concern and back these up with some research about masking to present to the GP (since they often know little about autism),

    It is quite possible that your son has autistic traits but does not meet the criteria for a diagnosis.

    This is because the definition used for a diagnosis involves assessing if you have enough autistic traits at a severe enough level to justify calling you disabled.

    It does not stop him being on the spectrum, but just not severely enough to need to be defined as disabled in order to get help.

    It sucks that it is defined that way but due to the nature of spectrums there will always be some who fall on the wrong side of the arbitrarily drawn threshold.

    While you are waiting for feedback on a second opinion you are best to read up on autism and in particular the traits your son exhibits as these often have useful recommendations on how to make it easier to live with them.

Children
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