Mild Autism? Teenager

Hello Crisps!

Crisps said:

My teenager daughter has recently expressed that she would like an autism assessment.

That’s exciting! Assessments can be costly and take a long time, but they can help with self-validation and potentially pay off for getting accommodations.

Crisps said:

She has done a lot of research herself and strongly suspects she has. She is not necessarily looking for additional support as such but thinks that by knowing she may be able to access/learn more to support herself. 

So an interesting thing to consider is self-diagnosis. In short, your daughter does not need a doctor’s permission to identify as Autistic. If she is certain herself that she is, she certainly can identify as such. There is also the scary specter of “what if I get misdiagnosed?” Loads of women get improperly diagnosed with a different disorder (such as BPD) or are undiagnosed altogether because they don’t “act as Autistic” as male counterparts. However, without a formal diagnosis it could be harder to get accommodations at school or work if that is ever needed.

Crisps said:

She has taught herself coping mechanisms to her social and emotional barriers, and does incredibly well at school. I think recently it has been mostly bothering her as she doesn't understand when she appears rude and it is frustrating her.

This is great to hear that she has adapted well! I think either self-identifying or getting a diagnosis would definitely help her, as knowing that you are Autistic can certainly aid in her understanding why some things are more difficult for her.

Crisps said:

Given that its likely mild and shes high-functioning (apologies again I understand these are outdated phrases)

So some people in the community still use mild and high-functioning as descriptors for Autism. I personally prefer low or high support needs. Ex. Your daughter would be low-support, since she needs supports but not as much as some others. I appreciate your apology, but you are doing well!

Hello Crisps!

Crisps said:

My teenager daughter has recently expressed that she would like an autism assessment.

That’s exciting! Assessments can be costly and take a long time, but they can help with self-validation and potentially pay off for getting accommodations.

Crisps said:

She has done a lot of research herself and strongly suspects she has. She is not necessarily looking for additional support as such but thinks that by knowing she may be able to access/learn more to support herself. 

So an interesting thing to consider is self-diagnosis. In short, your daughter does not need a doctor’s permission to identify as Autistic. If she is certain herself that she is, she certainly can identify as such. There is also the scary specter of “what if I get misdiagnosed?” Loads of women get improperly diagnosed with a different disorder (such as BPD) or are undiagnosed altogether because they don’t “act as Autistic” as male counterparts. However, without a formal diagnosis it could be harder to get accommodations at school or work if that is ever needed.

Crisps said:

She has taught herself coping mechanisms to her social and emotional barriers, and does incredibly well at school. I think recently it has been mostly bothering her as she doesn't understand when she appears rude and it is frustrating her.

This is great to hear that she has adapted well! I think either self-identifying or getting a diagnosis would definitely help her, as knowing that you are Autistic can certainly aid in her understanding why some things are more difficult for her.

Crisps said:

Given that its likely mild and shes high-functioning (apologies again I understand these are outdated phrases)

So some people in the community still use mild and high-functioning as descriptors for Autism. I personally prefer low or high support needs. Ex. Your daughter would be low-support, since she needs supports but not as much as some others. I appreciate your apology, but you are doing well!