AS diagnosis scales and adults.

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It's been called to my attention that most tests for AS are only applicable up to between 18 and 22 years of age....and quite expensive.

I've only ever seen interviews for ASD diagnoses. I know some people go through a whole battery of tests, and some take something like the AQ test in the presence of a psychic/psycho, but they're still in addition to the interview/s.

The actual interview is really the main diagnostic tool, as they can see if you have this or that by just looking at you as you do [or don't] talk.

Yes. Ironically, the better you can communicate your experiences, the more likely it is that you will get a good evaluation--but if communication is impaired, then this can be difficult. Consider bringing family, especially if said family member knows you and your problems very well.

There are no rating scales that are independently capable of diagnosing someone as autistic. The only such scales are used by psychologists, psychiatrists, and neurologists as tools--and they don't have to take the results as gospel; they are only there to point the doctor in the right direction.

Diagnosing something that can't be detected by physical testing is really a judgment call (but so is diagnosing something that CAN be detected by physical testing, though to a smaller degree). That's why the doctors doing the diagnosing need to be well-trained, not just in autism, but in all the things that could look like autism--otherwise they will misdiagnose someone as autistic because they spend so much time thinking about autism that they see it everywhere.

There are questionnaires as well as interviews. And most AS tests are done on children not adults from all that I've read.

Us adults are pretty much ignored unless we have kids suspected to be on the spectrum. Then they want to know and they ask questions about your childhood to decide if you are AS or not.

It's possible to have tests done on yourself, but it's very expensive and may be hard to find good people to do it.

Im 39 yrs old and only recently a offically diagnosed female Aspie (first person in my family to be diagnosed thou my daughter and father also have this). I have heard that it is often very hard for females to get diagnosed but i found it easy when i saw the experts in it.

The Autism experts at the Autism Society did my diagnoses, i refered myself to them (didnt need a doctor.. all doctors had diagnosed me with something else! which now cause of the AS may be wrong). It WAS very expensive and not covered by health insurance or medicard and also the waiting list was very long (and costs actually went up a lot while i was on the waiting list! which i think was unfair).

Assessment took place by many pages of forms with questions to be answered. (i was glad they werent multiple choices as i always overanalyse with those and have trouble with them). There was also forms to which those who knew me had to fill out too...
My mother filled out one (I'd thought my mother didnt know me and hadnt been aware of stimming behaviour i had as child and thought i hid well, so i was surprised when i found out she knew all these things about me i wasnt aware she did.. and other AS stuff which i wasnt aware i even do). My boyfriend of nearly a couple of years, filled out a form on me too.

The forms where then sent back to the Autism society and they looked at them (if it didnt look like i had possible Asperger's from the forms, they would of told me at this point and i wouldnt have had a one of one assessment and had to pay for an assessment). I think the info on the forms alone, clearly showed i had Asperger's. From there i had a 2 hr assessment with 2 Austim/Asperger's experts and got my official diagnoses immediately at end of that.

I got told they need two experts to agree on it before they will diagnose. (i dont know how it works in other places but that is how it works where i live).

For anyone here who is Adult knows they are a Aspie but cant get a diagnoses... I can tell you right now it's basically useless seeing anyone for a diagnoses unless they are used to seeing Adults with Asperger's esp if you are female. (I'd seen so so many different specialists and been in hospital so many times for my severe behavioural issues.. but no one picked it up.. none of them knew about Asperger's).

contact your autism societies.. and go throu them.

Point is, we're not stupid, and we learn from experience just like normals. The experience is different, that's all. So as we get older the diversity of individual behaviour grows harder to formalise.

I was diagnsoed at age 21, and the only interviews/questionnaires/etc. they administered directly to me were the AQ-test and the DSM interview. The extensive interview was done with my parents. I thought this was normal since it is important to know that one's development was abnormal, as to distinguish AS from such things as schizoid personality disorder, etc.

RE: adults learning to compensate and such,

I've found that adults with an ASD are actually easier to detect than children. Whilst the behaviour isn't as pronounced in adults, it's far different than the behaviour of normal individuals of the same age. With kids, normal kids often do funny things that you just say is to do with being a child, so a child with a verbal ASD can be just seen as funny and quirky, to a greater extent than their adult brethren.

It is possible in the US to get an official diagnosis from just one person if they have the right qualifications.