how do you go about getting a diagnosis?

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recently i was googling things ive dealt with for a long time and found out they were symptoms of autism. i want to bring this up with my parents and see if i can get diagnosed, but im honestly really scared too. also, does anyone know what the process is like?

It can be a little bit scary but try not to be too nervous. There are lots of people here to give advice about getting assessed, a lot of details depend on how old you are and where in the world you live. I'm assuming from what you have written that you are probably still at school.

I think the best option will be to talk about this with your parents. I suggest you make a list of the reasons for you thinking you are autistic, it does not need to be an essay, just a list of bullet points. If you do this then it should,hopefully, make the discussion less stressful for you and you will not miss out anything.

It depends where you are on how to get an assessment. In the UK waiting for an NHS appointment can be a few months, or you can go private but this is expensive. I'm not sure about the situation in other countries.

Welcome to Wrong Planet.

How would you like a diagnosis to help you?

Beyond telling your parents, the process you and your family will have to go through to obtain a diagnosis really depends on quite a few factors. First, there's the opinion of your GP. Although you can bypass a referral (with some insurance plans) and see a psychiatrist or neuropsychologist directly, I initially took that route and it didn't go very well. Professionals qualified to assess an older child/adult for autism are pretty hard to find if you aren't intimately experienced with the labyrinth that is the health care system. And beyond that, not everyone who can assess you should assess you. It's the kind of thing you want to be picky about, and a GP will help you avoid running in circles (taking for granted that they're a good doctor).

Depending on their preferences, your GP might send you to any number of places (neurologist, psychologist, etc). The kind of tests you take will vary depending on where you go. After you have options, though, there's also the cost. The most common option, neuropsychological assessments, can be really expensive. If your family isn't in a good position financially or your insurance plan doesn't cover it, you'll have to find some other source to evaluate you. I know that many psychologists are qualified to assess, but it's a toss of a coin whether they'll be able to recognize less obvious cases, especially if you're female. It's important to find the most qualified person.

All the same, the first step that I would recommend, regardless of your situation, is to talk to a good doctor. Since you're still in pediatrics, they should have established connections with a practice that can assess autism. They can help you find the right means to be tested and get you in faster, too.

There's a lot of uncertainty because the process is different for everyone, but it's worth it, no matter how unnerving it can be. I was shaking the first time I told a doctor about my symptoms, but the people in these fields are often really kind. Just remember that the benefits of a diagnosis are worth it. Until then, continue to read up on autism. You might have to self-advocate, which is scary, but I've found that doctors actually appreciate it. Good luck!

If you are in school and live in the USA, which is appears you are, the benefits of getting an official diagnosis is being able to access accommodations in your education and later in vocational training. If available in your state, you would also want to apply for any kind of developmental disabilities waiver. You probably don't need it now, but you may when you age out of public school. Depending on what you need, this could be more time for taking tests, communication devices, tablets, and so on. Once you get your parents on board, the school is required to provide the assessment. Your parents don't have to pay for it. If your parents disagree with the assessment, and file the correct forms, you can get a second assessment also paid for by the school. You could be eligible for ESE and special classes or a 504 plan. These programs are too complicated to fully explain here, but the school should provide this information to your parents, and if the school does not provide the information to your parents, they can get it from parent advocate websites. Keep in mind that schools are mandated to provide an education for you in the "least restrictive environment" which means they CANNOT put you in a special ed class just because you might have an autism diagnosis. All that said, sometimes it requires a great deal of advocacy on the part of your parents.

Hello and welcome

On your profile it says that you have been diagnosed as Asperger's, is that a mistake? If it's true then you have already been diagnosed as autistic, as Asperger's is one of the parts of the autism spectrum. Don't worry if you're confused, it is a very confusing system. Just tell us the bits you know, and we'll do our best.

One other place you might try is a School Councillor.

I'm going to bet that they get this kind of thing relatively frequently and would probably be able to provide you with some help on how to discuss this with your parents and how you and your parents should move forward.