Correlation between visibility and getting a diagnosis

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Please answer yes/no and yes/no:

Do you speak in monotone (or odd tone) and/or don't move your limbs and/or lack facial expression?

Were you ever denied an AS diagnosis that you sought?

Me:

NO - YES

Last edited by Greentea on 04 Aug 2009, 7:25 am, edited 2 times in total.

No / No

Yep and a nope.

"Monotone" is often misunderstood however. A lack of proper emotional inflection for the social and emotional context would be a more appropriate explanation. You can sound like a robot, or you can have a high pitched girly voice; most people don't think the latter is monotone, but it is.

Please note I've changed the question and modify your answer accordingly.
Forever indebted,
Greentea

Daniel, how should I word it then, please?

Dada Bugs Bunny, what were you diagnosed based on mostly if not body language? What convinced the cow?

No, monotone works. I was just meaning if people who are diagnosed think they don't have a monotonous voice very well may have one and not realize it due to misunderstanding.

Odd postures, a lack of facial expression and a lack of eye contact are a few big ones (with the latter, it might be intense staring at something on the person's face though).

Thanks, Daniel. I've changed it again now.

Apparently my eyeball motor skills are malfunctioning this morning.
I read question 1 as do you speak monotone.
I read question 2 as Have ever been denied An AS Diagnosis.

Well I don't speak monotone all the time, however there are the rocking and stimming issues that will never go away, not to mention the complete lack eye contact and "opposing body language" what ever the hell that is. Toe walking (now causing bone spurs, one DR so say's) and a variety of other physical goodies.
I was recommended to a Very good quack who saw me walking across the parking lot and new what he was in for, that and the fact he knows the family history - so No, he did not deny me anything, and still doesn't, well accept for an argument every now and then, but he says I am fun to argue with, though I argue with him about that too.

So the correct Reply to you're questionable formatted questionnaire should be;

Yes / No

Awwww you posted Bugs again, I love it, thanks ! !! !!

I made changes in the questions and announced it in later posts. I thought you'd seen those posts...

Thanks for the modification!

A combination of yeses nos and maybes. I've been told by others I have a monotone but it was hard for me to believe it because I've been called 'animated' before too. Overly animated. More so than others, like it's more exaggerated...I move my limbs back in forth, arms swing when walking. I think I lack facial expression at times. My smile is not that wide but it's enough to look like a smile, but barely. I don't have a great smile. My most obvious expression is a scowl and I can look intimidating when I don't make a conscious effort to make the best smile I can which isn't that radiant anyway.



Um, no, but I never actually sought one. My mother started a process that eventually ended up there when I was really young. (sorry if this is too long since you only wanted yes or no)

My initial diagnosis included "rigid posture", but I don't usually have one. When relaxed, I tend to drape myself onto whatever I'm sitting on like a limp towel; it's only when stressed (usually in social situations) that I sit very correctly. Other than that, I'm usually stimming in some way, though most of the time it's surreptitious. I've taken to pulling on my hair again though. I thought I had that solved when I first cut my hair short. Guess not.

It depends if Cockneys speak in monotone/nope.

Yes/Sort Of

I definitely speak in a monotone voice and have restricted facial expressions. The only exception is when I'm very angry or overwrought with anxiety.

I've not been denied a diagnosis, because I've never really sought a diagnosis for AS. I haven't known about it for very long. I saw a psychiatrist 8 years ago, mostly regarding anxiety issues. AS and autism were never mentioned. Since discovering AS, I've been trying to get a diagnosis, but I have no funds to do so, and my family (who could help me) seems to be sidestepping the issue, insisting that I should probably just be in therapy. This is at least in-part because my father is in denial about his own obvious AS traits. I think he finds it really hard to admit that there's anything neurologically wrong with me, because then he'd have to face his own latent problems. When I talk about AS with him, he just gets quiet and won't respond to the legitimate issues I raise. So I guess I do feel a bit shorted in this way. I just need to get a freaking real job so I can pay for this stuff myself.

Callista, so what do you think "did it"? What convinced the diagnoser?

Convincement topic

I was not out to convince anyone of my AS. I was sent for a diagnosis due to problems in a college programme. i did well in the theory and failed the practice. I could not multitask and had trouble understanding what was required of me in practical settings. I preferred to be alone which is a no-no in nursing. Why did I choose this programme? I had some experience in the medical field and was fascinated with the medical field.

In the session all I talked about was the beautiful home office of the psychologist. And i loved his dog. I did not relate to the psy at all. This was not a put-on. This is how i am. I explained my childhood behaviour as best i could remember and my need for solitude and my interests. I did a lot of testing and other paperwork. The psychologist then made the diagnosis. He was under no obligation to make an AS Dx. He would have been paid anyway. I for one, thought i had a learning disability. I have dyspraxia, CAPD and AS--this is a lethal combination that screws up my employment/education chances. If it were just AS alone i would be OK. But the first two conditions make it really tough to function--and they exacerbate my AS.

If you met me in person you would feel "puzzled". This is the impression I seem to impart to most people I meet. I am just too odd, too different. You either accept this or you do not. Most do not.

The psychologist explained that this is how AS affects me. It manifests itself differently in people. My AS is not yours, Daniel's, Acacia's, millie's. A trained specialist will be able to tell whether someone is faking it or not. I may or may not have a monotone. Sometimes my voice feels more monotonous than other times.

My results: No / No. I do however have quite a few stims, but these were not the main reason for my dx. The main reason were my meltdowns (due to overload) and social problems.