neuropsych testing developmental history questions?

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Hello everyone,

I am planning to get myself professionally evaluated at some point this summer. I have heard that sometimes the psychologist likes to talk to parents or family members of the individual being evaluated to get information about developmental milestones and other things that the patient might not be able to remember. It is extremely unlikely that anyone in my family will do this, and so I would like to start asking my mom some questions now awhile in order to gather the relevant information. I already know that I should ask how old I was when I learned to walk/speak/read, and whether there were any complications during pregnancy. What other things should I ask? What will the psychologist want to know?

Thanks

Some things that I remember my mom had to answer are did I like being held, how did I interact with other kids, was I potty trained by age 4, did I talk to people just to be friendly. My mom filled out pages of questions but I am under 18 so I do not know if it will be different for you.

I'm in my mid 30s and was told no dx without parent or childhood guardian involvement. They ask lots of very specific questions to rule out a variety of similar or related conditions. Most you couldn't just slip into conversation. I was told at the start of dx there were in the region of 800 questions we would be asked. My mum sat through two sessions with me about 2 hours each and she would be asked the ones about early development and childhood and I answered same questions about teens and adulthood.

Some people here havebeen dx'd without a parent or other relative giving input but in UK in adulthood they generally won't do it. Took me a while to talk my mum round to considering I was different but she's starting to understand better. When it suits her.

Good luck.

They have a very specific formula that they adhere to. There's no need to stress out about preparing, if there's anything the psychologist thinks you won't be able to answer she will ask to speak with your mother. You just have to answer the questions as honestly as possible as well as you can remember because the way you recall things is important too. In other words, don't overthink it - this isn't one of those tests you can fail

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The trials and tribulations of a girl pretending to be normal

I went through the ADI-R and ADOS standardized tests. I am 27, and really did not want to ask one of my parents to go along with me. I tried everything I could think of to get out of it. The psychologist said she simply would not/could not do it without them present (even if I offered to get the information and bring it with me) because someone who knew about my early childhood development had to be there. I doubt they will give you a list of questions before you go, and so you might not be able to gather all the information you need anyway. I am actually glad my Dad went because there were some things I didn't know...many things I didn't realize actually, and I don't think the information would have come up otherwise. Do your parents know you suspect that you are on the spectrum. You said you doubt anyone would go, but do you KNOW? I would sit one or both of your parents down, explain to them why it is important to you and why it is important to have one of them there. Try to schedule it during a convenient time for them so their presence is more likely. It can't hurt to try, as I do believe it is beneficial.

I had asked the psychologist's office what would happen if I was all alone and didn't have any parents. She said that they could meet with me and make a guess by what I told them, but it wouldn't be the real standardized, official assessment that I was seeking.

Thanks everyone

I guess maybe I could talk my mom into going with me, as long as my dad isn't there to talk her out of it. I think she is beginning to understand that I need a diagnosis. She attended one therapy session with me once, and is angry about it to this day, because she felt like the therapist was "attacking" her (she was absolutely not being attacked by anyone). She just really doesn't like it whenever anyone suggests that she might perhaps be the tiniest bit wrong about something, no matter how polite they are being about it. So she doesn't typically like psychiatrists/psychologists. But I think I would be able to make a pretty strong case that the focus during the diagnostic session would be on me, not on her, lol. My father has categorically stated that he will never under any circumstances attend any type of session with a psychiatrist or psychologist, he will never read the book that I bought him about AS, and he will never ever read anything that I find on WrongPlanet and send to him, so I know he won't go along, not that I would want him to.