What is the assessment procedure for autism?

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maddycakes__
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05 Jul 2011, 5:40 am

I'm 17 and back in January my then sixth form advisor and myself had suspicions that I may have Asperger's or some kind of high-functioning autism. She was in the process of referring me to a mental health team for other reasons (stress, depression, self-injury) and contacted an educational psychologist to try and get me screened for autism that way. She never got a response from the educational psychologist as far as I am aware and decided to put in the concerns about autism into the referral to the mental health team so that I could be screened by them instead.

After the referral I was assessed twice by a psychologist and a psychiatrist by the mental health team, focusing on my depression and self-injury. As far as I remember autism was not brought up at all. Recently I got my report from them and it was not mentioned on my report at all, not even in the 'reasons for referral' section. I would have thought that had they screened me for it and decided that I definitely don't have it, it would still have been included in that section? I am pretty confused about this. My file with the mental health team has now been closed so I don't feel like I can contact them about it. I do have a counsellor but I don't feel that she would be able to help me as far as this is concerned; the same goes for my Connexions personal advisor. The sixth form advisor left at Easter unfortunately, and although three current members of staff at my school no doubt are aware of the reasons for my referral to the mental health team, they have not been in contact with them the way that the sixth form advisor was and would not be able to help.

I understand that probably the best course of action would be to go and see my GP, right? They have the report from the mental health team (I was diagnosed with chronic depression), and I have never been to see them about it so are they expecting me to go and see them? If I told them that I was supposed to be getting screened for Autism would they be able to find out what happened and/or organise for me to be screened for it? I feel like maybe they would not take me seriously, but I am not the type to self-diagnose and I really want a definitive answer either way. If my GP was to organise an assessment, how would this take place and who would conduct the assessment?

I apologise for the long ramble, I'm just really confused.


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E27
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
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05 Jul 2011, 9:06 pm

I got diagnosed just recently and I am 16. We went to my pediatrician and brought up my sensory problems and he said "just from spending 5 minutes with you it looks like high functioning autism". So he referred us to a psychologist and I had 2 appointments with her and got diagnosed with aspergers.

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littlelily613
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05 Jul 2011, 9:18 pm

The standardized testing involves the ADI-R (an interview with you and a parent, but mostly focuses on questions about early development asked to your parents) and the ADOS which is a test just between you and the psychologist. I did not have to go through my doctor for these assessments. I just contacted a private clinic that is qualified to perform them. I had two appointments, one for each assessment, then will go back this week for a third (my results).


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Diagnosed with classic Autism
AQ score= 48
PDD assessment score= 170 (severe PDD)
EQ=8 SQ=93 (Extreme Systemizer)
Alexithymia Quiz=164/185 (high)