AS evaluation coming up.

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Should I be worried? What is it like? What are they going to do to me? What are they going to make me do?

I had the ADI-R and the ADOS done. The ADI-R is an interview between you and whoever raised you. In my case, my Dad went. I was in the room, but my Dad was the one who was asked the questions (about when I was a baby, toddler, child, and even about how I am now.) Sometimes for the now part, she would ask if I agreed, but other than that, it was my Dad. The ADOS was just between me and her; my Dad did not have to come. I had to do several activities which helped her assess my behaviour. These are the standardized tests used. Unfortunately, many psychs just stop after the screening without getting as in depth as this. After having that test done and realizing it was not going to be what *I* needed to get the support I require, I went for the complete evaluation. I don`t know which your psych will do, but that is how it went for me.

Oh man...I dunno if my mom would be willing to go. It would upset her.

If you are getting the ADI-R, you will have to take someone. I tried everything I could possibly think of to weasel out of it, and they said that if I could not bring a parent, they would be unable to do the interview with me. Not everyone here who has a diagnosis went through this process, but that is the full, standardized procedure. For someone like me who needs it for government purposes, this was my only route. Are you sure it would upset your Mom? I was so nervous too about telling my parents, but it turns out they were really supportive and actually quite relieved that there is a reason for the way that I am that does not involve their parenting.

If you need to bring a parent, then they'll tell you that you need to bring one.

But they most certainly can do an evaluation without parents present. After all, sometimes parents just aren't available.

Autism testing can be anything from a battery of neuropsych tests (think IQ test style stuff) to an informal interview. Just make sure you get a good night's sleep, so your performance on any tests will represent what you're capable of doing; and don't be afraid to be honest about stuff. A lot of people have been taught to be ashamed of their autistic traits and will try to hide them--well, don't. They can't do a proper evaluation if you don't give them all the symptoms.

Good luck It's not too scary, I promise.

Pretty sure. She was upset when she found out that I probably have AS when I was 17. And she gets angry on the rare occasion that I bring it up.

If your mom wouldn't cooperate, it wouldn't do much good to bring her anyhow. Just explain that to them. They've probably dealt with that kind of thing before and done without the parents' observations.

Thank you. Hopefully that will be the case.

Good luck with all of that! I hope it goes well for you.

Every psych is different, but with the ADI-R, I said numerous times I could not bring a parent (I didn`t want to ask one of my parents). I even said, I would go elsewhere as I had found someone who would see me without a parent. I thought the whole taking my money somewhere else would work. Apparently, they were not just in for the money (a good thing for me!) and said that if I refused to bring a parent (or the parent refused to come) they WOULD NOT complete the ADI-R. That being said, I did have a professional diagnosis elsewhere without a parent. It just was not a complete evaluation. For that, they HAVE to have information on your early childhood development, and people simply do not remember what they were like as babies (and toddlers most of the time). My original diagnosis, for the record, was wrong. The complete evaluation that MADE my parents come and had the behavioural test showed I had moderate classic autism rather than Aspergers.

I wish you good luck with that too.

For the evaluation I was too asked to bring my mother in, they said the same reasons, only my parents can remember well how I was as a child. My parents are doubtful but supportive. My evaluation will take place this autumn, so I can't say anything more yet.

WOW, as I recall, you are the one whose mother was worried when you used some pronouns wrong. And you had the odd sleeping style, etc... You would think she would be HAPPY to know that you are FAR from the only one, and that so many end up productive and relatively normal. Oddly enough, it seems like many end up going through tests similar to what I did. It wasn't difficult. Of course they did it with ME before any of this would be considered. It is a pity. I know they interviewed my mother and father but it was more about what the social concerns were, and THEIR involvement. And actually only the school psychiatrist interviewed my father. She said it was due to him not being around enough.