Finally got put on the waiting list for ASD diagnosis

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I got a letter confirming that I am on the waiting list for an ASD diagnosis, but I'm seriously regretting opening the letter in front of my parents, I opened it and stuttered, then my mun asked what it was, I lied and it said it was my letter for my sensory disability needs appointment, I didn't tell my mum that I was even being put on the waiting list for an ASD diagnosis, because I knew she would get angry at me, I told her that I have been talking with my aunt who has spoke with a worker who works with adults and children with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome about my characteristics of Asperger's and the worker said I was very similar to a young guy there with Aspergers, so if I'm offered the diagnosis appointment, should I go for it?

I don't see any harm in it.

Yeah, do it. You can always just hide your diagnosis if you choose to do so.

How old are? You don't have to answer, if you don't want to.

No it's OK, I don't mind saying my age, I'm 21.

Yep...a full-grown man, entitled to pursue his own diagnosis.

Most 21-year-old men hit the bars, instead. Smart choice looking out for himself autism-wise.

Assuming you are on the NHS (or whatever it's called in NI) waiting list, then it could take some time, maybe a few months. You might not get the chance again, unless you go private which is expensive. I would say go ahead, you have plenty of time to consider and research the pros and cons. You can remove yourself from the list in the future, if you feel the need. If you go ahead, I think it would be good to discuss this with your family or a friend if you can before that time, it would be good to have support during the assessment.

Last edited by neilson_wheels on 10 Jun 2016, 9:17 am, edited 1 time in total.

A few months wouldn't be too bad, actually. Time flies. Before you know it, they'll be calling you.

The only problem is that the waiting list for the ASD diagnostic clinic is considerably long and it's in a hospital which is 1 hour from where I live, I'm going to have a hard time getting there as I can't drive, so I'll have to see if my grandmother and mother can go with me.

Yes, an ASD diagnosis could turn out to be very very handy later on. Btw, I think that if you are found to be ASD you are not required to tell anyone, though if it is the same set up as I went through, your gp doctor will know.

Would I be able to ask the psychologist about the possibility of myself having a NVLD (Non-Verbal Learning Disability), I have most of the symptoms associated with it and it would make much more sense if it was that I had been struggling with instead of Asperger's Syndrome.

Most diagnosticians prefer to assess the single most likely reason for as many of your various characteristics as they can. After that, they usually have no problem confirming previously diagnosed comorbids (anxiety, obsessive compulsions and depression, for example), or assessing undiagnosed comorbids. Sometimes, though the diagnostician might need to consider if extra diagnoses are part of the autism diagnosis or separate from it.

But, the short answer is, "yes," you should ask. But, don't be surprised if your NVLD isn't the first thing that your diagnostician considers. In their world, they need to follow diagnostic priorities so that two or more diagnoses don't conflict.

I don't know if the diagnosis you will get in NI will be the same as in my part of the mainland, it looks like different dx teams use very different methods.

In my case my guess is that my dx team was looking at an advanced psychiatric mulch of what could have been different things, including loads of compensatory behaviour, extreme defensiveness and the ability to go on the psychological attack. Suffice it to say, it looked like my team had seen everything when it comes to the complexities of older aspies, and importantly, considered everything before they landed on "Asd aspergers type".

So, hoping that your team will be as good as my team, they should be able to winkle out what ever is the underlying condition and assess the overlaying co morbidities if applicable.