When disability support claim you don't have Autism

Post Reply New Topic

A school can certainly make reasonable accommodations for vision problems backed by the statement of an opthalmologist. In fact, they certainly should. And, this might be a good way to address a number of sensory issues, without requiring the big global diagnosis of Autism Spectrum.

I don't know the in's and outs of English law, so I can't answer.

I know in America, under the ADA, no diagnosis, no deal.

The reason being, and I think this is universal, accommodations are designed to create an equal environment. If you could get accommodations w/o a diagnosis, it would open the door up for rampant abuse. Anyone could walk in and claim they had a condition, and get help for it, and in reality, just use the accommodations to get ahead instead of studying.

Your eye doctor can certainly diagnosis an eye condition, but at least in America, under the ADA, only a psychologist can diagnosis learning disabilities.

It matters because anyone could just walk in to a disability claims office and say they have this or that and be given undeserved support.

There's a lot of evidence on my records that I've been tested and no-one has actually said I don't have it. If I've got needs, which I do, then they have to legally accommodate them. They can't decide not to. They have also decided that it's ok for me to have sensory overload and not be able to walk out. They said I have to tell someone. I can't talk during SO and they won't allow me to use alternative forms of communication.

And now my "support worker" has decided I don't have Autism, therefore, she won't accommodate my needs either.

I spoke to my GP this morning. He wasn't happy. He also said that yes I am on the spectrum. He doesn't understand where all this has come from - she clearly has no idea what she's on about.

Sensory issues are real. And sensory overload is very real. We know this, but not everyone does. One alternative, if it works for you, might be to first take a regular walk around the campus, and then leave a note that you need to be by yourself, and then walk anywhere you wish to go as your choice.

These couple of individuals likely take an authoritarian view that you are being 'bad' when you have sensory overload. Some people just have this kind of authoritarian outlook and that's generally how they perceive the world. If you negotiate one on one, they are likely to still look at it this way, as if you're asking for a 'special' favor or permission to 'break' the rules. But, if you have someone else present with you during negotiations, per the lesson I draw from Herb Cohen's book, that is likely to completely change the dynamic. Oh, sometimes people with sensory issues get overload, need to withdraw, can't readily talk. Because one other person is saying it, they will to some extent get it. And of course it shouldn't require an extra person present, but to some extent it does.

This is what I've asked for and it's been refused for no good reason. If I want to go toilet, I can just go. But why should I have to ask to walk out for a completely different reason? All I would be doing is removing myself from a painful situation until I've calmed down enough to function ok again.

I'm not in primary school FFS. If I was, I could see their point. But I'm an adult now.

I think I'm going to take up my friends offer instead - she'll teach me the stuff and I'll do the exam as an external candidate. Luckily for me, she has children (and possibly herself and her ex-husband) on various parts of the spectrum; so understands more than what these other people do. It does seem to be an easier option than having to battle for minor things that are a need.

I'm glad you have the option of learning on your own and being an external candidate. Ideally, that would be one of several good options, with attending class as another option, but maybe that's not to be.

I like the political slogan 'We are all middle functioning.' What help is the institution or professional then going to give us? ? Well, why don't they talk with us in a respectful way as equals and see what help we would benefit from. Anyway . . this tact may or may not be beneficial and strategic for you.

So have him refer you to the appropriate doctor (neuropsych usually) for testing, and get your accommodations. They can't (and won't) refuse a diagnosis from the appropriate doctor.

If I were you, I'd be ticked off at my parents for not getting the diagnosis done at a younger age - so you wouldn't be in the position you're in. Especially since dad already claims you're "Autistic". Honestly, from reading your posts (first 2 anyway) it sounds like a lot of assumptions are being made by EVERYONE, including yourself. If you haven't gone through the extensive process of testing, it's unfair to state you have Autism. A test is more than just an opinion and just because your brother is in the spectrum, it doesn't automatically make you in one too. Perhaps you have other learning issues (sensory, etc) but that doesn't always equate to having Autism.

I'm just saying. I'm not pleased with your doctor, either, because a GP is not a psychologist and only a trained psychologist (with appropriate testing tools) can make a factual statement.

That's just my opinion. It doesn't help your situation - sorry - I would just hate using "Autism Spectrum Disorder" as such a loose term.

Except, I've already been diagnosed. The GP said (and so did the last one) that I'd only be sent back to where I was before. The GP hasn't actually diagnosed me. All he did was give me a piece of paper stating that the psych says I'm on the spectrum. The previous GP said in his opinion (before I was seen by the psych) that he thinks I have it; but he can't say for certain yet. He'd only seen me for about 5 minutes then.

The college have refused the appropriate diagnosis and have done this before. I handed them some papers a few years ago which stated I'm registered as partially sighted, which they ignored. I remember my GP being somewhat pissed off that she had to write a letter for me and they were ignoring the evidence I was given by the ophthalmologist.

I think I understand why my parents didn't get me diagnosed sooner - they've had issues with both my brother and me trying to get diagnosed with various things and were fobbed off. With me, they were told there was nothing wrong with me and my parents were overreacting. I actually had nocturnal epilepsy, which we found out about last year and now no-one can tell me if I still have it. With my brother, they were told for years there's nothing wrong with him and they're just s**t parents. He's on the spectrum too and it took 8 years for someone to listen to them and get him diagnosed properly.

I seriously considering taking legal action now. Has anyone managed to do this? They have a statement on their website which says what help they can give people with certain disabilities. There's nothing on their website about Autism.

If I take up my friends' offer, I will also have to find somewhere I can enter s a private candidate, which will set me back around £40 or so. It won't cost that much for me to go to college (as I'm on benefits) and be taught by them and take the exam there.

"On the spectrum" does not nescesarily equate to a disability in the legal sense. It depends greatly on whether it's causing significant distress and disturbance in your life, and the legal distinction of a disability can only be made by a medical specialist in most common-law jurisdictions.

Take a slightly socially unskilled kid with mild sensory processing issues and throw him in a room with 30 other screaming kids running around. It's a disability and will probably be legally determined so by an "expert". Unless it was before about 1994, then the kid will just be beaten up regularly.

Take a slightly socially unskilled independent adult with mild sensory processing issues and throw him in a pub... and he'll leave.

I had an external fixator on my arm for 2 months while in university (in Canada). Dispite this being plainly visible I had to have a letter indicating such from my orthopedic surgeon before they would let me type my exams with extra time. I never got any letter saying I was no longer disabled, so they probably think I still am.

What kind of accomodations are you looking for that you need a diagnosis for?

The reason for pursuing a diagnosis in the first place was because it was causing serious stress. I do meet the definition of disability as per the Equalities Act 2010 (UK) - "a health condition which has a substantial and long term effect on their ability to carry out day to day activities".



This is one of the problems I have - noise. They won't allow me to just leave. Fine then, I'll just have a meltdown and get myself in trouble.



I already have a diagnosis. I need the following:
- coloured paper
- someone to help me with reading and note taking
- help with organisation
- exam concessions (extra time and modified exam papers)
- to be able to leave the room when I need to
- to be able to use cards to communicate (they've told me I can't do this - many people don't understand me)

I've been refused all of those things because apparently, I don't have Autism. At least 4 of those things have nothing to do with my Autism.

about social services learning disability team,their criteria isnt stupid, its because the UK definition of LD is intelectual disability not based on specific educational needs,conditions such as dyslexia,dysgraphia, dyscalculia etc are refered to as 'specific learning difficulties' or under the catchall of 'learning difficulties',american terms and criteria have long been mistakenly used over here which has led to confusion and many people misunderstanding exactly what label they have and what services they can access.
those of us who are diagnosed LD and are under the LD team are in the 'low functioning' spectrum,and have critical care needs;we woud not survive without significant support for every day things,they used to accept people with less acute needs but every several years they take a big chunk out of the funding to go to another group who doesnt need it as much which makes them raise the bar on who they will accept in terms of needs.

social services does have a sensory team for deaf and/or blind so they shoud have made a referal to them as well, though am not sure what is the minimum level of impairment they require.
the mental health teams will have significant ASD training because that is the support team who ends up accepting the most high functioning autistics,but they dont accept autistics if that is their only impairment, they have to have mental illness,and am not sure of needs criteria for it.

I don't think it's the mental health team at social services who I'm seen by. I don't know who it is.

Have sent an email to the education department of social services and haven't got a response. Looks like I'll have to go in and see someone.

I was talking to someone elsewhere about this and they said they looked (as did I) at a document which colleges produce which states what help they'll give to students with certain disabilities. Surprise, surprise, there's nothing on the local college's document regarding Autism.