Autism

Agnia

Hi , please could someone kindly answer my question on what basis autism is diagnosed in an adult and what kind of doctor performs such a diagnosis?
Thank you

MsR

Agnia I would say autism is diagnosed when there is sufficent evidence/support that it significantly effects someones life. My GP referred me to our local service who did my initial screening and then they followed me up with my local autism team who did my test NHS.

Just a note some people now go with a Right to Choose service as it is appearing for many people to reduce the waiting times.

Rosie_Scope

Hi @Agnia, if you speak to your GP, they can usually refer you on to start the process. It can take a long time to get an assessment, but as MsR mentioned, there is something called Right To Choose that can sometimes speed things up a little 😊

Amaya_Ringo

In my case, my family and I raised it with our GP, and I was referred to a specialist (I think he was a consultant psychiatrist) who reviewed my case, interviewed me and family members in great detail and then formed a diagnosis based on all of that evidence.

Having a GP willing to refer you is the first step I think. I remember him telling us that we might have to go out of region to get an appointment but in the end I was able to be assessed closer to home.

This was in 2006 so I don't know how things have changed since that point.

Agnia

Thank you so much for everyone who wrote to me .

Agnia

Kind regards to everyone.

Agnia

Hi , i would like to express my gratitude once again to every person who wrote to me here regarding autism, thank you MsR, Rosie Scope, Anaya, kind regards.

anisty

To get a "gold standard" diagnosis, you must be assessed by a multi disciplinary team which has to include a clinical psychologist (or clinical psychiatrist)

I have experience of both the NHS and private system and it's exactly the same if done in accordance with NICE guidance.

First - detailed information gathering. This is done at an initial meeting and ideally you would have a family member (parent best but sibling or someone that has known you a long time) there to give insights into how you were going right back to your family set up as a child, school, your speech and language, eating, motor skills.

It is detailed and takes about 60 to 90 mins.

Then you will have an ADOS test (that is done at a subsequent session)

Also likely is a CAT-Q (camoflaging autistic traits) that is a questionaire which you fill out at home yourself and return.

Once all this info is gathered, the team meet (usually a speech and language therapist is involved too) and youwill be invited to a feedback meeting and told whether you meet the criteria for diagnosis.

Some time later, youwill receive a very detailed report for yourself and a separate summary sheet to give to employers (if you so choose)

In answer to your question - the only dr that can place a diagnosis is a clinical psychiatrist.

A clinical psychologist is not a dr but can also do it - but it always involves a team of other professionals.

Currently the cost of a private diagnosis is £2k. If you do consider private diagnosis, be wary that places offering it much cheaper than that are not likely to be doing it to the "gold standard" and won't be worth your time.

NHS waits are long - 4 years for my son back in 2013! Hence we went private for my daughter. But it was the same for both.

Agnia

Hi anisty, thank you for writing here.

Agnia

Hi to everyone and i would like to thank once again from the bottom of my heart every person who wrote to me under this post and shared information about autism, kind regards.

Jimm_Alumni

I hope you are doing well @Agnia ❤️

Agnia

Hi Jimm Scope ,thank you so much.
Kind regards.
♥️

Nightcity

I was diagnosed in October 2016 (age 34) by a specialist.

I was referred by my GP as he was constantly treating my symptoms from conditions commonly linked such as uncontrollable anxiety and clinical depression.

During the assessment (absolutely lovely lady) She asked mum questions, asked me she went through files going back to 1988 and reports by other specialists in other/similar conditions I also have and then asked another person in to second the diagnosis.

They both agreed I had severe autism with co existing learning disabilities, coordination, judgement, and cognitive impairment and required constant support, they agreed I meet the criteria for level 2 autism with Many traits of level 3.

Agnia

Hi Nightcity, thank you very much for writing about yourself and in relation to autism and for sharing information regarding your autism diagnosis under this post. Kind regards.

Amaya_Ringo

Nightcity, your experience was similar to mine except that there were no levels in the discussion. My diagnosis was officially Asperger's, but it was given as a 'definite' diagnosis, at a time when they were still talking ridiculously about "mild" autism or "slight" autism in people.

I guess the levels thing is new since 2006. It's interesting reading about all the different methods.

I have not met anyone diagnosed by a team who was diagnosed as an adult, but that may also be regional. Or maybe a more recent way of doing things.

anisty

@Amaya_Ringo the levels came out in 2013 with the publication of DSM V.

This is an American publication which lists all psychiatric disorders (and neurodevelopmental disorders!)

With this publication came the dropping of Aspergers syndrome as a recognised condition.

My understanding as to why this was is that there was a perception that Aspergers sufferers were somehow in an elite category and had special talents (think savantes)

Whereas not all those given a diagnosis of Aspergers are savantes and struggle with aspects of communication and comprehension in common with any autistic person.

However, the term Aspergers is sometimes retained in the UK as those with Aspergers do have specific features which are not present in the autistic population as a whole.

My daughter got her diagnosis late last year, she is 17yrs old. She was not told a level and, when i asked, the answer was that the levels are more commonly given in America for insurance purposes.

Though i see some posters on here, from the UK, have been given their levels.

My daughter was assessed by a team but we paid privately. I think it might be possible to get nhs assessment as an adult if you had a very good GP on board. But, long wait!

Nightcity

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/977116#Comment_977116

you're welcome as always Agnia.

Nightcity

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/977168#Comment_977168

I believe they retired the Asperger's diagnosis and wording and now everyone is ASD and given a level, with the level representing the support needed for daily living and independence.

I'm in the south east if that info is of use.

Agnia

Hi Nightcity , thank you .