Page 7 | Im an Autism and ADHD Assessor - AMA

magictits · 2025-08-30T08:35:41+00:00

I get heaps of questions about this IRL so thought I would post here and answer any questions in case they are helpful to anyone.

Littlelatte90 · 30/08/2025 14:54

Currently doing a right to choose assessment for my 12 year old. The wait for medication with them is at least a year. Is there any way to speed this up? He is very close to losing his school place and I’m praying the medication will help him.

Original poster

magictits · 30/08/2025 14:54

Purplecatshopaholic · 30/08/2025 13:04

Thanks for the thread op. I am in Scotland and have been told by my GP the waiting list for assessment for ADHD is well over 3 years. She advised me to go private but specifically said I won’t get any ongoing prescriptions on the NHS if I haven’t had the assessment done by a consultant psychiatrist. My GP practice will not recognise prescriptions from anyone not a consultant psychiatrist. I am assuming Scotland is different to England (and that you are in England?) Any comments on this?

That doesn't sound right. Try a different GP? We have a nurse prescriber for ADHD meds on our team.

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Crategate · 30/08/2025 14:57

My dd has been diagnosed with combined type ADHD. She is 9. Do you think there is enough evidence to show how the medication impacts developing female brains to suggest medication?

JLou08 · 30/08/2025 14:57

FuzzyWolf · 30/08/2025 14:01

An EHCP is difficult to get throughout the country. They are given by the LA after evidence is put forward by schools and their own experts (usually an EP and maybe a SALT and OT). Parents have very little input into them because the LA ignore them (and they ignore the law). Perhaps more middle class parents are prepared to appeal and go to a tribunal but in all honesty the whole process is exhausting and difficult enough as it is.

Given you have so many contacts in education it’s disappointing that you’ve either been given an impression that EHCPs can be bought or that those you know genuinely think that.

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I'd say educational professionals are best equipped to get the evidence for an EHCP so find it surprising that educational professionals would say that it is middle class parents that get them. If that is the case it's the educational professionals failing the working class children.

Original poster

magictits · 30/08/2025 14:57

Wackadaywideawake · 30/08/2025 13:36

Thank you for this.

I’m pretty sure my tween son is autistic - his paternal uncle is level 1.

It presents in friendships (he doesn’t have many friends… doesn’t seem bothered about that), is super bright, very articulate, no behavioural issues, normal eye contact, walks on toes. Not at all sporty. Loves gaming. Is a germaphobe, hates rule breaking, and is very particular about which fabrics he wears.

To me it’s a slam-dunk, but I’m not an expert. He may just have a lot of traits but not meet the diagnostic threshold.

I want to get him tested just so he knows (I think this is important for future mental health, and thst’s my priority here). My husband is adamant he’s not autistic and says labels aren’t helpful.

How can I get him on side? Could he be right?

Well he could be right, he could also be wrong. I agree with you that the damage of being undiagnosed could affect his mental health. There is lots of studies around that - especially for women - but would still be relevant to show your husband the impact of being undiagnosed. Have you done any screening with him?

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TheBerry · 30/08/2025 15:05

Thanks for posting OP!

I just got diagnosed with autism on the NHS aged 36, but I just feel as though the assessor got it wrong?

I can be a bit socially anxious and I was a bit nervous during the assessment which I think made me seem more autistic than I am.

But I don’t really have any problems getting jokes, understanding people (although I do struggle to make friends), no problems with sensory things…

Could the assessor have got it wrong?? Do you know what percentage of adult women assessed are diagnosed with autism?

Original poster

magictits · 30/08/2025 15:06

katmunchkin · 30/08/2025 14:17

I've received been diagnosed with ADHD after a referral through RTC by my GP. From referral to diagnosis was 5 months, and the assessment and diagnosis was done by a Psychiatrist (PhyschiatryUK).
However I was extremely surprised (and disappointed!) in the lack of thoroughness and time spent my the Psychiatrist in my appointment - the whole thing lasted about 45 minutes and the resulting report was literally just a transcribe of what I had said, with no analysis or comment. Is this usual practice?

Edited

Usual - yes. Acceptable - absolutely not. There is no way this was an ADOS-2 assessment because that takes hours. I hear this a lot though. I recently was told by a client that she spoke over the phone to a peadiatrician about her daughter who after 40 minutes gave her young child an autism and adhd dx with a prescription for ritalin and lovan. He didn't see or speak to the child. No other information provided either.

This was the point I was trying to make earlier. Higher qualified professionals does not mean better. Appropriately qualified is better. In one of my assessments the whole process takes me about 20-30 hours. Its incredibly in-depth and it will include recommendations. I spend hours with the person, and their families. That in my view is a robust and helpful assessment.

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Wackadaywideawake · 30/08/2025 15:06

magictits · 30/08/2025 14:57

Well he could be right, he could also be wrong. I agree with you that the damage of being undiagnosed could affect his mental health. There is lots of studies around that - especially for women - but would still be relevant to show your husband the impact of being undiagnosed. Have you done any screening with him?

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Thank you so much for replying.

I tried a little screening a couple of years ago. I asked my NT daughter the questions too so if didn’t look like I was singling him out. He raised an eyebrow and said “I’m not autistic mum”. I didn’t tell him that’s what the questions were about!

Last week we had a conversation about ND children off the back of him being born breach. He asked me why he was as breech, I said it could have just been one of those things, or it may point to ND (I read somewhere once that breech presentation has been anecdotally linked to ND and I thought this might be a gentle way of introducing the possibility). He said he hoped he wasn’t autistic, that he didn’t think was, but that he would want to know “because I like knowing things”.

I would like to try screening again. Do you have any recommendations?

Autumnsprings · 30/08/2025 15:10

Autism shared many features with attachement disorders. How do you distinguish between these?

IShouldNotCoco · 30/08/2025 15:13

NormasArse · 30/08/2025 12:04

I do. Traumatised children often act out. I’m not saying they have ADHD symptoms, but to say there’s no such thing as bad parenting is a bit odd!

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There are children who have attachment disorders as a result of trauma. Those children wouldn’t meet the specific criteria for a dx of autism or ADHD because those are different conditions.

My experience is 6 or 7 professionals are involved in the child’s assessment. This includes doctors, psychologists and people like SALTs and autism nurses. They all hold a group meeting to decide if the child does or doesn’t meet the criteria.

Original poster

magictits · 30/08/2025 15:14

Autumnsprings · 30/08/2025 15:10

Autism shared many features with attachement disorders. How do you distinguish between these?

That has very much been debunked. Back in the day, autism was blamed on 'bad mothering'. Thankfully we know better now.

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IShouldNotCoco · 30/08/2025 15:14

Also the OP didn’t say there’s no such thing as bad parenting - she said that children are not be wrongly diagnosed or over-diagnosed with conditions like ADHD.

Justcuriousnow · 30/08/2025 15:14

How to you distinguish between other neuro development conditions such as FASD and DLD?

Original poster

magictits · 30/08/2025 15:15

IShouldNotCoco · 30/08/2025 15:13

There are children who have attachment disorders as a result of trauma. Those children wouldn’t meet the specific criteria for a dx of autism or ADHD because those are different conditions.

My experience is 6 or 7 professionals are involved in the child’s assessment. This includes doctors, psychologists and people like SALTs and autism nurses. They all hold a group meeting to decide if the child does or doesn’t meet the criteria.

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You said it better than me!

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Catsandcwtches · 30/08/2025 15:15

I’ve been told in an initial assessment by an assessor that there is a good chance I am autistic and would get the diagnosis if I went through the full process. However I don’t meet many of the criteria questions they asked - no strict routines, no obsessive special interests, not many sensory issues. Mainly I have social anxiety type symptoms. Do you think it’s possible to be autistic without the parts I don’t meet?

katmunchkin · 30/08/2025 15:15

magictits · 30/08/2025 15:06

Usual - yes. Acceptable - absolutely not. There is no way this was an ADOS-2 assessment because that takes hours. I hear this a lot though. I recently was told by a client that she spoke over the phone to a peadiatrician about her daughter who after 40 minutes gave her young child an autism and adhd dx with a prescription for ritalin and lovan. He didn't see or speak to the child. No other information provided either.

This was the point I was trying to make earlier. Higher qualified professionals does not mean better. Appropriately qualified is better. In one of my assessments the whole process takes me about 20-30 hours. Its incredibly in-depth and it will include recommendations. I spend hours with the person, and their families. That in my view is a robust and helpful assessment.

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Thank you @magictits- yes I was hoping for more tbh - diagnosis of which kind of ADHD I have, coping strategies, process for medication etc, whereas I just got told to speak with my GP for another referral if I want medication - seemed like he wanted to rush me through to squeeze in as many appointments as quickly as possible.
I specifically chose Pyschiatry UK rather than ADHD360 because (naively!) I thought they'd be better qualified and therefore more thorough!

FrogFalacy · 30/08/2025 15:16

How do you think the assessment could be handled better?
For me as a parent with young child in room being asked how badly they did in school and how much they fidgeted, how badly behaved they were at home, whether they had friends etc was awful! For my child it was really deeply traumatic and they came home crying.
This happened at both assessment and medication assessment. It just doesn’t feel at all helpful as we know people with ADHD struggle with self esteem. And can an 8 year old really understand why things like this are being asked? To my child it just made them feel bad and stupid. It’s been difficult up get them help as a result and I fear other families must be in the same boat. I don’t think children should be present for this part of discussion. I fear it does more harm than help. My child refuses to engage now.

RainbowZebraWarrior · 30/08/2025 15:16

katmunchkin · 30/08/2025 14:17

I've received been diagnosed with ADHD after a referral through RTC by my GP. From referral to diagnosis was 5 months, and the assessment and diagnosis was done by a Psychiatrist (PhyschiatryUK).
However I was extremely surprised (and disappointed!) in the lack of thoroughness and time spent my the Psychiatrist in my appointment - the whole thing lasted about 45 minutes and the resulting report was literally just a transcribe of what I had said, with no analysis or comment. Is this usual practice?

Edited

I just wanted to reply about this and say that sounds so frustrating. I was diagnosed by Psychiatry UK and they were excellent. My assessment was 3 hrs 15 minutes and my report is 27 pages long. The Psychiatrist who assessed me was amazing and actually kept up some dialogue and advice with me or a few weeks afterwards (relating to further co-morbid conditions) Mind, this was 3 years ago when they first came on board with RTC so maybe it's all gone to shit now. I'd personally contact them with your concerns and see what they have to say. Good luck.

N.B. I was allocated more time for my assessment after my Psychiatrist went through my screening forms and said I had a 'complex symptom profile' which was code, I think, for 'this one sounds like she will probably go into a lot of detail'

PocketSand · 30/08/2025 15:22

@rurbane I think it depends on what assessments have already been carried out - DS2 had been under the SLCN team since 3, assessed by EP, SALT, OT, observed in school by ADHD specialist nurse, diagnosed as autistic. But still on the CAMHs wait list. Psychiatry UK had extensive reports to supplement their own diagnostic process for additional diagnosis of ADHD and prescription of medication.

Original poster

magictits · 30/08/2025 15:23

Catsandcwtches · 30/08/2025 15:15

I’ve been told in an initial assessment by an assessor that there is a good chance I am autistic and would get the diagnosis if I went through the full process. However I don’t meet many of the criteria questions they asked - no strict routines, no obsessive special interests, not many sensory issues. Mainly I have social anxiety type symptoms. Do you think it’s possible to be autistic without the parts I don’t meet?

I couldn't possibly say on such a short summary. I would need hours with you to know. Sorry.

What I will say is many don't meet the typical criteria - me included - if they are female. So for example, I am highly social, no filter, hate routine, very impulsive, massive hyperfocus, special interests, love social - but get social hangovers, intense eye contact (that is a trait for girls people often don't know) - so someone asked earlier about walking contradiction. So my autistic traits and adhd traits sometimes crash against each other causing meltdowns if im not careful. Which is common for AuDHD. Eg, massive desire for socialising and being energetic (adhd), mixed with non stop talking about special interests (asd), mixed with huge social hangovers (asd), mixed with hating routine and being impulsive and then forgetting things (adhd) but then burning out and wanting to lie in a dark room and ignore everyone (asd) mixed with being totally transfixed on a project (asd)

This isn't an exact science here just giving people an idea of how they can overlap and also contradict. Throw some trauma into the mix and menopause it is very hard to know whats what. But I try not to worry about it anymore. I just focus on what helps and what hinders.

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ForGentleBeaker · 30/08/2025 15:25

What will be the best was to get my daughter diagnosed? Perfect at school but a nightmare at home, also very, shy, to the point of appearing rude.
She has a separate m, chronic neurological condition but her consultant isn't interested in any of our concerns.

Original poster

magictits · 30/08/2025 15:26

FrogFalacy · 30/08/2025 15:16

How do you think the assessment could be handled better?
For me as a parent with young child in room being asked how badly they did in school and how much they fidgeted, how badly behaved they were at home, whether they had friends etc was awful! For my child it was really deeply traumatic and they came home crying.
This happened at both assessment and medication assessment. It just doesn’t feel at all helpful as we know people with ADHD struggle with self esteem. And can an 8 year old really understand why things like this are being asked? To my child it just made them feel bad and stupid. It’s been difficult up get them help as a result and I fear other families must be in the same boat. I don’t think children should be present for this part of discussion. I fear it does more harm than help. My child refuses to engage now.

Edited

I couldnt agree more. I do a parent only discussion. Also its strength-based, so they shouldn't be talking about things like they are 'deficits'. Children are sensitive to these things and it shouldn't be presented to them as if there is something wrong with them, and they need fixing. That is very damaging. Im sorry you and your child went through that.

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Maiyakat · 30/08/2025 15:33

magictits · 30/08/2025 10:43

Well I dont know how because for my training I had to supply all my qualifications and they needed to see I had a first in my masters as well, and contact all my employers to look into my experience. You can't get on an ADOS-2 training course easily. They literally wouldn't let me on it until I showed evidence on my first class Msc.

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I'm ADOS trained and am neither a psychologist nor a social worker. I'm not sure how being a social worker makes you more (or less) qualified to administer the ADOS than the paediatricians, speech therapists, occupational therapists, paediatric nurses, learning disability nurses or mental health nurses who are all ADOS trained in the NHS service I work in.

NancyCarey · 30/08/2025 15:39

Lindy2 · 30/08/2025 10:28

I'm a parent of a teenager who has ADHD with autistic traits. Not diagnosed ASD - in fact in hindsight it was burnout from secondary school that caused a sudden escalation is autistic type behaviour and PDA.

Anyway as a parent living with a neurodiverse child/young adult I have a few questions. I hope that's OK.

What do you think about the explosion of non binary/trans in neurodiverse children? Has it always been there but hidden as less socially known or is there social contagion? Do you think this tendency is here to stay now?

What do you think about the level of support given to families? Personally I think there is some support for low level needs but when needs escalate, like we experienced with puberty and burnout, there's just nothing of actual practical help out there.

Possibly controversial, but my growing belief is that there is just neurodiversity. There's so much overlap and such a range of symptoms that I increasingly believe there shouldn't be different ASD, ADHD diagnosis. It is in fact just neurodiversity.

Do you believe PDA exists? I understand some professionals say it doesn't. My experience is that when overwhelmed my ADHD child goes into a massive PDA crisis. When not overwhelmed the PDA lessens. Perhaps it's a sign of crisis rather than an actual diagnosis?

@Lindy2 just wanted to come back to you on this because I’m not sure anyone has answered, but to respond to your last point, it’s worth bearing in mind that PDA isn’t something you will get a diagnosis for. It’s a profile which is commonly seen in autistic people but it’s not a standalone diagnosis.

KitTea3 · 30/08/2025 15:39

Hobbiestwriter · 30/08/2025 11:19

Yes as I'm sure you are aware a psychiatrist should always be involved in making the diagnosis. What is your professional opinion on providers like ADHD 360 who don't have any psychiatrists working for them, but are still diagnosing and prescribing?

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Strange cos I was diagnosed via RTC by a consultant (NHS) psychiatrist.... Who does RTC in his spare time...(He said he can't help as many ppl as he's like to and RTC takes some of the pressure off the NHS waiting lists-whixch are 10 years here)

Also my GP were more than happy to accept shard care which considering how impossible that can be to get strongly suggests they agreed it was an accurate assessment