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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To scream from the rooftops that getting an autism diagnosis is not a label

212 replies

Harrysutton · 13/09/2024 21:18

I keep hearing and reading people spout the ridiculously naive and damaging line that getting a diagnosis of neurodivergence is giving a person a label.

AIBU to say that it's absolutely nothing about giving someone a label. It's actually giving a diagnosis. Funnily enough, with or without the diagnosis the person is still autistic/ nd and diagnosis can be hugely helpful in the person understanding themselves and their family understanding them too.

OP posts:
PurpleJammyDodgers · 16/09/2024 12:10

Also, my godmother works in nurseries. She said that in her preschool room of 12, 6 are on a ADHD or autism pathway so I can see why people feel there has been a huge increase.

P1nklady5 · 16/09/2024 12:34

Areolaborealis · 16/09/2024 11:52

This is not what we are saying at all.

We are discussing the fact that there are very few services for adults with autism. Many services are only accessible for people with learning disability. Many people with autism also have other disorders such as OCD that they would like treatment for but can't access because the autism diagnosis makes them ineligible for that service.

Show quote history

You absolutely aren’t made ineligible for treatment for anything with an autism diagnosis. That would be classed as discrimination.

If anything you get better treatment with a diagnosis as treatment is better tailored to your needs.

P1nklady5 · 16/09/2024 12:39

PurpleJammyDodgers · 16/09/2024 12:10

Also, my godmother works in nurseries. She said that in her preschool room of 12, 6 are on a ADHD or autism pathway so I can see why people feel there has been a huge increase.

Children under the age of 6 can’t be diagnosed with adhd in the uk.

Fallonslearning · 16/09/2024 12:44

If anything you get better treatment with a diagnosis as treatment is better tailored to your needs.

In theory!!!!
Or maybe if you can pay well for it and there's a multi-qualified specialist in your area.

In practice what happens ime - to children at least with autism and MH issues - is that you fall between autism services and CAMHS. There are endless meetings but no actual help available. Autism services say the MH problems are CAMHS remit, CAMHS say they don't have the expertise because of the autism diagnosis. And so on, for year after heartbreaking year. Or they'll offer speech and language or OT because that's what they have available, but not the service the child actually desperately needs.

It is actually disgraceful what is happening.

PurpleJammyDodgers · 16/09/2024 12:49

Doesn't mean that they can't be put on a pathway where there is strong suspicion that the child is SEN.

Areolaborealis · 16/09/2024 14:57

P1nklady5 · 16/09/2024 12:34

You absolutely aren’t made ineligible for treatment for anything with an autism diagnosis. That would be classed as discrimination.

If anything you get better treatment with a diagnosis as treatment is better tailored to your needs.

Show quote history

"Tailored to your needs".

Where?

I'd like to know.

P1nklady5 · 16/09/2024 16:22

Areolaborealis · 16/09/2024 14:57

"Tailored to your needs".

Where?

I'd like to know.

Show quote history

CAMHS in our area

TigerRag · 16/09/2024 16:31

P1nklady5 · 16/09/2024 16:22

CAMHS in our area

Show quote history

Who don't help adults

CallMeBettyBoop · 16/09/2024 16:35

Kentuckycriedfrickin · 13/09/2024 21:45

It was literally posted on a thread here earlier this evening and various other versions of it by subsequent posters.

Can we also include:

  • it's possible to be neurodivergent and happy and healthy. It's a developmental condition, not a sickness
  • the two neurotypes are neurotypical (NT) and neurodivergent (ND), both are normal. The world is not divided into 'normal' people and 'not normal' people, neurodivergent people are not aliens or a different species
  • we are not "all a little bit on the spectrum". No. Just fucking no. This goes back to the idea of normalcy. It is normal to not like loud noises or to enjoy routine or to hate socialising or whatever other BS random traits you attribute to neurodivergence. It does not make you neurodivergent, it makes you human. I have a bit of an achy lower back, my boobs are slightly tender and I'm bloated. These are common traits of pregnancy but I'm not pregnant, I wouldn't be able to claim to be a little bit pregnant would I, simply because I share some traits of pregnancy? No, I would because to be classified as pregnant you need to meet a certain diagnostic threshold, much like you do with neurodivergence
  • on the subject of traits, no two people are the same and that is true of neurodivergent people too. We may share some common factors because we've all had to meet the diagnostic threshold in order to actually be diagnosed but how those factors present and our own personal profile will be wildly varied
  • we're not doing it for the benefits of the carers allowance
  • neurodivergence has been around as long as humans have, they just didn't know what it was until it was named. "We didn't have any of that in my day!", I can guarantee they did considering that one of the largest groups currently being diagnosed is middle aged women who were in their childhood super-sensible expected to achieve highly but never quite delivered types

This 100%

P1nklady5 · 16/09/2024 16:36

CMHT have done too. My children have been under both and very ill. If they’d have been refused treatment or not had treatment adjusted they would no longer be with us. Many patients struggling with MH are ND so it’s not as if they aren’t used to it.

mitogoshigg · 16/09/2024 16:44

If you are already an adult, the diagnosis is not really about understanding as they already know you. I'm not sure about this spate of adult diagnosis as they seem to be counterproductive in my personal experience

Tistheseason17 · 22/09/2024 20:26

mitogoshigg · 16/09/2024 16:44

If you are already an adult, the diagnosis is not really about understanding as they already know you. I'm not sure about this spate of adult diagnosis as they seem to be counterproductive in my personal experience

I've chosen to not bother getting an ADHD assessment but I'm OK with that. However, my DH is likely autistic and he really needs an assessment to help him process his entire life and understand how he can communicate with his autistic child. A lot of adults do benefit from the formal assessment.

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