School & Autism Diagnosis

[Sassycat1991]

Hiya

Thought I'd come to Mumsnet for some advice as I don't know what to do!

I've long suspected that my 8 year old DD has autism. I've got a list as long as my arm of things she does that are definite autism traits. I asked in school last year if they think she has it and they basically said no, they've not noticed anything so I just took that as "well maybe I'm overthinking it and she doesn't have it" but it's always been niggling in the back of my mind that they're wrong.

Fast forward to this year and it's now starting to affect her day to day life. Nothing has changed at home or at school, she's not being bullied or anything so it's not that. I've asked my GP and they've basically said it's nothing to do with them, and that the school need to be the ones that decide whether or not she has it and then they have to refer her for help if they think she does have it.

So I'm at a loss now as I don't think the school are going to take me seriously considering they said they didn't think she had it last year when I first asked. Do I just push a little harder? I know girls tend to mask more at school so that's probably why they didn't think she has it.

Any advice or help would be much appreciated!

Sounds strange that only school can refer for assessment, round here GP can too.

However, speak to school again. My DDs school said they hadn't seen behaviour at school which gave them any cause for concern but recognised children can present differently at home, and referred on the basis of what I'd told them I was seeing at home. About 14 months later the assessment happened and she was diagnosed. Since then (she was 7, is now 10), it became more obvious at school.

A lot depends on what the behaviours are.

if we are talking meltdowns for example, it may be that videoing may help with school.

She doesn't really have what I'd call massive meltdowns in the way that I've seen other autistic children do. It's more she gets really really emotional over little things. I'm not sure if that classes as a meltdown - I think I stereotypically think meltdown = trashing the room and being super angry. But she just gets uncontrollably upset about the things that are bothering her

Sounds like she could be using up all her ‘spoons’ getting through a school day which leaves nothing left to deal with what would normally be a small matter. I agree with going back to school, look into female presentations of autism and masking - The Autistic Girls Network is a useful resource.

Your GP can make a referral or you can ask for the ‘Right to choose’ route.
i had the same with my son, at 8yrs I went through the GP as school didn’t see him at home. He was masking at school.