Assessment with picture books and Dr doesn't feel I have ASD because I sought out friendship as a child?

[ASDiagnosis]

He does think I may have ADHD though. But not autism because I actively wanted to have friends, and wanted to play with others, when I was little. Got upset as a child when I was too weird for other children to want to play with.

I had to do some bizarre tasks like look at picture books of toads on flying lily pads and say what was going on. My communication style is too clear, he said, to be ASD.

The assessment was different to what I expected. Just wanted to talk about it.

How frustrating. I'm waiting for a referral at the moment and have spent hours reading about autism/aspergers, especially among girls and women.

Your experience of wanting to make friends, but having trouble making friendships sounds really typical. It sounds like the Dr needs to update his knowledge.

btw I have a colleague who was diagnosed with Aspergers as a child and went to a special school. He's one of the friendliest, most sociable people that I know.

I got diagnosed with ASD recently. I mentioned in the assessment how I’ve often wanted to make friends but haven’t been able to bring myself to.
ASD women do tend to seek out friends, maybe because as girls we’re more naturally social than boys who can get away without talking much. We just aren’t very successful at doing so. Obviously we may make one or two friends of course. People with ASD can be quite social even extrovert! We’re all different.

because I actively wanted to have friends, and wanted to play with others, when I was little

So did my dd, that was among questions I had to answer, and she was diagnosed with ASD using the ADI-R as an adult.

I think whoever did your assessment was not clued up about the presentation of autism in women and girls.
You should have been given your ADOS and any other diagnostic scores, I'd take them to someone else and ask for a second opinion.