How does one request a diagnosis?? Would an ASD Diagnosis help!!?

[fallingwater]

I have a DD 8, who is Statemented, and attends a mainstream Pri. Schl. She's due to start elsewhere (SN school) in September, and I am trying to find out if a diagnosis of ASD will be of any help in terms of taking her to social ineraction groups or play-day-out with other kids with ASD? She has problems with
Soc Comm. skills, ecoes speech and is quite blunt and direct when talking... most trips to social settings mean i cannot relax, even for a moment, as i am looknigafter DD6 and DD8 both, and yet trying not to appear over protective, (i'm actually sort of hovering about, trying to protect potential 'targets' with her so she won't be hurting other kids when touching them , patting their heads, caressing their faces esp younger kids...)
DD6 is silently watching and thumb-sucking since she was three, i feel its a sign of her feeling insecure and is rooted in her mind from relating mummy to D
sister who is always 'naughty' (her words)...she needs me too...
I want to push fora Dx if only it helps secure DD8 right to attend groups like autism Bedfordshire, or Outreach, during he school hols, or similar activities, and do things that will help her be with and interact with other kids while i'll be spared the horrified looks of parents with 'normal' kids.. how i hate that word 'normal'...

IMO a dx won't 'help' as such, but it will help you understand why and how she is behaving/interacting and should enable access to additional services, as you say.

i cannot say whether your DD has ASD though, have any of the staff at her school mentioned it?

different HCTs/LAs will assess differently, but a good starting point for us was our GP.

have you searched online for local support/social groups for ASD? many run acitivities and support without a formal dx, this may be useful to you - it was (and still is) invaluable to us

I know there are many things left unexplained in this post, but i am short of time (working later today, too). I will try to make things clear from my perspective tonight...DD1 (who is 8 years old) has been displaying extremely challenging behaviour, and i feel its a cry for help. DD2 (6 yrs old) is only able to see DD1's behaviour in one way, and says that she knows that DD1 is naughty sometimes and shouts and screams at mummy (me) and that' why she gets so much attention.. this is the WRONG message and i want to explain things to her(about DD1's SN, my 'hovering' around them at the park, etc) but is she old enough to understand??! She is very friendly with my friends and brother, and clings to them a lot, when out on a Day Out Trip... I feel inadequate and isolated as a mum... DH is a manager at work and spends most of the day (n evening) at work or the gym... i feel alone, at times when he is not with me to talk/listen, and offer advice... please guide me regarding whether or not a Dx of ASD can help??

I have found a DX for my DS nothing but beneficial. It is a personal choice, but my DS is fairly obviously ASD so he can't hide it anyway. You only need to disclose a DX to those who need to know, or even those who you want to know.

There are a few parents of girls with ASD on this board, who maybe better able to advise you on girl specific problems as girls can present differently to boys.

The usual route for DX is to ask your GP for a referral to a specialist paed, not a general community one but one who specialises in developmental issues or even in social and communication issues as our paed does. Have a look at a list of ASD issues on the NAS website, maybe, look at the triad of impairments etc and put a real life example against as many as apply. Go with this list to the GP in case they try to fob you off. Some GPs don't understand the benefits of a DX.

It's good that you have a statement already and I hope the change of school is successful.

Thanks Un,
DD1 has, indeed, been described as autistic by her Teachers, TA and key worker, SENCO likes to say she's like a pot of grey paint... cos sh has dyslexia type issues, is on the p scales, behaviour support, has displayed ECHOLALIA... and more. I will try to look online for groups which do not require a formal Dx...Thank you for your reply!

Hi EJ,
Thank you for your post.. if you could, please do guide me how to get th the girls with ASD pages on MMnet?? I'm returning after many months, and as such, may need to be pointed in the right direction, IYKWIM... WWW is so time-consuming if one doesn't know what/how to look for...

Just put something about girls with ASD in your thread title. There's no separate board or anything. On many things anyone can help anyone, but when you are persuing a DX I think a perspective from those with more relevant experience, (like Leonie for example) may be useful.