late diagnosis - ASD

[DomesticCEO]

Hi, hope I'm posting this in the right place. Have a friend who's DSD has long been suspected of having ASD but for lots of very long and complicated reasons has never been diagnosed.

She's now nearly 18 but the family are keen to pursue a diagnosis.

If she goes to her GP does she still go down the paediatrician route or is she too old for this? Who should she be referred to if not a paediatrician?

Thanks for any advice.

She would go under adult services at that age. Why do they want the diagnosis if you don't mind me asking? To be completely honest there are no services or support for people with ASD, child or adult so there is little benefit in having a dx other than to "just know" iyswim?

I actually think "just knowing" is a huge deal, speaking as a parent of a 5 year old who was diagnosed with ASD in February. The mental turmoil of the last few years stopped right there. I have noticed a definite difference in the attitude of people around me now, even school, though they knew he was before me really. Family attitudes have changed. They haven't got a clue what to say or how to act but they've certainly eaten their "don't label him" words and all the veiled insults and finger pointing at me. When I applied for DLA last year, he was awarded it for a year. This year, since getting the diagnosis, he has been awarded it for the rest of his childhood. We have a statement. Doctor's receptionists are MUCH nicer to us now! I have had access to a special needs optometrist and can register him with a special needs dentist. I don't know if my son will ever have the self awareness to understand why he is as he is, but it certainly has helped to put it in context for his older brother. These are just off the top of my head.

There are services and support. .it just depends which area you are in.

Thanks for your replies - I think, as DNC says, it would answer a lot of questions for people and hopefully explain some of the more challenging aspects of her behaviour. She has other special needs and has had a difficult start in life (lost her mum young) but now she is reaching adulthood and thinking about uni/employment I think her DF and DSM are starting to worry about the future.

I understood that both unis (and some employers) would offer support/understanding of the situation if a diagnosis was available.

She is extremely bright so would potentially have a great future if it weren't for her social issues .

Thank you so much for your replies - I don't think she's known to CAMHS so they could pursue this too.

I suspect her age will mean she goes straight into adult mental health, which might be the best idea for continuity too.

I think it's the employers that her DF and DSM are particularly worried about - her social skills (or lack of) would make holding down a job very hard at the moment .

Domestic we have a dd,16,who sounds very similar.She was dx with Aspergers last week actually and is also very bright but really struggling socially.This too is what worries me for the future-she would not even be capable of doing an interview.

Sorry to hear that Blue. It's such a worry because you know they have potential .

Domestic it will be a huge advantage to her to have a diagnosis.It will help her access lots of support at third level and will point her in the correct direction as regards her own understanding of herself and her issues/difficulties etc.I would strongly advise it tbh.It would be different if she were an adult in her forties or fifties-there wouldnt be a huge advantage if that was the case.It will help her make sense of the world as she starts out really.

Thanks Banana, she's been hugely resistant to the idea herself up until recently but I think that is starting to change.