Re: ADOS assessment

[sceneparade]

Hi everyone.

I would like an opinion on the behaviours/traits of someone suffering from autism.

I recently was referred for an autism assessment with the psychiatrist, who had an over the phone interview with my mother that lasted an hour or so.

I have recently been told by a consultant psychiatrist that it is highly suggestive that I have autism based on 2/3 assessments. She came to the conclusion based on her incorrect interpretation of facts. My childhood development was normal: spoke, crawled, walked were all at normal ages. I formed many friends during school and had no peer problems. However, when the Dr. asked my mother if I had friends she said "yes", and gave 3 names as example. The Dr. then inferred in her report "limited friendships" because of my mum listing 3 names only. However, my mother knows i had lots and even said to me she only listed 3 because she didn't know she wanted all of them.

I went for a ADOS assessment and during the assessment I refused to speak, gave closed/one word answers. I even said to the assessor that I know she wants me to interact with her but I do not want to. I accurately understood the facial expressions and emotions in others from the books task. When It came to the demonstration task I explained how to brush my teeth but did not demonstrate. The assessor asked if I could demonstrate how I would brush my teeth as well as explain it and I saw I did not want to (I could if I wanted to). I recently went to the G.P. for a bruised rib and demonstrated as well as explained how I did it, so i can pass the demonstration task if I wanted to. My gestures when speaking to the assessor were normal.

Someone said to me the fact I anticipated their questions and the responses to give shows I cannot have autism. They said autistic individuals do not have whats called theory of mind. This states that you can put yourself in other's shoes and therefore no other people behaviour, emotions, mood etc. This autistics cannot do. In addition, i recently saw my sister-in-law who has 3 kids with autism. She said that from interactions with me I do not have autism. The autism, according to GOSH, are on her side of the family. My psychologist believes the diagnosis is wrong, as does my 2 G.GP's I have since seen. In addition, 3 hospitals in my childhood, including child psychologists and psychiatrists done tests for autism and cognitive tests and never diagnosed autism. They belived I was quiet baby because I was unhappy with my home life and parents fighting.

I am interested in people's opinion.

It's hard to tell really from what you have said, I'm guessing your mum has a reason she suspects asd? I have a 10yo with asd, he has friends, can put his self in other shoes brush his teeth everything you said in your post he can do, however what sets him apart is that he has zero eye contact, he is very literal, he likes learning facts rather than fiction, but he copes with sensory issues but acting out fiction characters, he has sensory issues where if there is alot going on around him he struggles to concentrate he can't wear jeans as the feel of them he can't stand he is also warm all the time doesn't feel cold like we should, also school he is extremely difficult to keep calm as it is busy he has a classroom on his own for one on one support however at home he has no behavioural issues as he is comfortable here, autism isn't a specific thing, each person who has autism is different and has different needs.

Oh and even if you do get diagnosed asd, it doesn't change who you are so is it really a big deal? The only thing a diagnosis does for a person is open doors for help to deal with things it can only be a good thing in my eyes

Why did you refuse to speak? Why did you give closed and one word answers? Why did you refuse to demonstrate brushing your teeth?

Hi,

In regards to the referral, my mother did not send me for a referral. It came about because my psychologist (the one who disagrees with the autism diagnosis) referred me for a second opinion on Schizoid PD. Schizoid PD, apparently, is similar in some ways to autism but not the same. SPD involves fear of intimacy, detachment, preference for solitary activities etc. So can appear similar but isnt based on childhood development. The Dr. said highly suggestive but without diagnosing autism. However, she said that even just based on the first two assessments she will base her diagnosis on that. She made the threat that If I didnt go for the ADOS she would still diagnose me as autistic. The reason I didn't not want to speak was because the evidence does not support the diagnosis of autism. I do not have sensory issues, My eye contact and gestures was good. I have no problems making eye contact with someone. I do not take things literally. My niece has an emotional breakdown when my sister-in-law says figuratively to her "i am going to kill you" and she starts crying taking it literally. I don't take what people say literally. St. Thomas' hospital did not diagnose autism during childhood, when I saw them from birth to 6 years of age. Another hospital at 9 to 13 years old did not diagnose autism. GOSH at 13-16 years old when I was seeing a child psychiatrist and psychologist did not diagnose me as autistic. 8 years ago I had a comprehensive assessment and did not get autism diagnosis. I was referred to a therapy programme at Guy's Hospital for 3 days a week, 10am - 4pm and none of the psychiatrists, psychologists, key workers etc. diagnosed autism. During school years there was no-one who picked up signs of autism. So the evidence does not support diagnosis.

I do not have sensory issues, My eye contact and gestures was good. I have no problems making eye contact with someone. I do not take things literally.

None of these are part of the triads of impairments. They are watered down version of "traits" which are myths.

How old are you? Also the Ados test is not always accurate, but because you have always been neuro typical and then suddenly not would actually make me wonder to be honest.

My child was different from when he was a baby, he had the Ados notmuch came back from it apart from he spoke in a monotone voice, he has only just received a diagnoses of Asd in the last year, he is 9.

Hi Muckupup73,

I wouldnt say I was neuro-typical. My childhood referrals and assessment was because of home life, as stated by the Dr. of the time. I was then seen as GOSH and other hospitals for an eating disorder - I was under-weight - hence home life was the issue.

Sceneparade - For the amount of assessments you have had and the amount of people that have said you don't have asd then I would say probably not but I'm not a specialist,
Poltergoose- that was just my opinion and my view is being a parent of a 10yo and 4yo sn children, not meaning to be nosey but could I ask what it was that made your life change, I would like to know as it could be something my children would be effected by later in life, or was it because you found out so late?

So are you saying your not autistic that you had a bad home life?

Hi Muckypup,

I am saying that other psychiatrists and psychologists said my issues are due to childhood emotional deprivation. They never once entertained the idea of autism. On the basis or probability, in my life-time I have seen 30 or more professionals and the current autism "expert" is the only one to think it is autism. The odds of probability that 30 are wrong and one is right. It it likely the other way around.

So you think all of them are correct?

Would you agree that, objectively, your interaction with the assessor could be viewed as inappropriate? You were reasonably asked some questions and refused to answer them. You were reasonably asked to demonstrate an action and refused to do it.

You think you understand the purpose of that part of the assessment and think you should have 'passed' it because you could do it if you wanted to do it, but you didn't want to. But the fact is, you didn't do it when it would have been reasonable to do it, and that, at least, I would have thought, is unusual in an assessment situation. Most people who are aware that they are being assessed, would attempt to pass the assessment and would try to do the thing that is asked of them if they are able to do it. Especially if it is as simple as putting a finger towards their mouth and moving it backwards and forwards two or three times.

So maybe you weren't being assessed in the way you thought you were being assessed. Maybe it doesn't matter that you know that you could have answered if you wanted to. The point is, you were asked questions and wouldn't answer. Maybe it doesn't matter that you could have demonstrated the action if you wanted to. The point is, when you were asked to, you didn't feel the need to comply with the request.

Autism is a social communication disorder, not a communication disorder. It isn't about whether you can communicate. It's about how you use communication in daily life. And you've basically told us that you demonstrated that you use it on your terms, when it suits you, when you are comfortable. Nothing about that is surprising in that context, tbh.

Op, understanding of females and autism has really improved. If you were to have ASD (I'm not making a judgement either way), that could likely account for not being diagnosed in your younger yearsz it's still not unusual for people to recognise that ASD is a condition females can have!

PolterGoose,

My sister-inl-law who has kids with diagnosed autism believes that when I go to another psychiatrist or psychologist she believes the autism diagnosis will be overturned almost m=immediately. She doesnt think there is anything within my interactions with others to believe there is any evidence of autism. She has 3 kids with severe autism and mild autism and I am not exhibiting any difficulties they have.

To Imip,

The childhood assessments were probably as detailed as can be to diagnose autism. It isnt hard to see if someone was suffering from autism. When I went to GOSH to see the child psychologist it was in the year 1999, so not that far away. Plus I went to IPTS only as far back as 2013, so again it would have been known.

It isnt hard to see if someone was suffering from autism.

Yes it is.
I'm not sure what you think autism looks like....

Ok, so you don't have Autism.....congratulations. How will your non-diagnosis help you live your life successfully? Because that's all a diagnosis is intended to work towards achieving.

Yes, for a female it can be very difficult to diagnose autism. With my dd, I spent a year seeing a child psych at a very reputable institution (2014-15), who refused to see dds ASD. Primarily because she masked her symptoms. After self harming, she was referred to CAHMS, who saw she had probable ASD in a one hour session. In terms of research into ASD, 1999 is a very long time ago. It really is.

Again, I'm not saying that you have ASD, but I am saying that it can be very difficult to see autism. Neurotribes is a great book detailing the development of understsnding into ASD. My dd wouldn't have even diagnosed back then, but I'd still have been branded a shit Mum. I sometimes get very sad thinking that 100 years ago she probably would have been institutionalised, branded as 'naughty', when this is in fact not the case.

Also, it's not really best to compare yourself with those you know have ASD. A great saying in the field is, " if you've meet one person with autism, you've met one person with autism'. My dd will not 'look' like other children with autism. It will manifest very differently, which makes it incomparable.