ADOS assessment

[Foolmeagain]

My DD8 had an ADOS assessment this morning (private provider, via Right to Choose).

I am really anxious, primarily because she masks at school and is outwardly extroverted, has an amazing imagination and on the surface appears sociable and 'normal', her more obvious struggles are sensory and with emotional dysregulation, fixations, rigidity of thinking and routines. (Though saying that, can be inappropriate with those she is comfortable with - one recent example, watching the mum of a family we know breastfeed and telling her she has large breasts!).

So obviously the ADOS just assesses the social and communication side, so they won't 'see' the rest - have got the developmental history appointment coming, but how much weight does the ADOS hold?

I didn't see the assessment but asked DD about it afterwards. She would have done very 'well' on the imagination side, she told me afterwards about the very elaborate stories she made up with the objects, pretending they were other things.

When the assessor gave her an opening statement about something about herself, she didn't ask any questions, but related it back to something similar about herself. She said she didn't ask any questions at all.

In response to the questions about emotions, she answered with two activities she did that made her happy, but said she didn't know what made her angry or sad. Gave the name of her best friend in answer to question about friends. She said 'maybe' when asked if she wanted to get married in the future. When asked if she knew anyone who was married, she (ignored the fact that her parents are!) explained about how her auntie was getting married and then about how she was going on a plane for the wedding as it was in a different country.

The picture book, she seemed to explain what was happening though I'm not sure if she mentioned what the characters were thinking/feeling (do they specifically ask them to do this?).

They asked her about family, she said she had a younger sibling and their age.

Does anyone have any thoughts on her answers? I know I just need to wait but it's so hard not to over-analyse everything!

Try not to stress about this. There is no way to second guess what happened or how this will have been assessed. It's a well regarded assessment tool and I assume has been adminstered by suitably skilled and experienced practitioners.

In the event you are uncomfortable with the outcome you can ask for more information, or even a second opinion.

ADOS is used as part of the assessment, but a diagnosis (or not) isn’t made solely on it.

You would be amazed at what the ADOS can pick up, and not just related to social communication and interaction. It isn’t just about what is said. To give you one example of how things may be noticed that you might not expect, DD’s elaborate stories may well have been noticed as unusual.

Thanks.

I find it really hard sometimes to assess what's normal/age appropriate with her (despite her younger brother having a much greater awareness of others' needs and emotions) and constantly go back and forwards between thinking she has ASD and not. I think the fact that the school don't have significant concerns makes me doubt myself.

I hope she displayed and they have picked up on at least some idiosyncrasies. The first thing she said when she came out was just "Baby!" (She is obsessed with babies). The assessor had to explain to me that the other assessor was pregnant.

Try not to worry, the school not having concerns doesn’t mean signs aren’t there. I think you will be surprised at what the assessors noticed.