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Anxiety, asd or both? Teen dd

4 replies

changeyour · 08/03/2018 18:44

Posted in different sections about dd but just discovered here and I have done questions

Dd14 is really struggling with school, friendship and anxiety, this all started mildly about 2 years ago, just over a year ago she was identified by the school as having working memory, auditory processing and dyslexic traits. Since September she has really struggled but things got much worst in last 6 months, were do dealing with school refusal, or going to school but refusing to go to class or go out at break/lunch she is basically isolating herself

Her anxiety is really bad, panic attacks, her tics are going through bad stages as are her sensory issues and her anxiety is affecting her health and she just can't cope with normal things like periods or even something as simple as a ingrown toenail

I'm taking her to doctors next week as obviously her anxiety needs dealing with asap but also wondering if I should push for asd referral.... the school have bushed this worry under the carpet as have they my request for ed Phyc referral

Main reasons I suspect possible mild aspergers is:

It's on both sides of family in multiple girls

Sensory - dd has amazing smell, knows where I have been or who's been here just by the smell left behind, talks always about everyone's different smells, it's the first thing she notices about new people

She also is funny about fabrics, only wear certain things, ankles can never be covered (jeans even school trousers etc) must be rolled up, all tags must be removed from all clothes

Had different tics all her life anything from stutters, clearing throat to nose twitching to name a few

Foods can't touch on plate and she can only eat in certain order and never mix foods, example must eat all peas first, then meat then potatoes.. if she then finds stray pea under the potatoes that really annoys her and spoils her dinner

She gets extremely emotional and can be quite unreasonable and shut down if upset

Although she has friends she really struggle to maintain friendships an never gets to close in a group she is much better with just having 1 friend

Basically at the moment her whole life has spiralled out of control

When I go to doctors should I just focus on the anxiety or should I also press the aspergers to? Or would whoever she is referred to for the anxiety pick up on the asd if there?

OP posts:
BlankTimes · 08/03/2018 20:51

It's quite common for problems to show by this age. Please read as much as you can about autism presentation in women.

I posted this earlier today on another board, it's a 'How to organise an assessment '

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/special_needs_chat/3188321-Phone-number-with-the-real-person-at-the-end-British-dyslexia-Association

Please note the 'gatekeeper' route, if you only mention anxiety to the GP, you may inadvertently hamper a wider assessment. ASD is NOT a mental health issue.

Also take school's findings about processing speed etc. to the GP.
Get her to do an online AQ test and take those results to the GP as well if she scores as possible.
Tell the GP about the family having other girls on the spectrum.

It's on both sides of family in multiple girls Ask how they found the assessment process, ask if there's any advice for you in hindsight of their experiences.

Please don't refer to it as "mild" Autism is not a mild condition. You are likely only to see the mask as long as she can hold things together, but inside she'll struggle, you're seeing that now.

changeyour · 08/03/2018 21:15

*BlankTimes
*
Thank you that helpful when you say AQ test where do I go about doing one for dd?

OP posts:
BlankTimes · 08/03/2018 21:25

AQ test, do it yourself first to check, loads of sites have it , some give you the results straight away which is what you want, other sites want your email details etc. which I don't like.

This is the first one I picked from Google .aspergerstest.net/aq-test/

If it wants personal details, google AQ Test until you find a site that will give you a score as soon as the test's finished, there are lots of both types. . Print the score out and take it to your GP if it indicates your dd could be on the spectrum.

BlankTimes · 08/03/2018 21:26

Oops, sorry, here's a clicky link Blush

aspergerstest.net/aq-test/

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