I’ve suspected for a few years that DD2 may be autistic (I work in SEN as I read more about masking and undiagnosed girls the penny dropped and it was just like reading about DD2). Last year she started pulling her hair out due to anxiety, we went to the GP (useless) and I phoned her school. At this point she was coming home a lot at lunchtime and not wanting to go back.
She has one friend since she’s had from nursery and had a few other friends and a few make friends but they all dropped away and her best friend had absent most of the time so she was basically all alone at school, she said she would go a whole day without speaking to anyone. The school said she could have done time off and work at home and that going forward they would speak to her teachers about her social anxiety things like not wanting to answer out in class etc. The inclusion teacher also spoke to me about talking with DD2. DD2 totally agrees with me about her being autistic I think she is happy that she has something as she always thought she was just weird or odd and it turns out her best friend got diagnosed this year. It’s not surprising the two of them were always a pair of loners, the odd ones out. DD2 has researched ASD herself and has said it explains a lot and she has also asked about getting a formal diagnosis. I also believe she was bullied at school in that a few other pupils were saying nasty things to her.
Despite all this she managed to get really got exam results and is now doing 5 Highers she has a talent in art and wants to pursue this. I found out yesterday none of her teachers this year no nothing of her anxiety of potential ASD, it’s never been communicated to them plus the inclusion teacher hasn’t bothered to meet her like she said she would. I feel guilty as I know I should be doing more chasing but still not one phone all home or conversation with her to ask how she is.
Also how do we go about getting her a formal diagnosis as I understand it would be beneficial for uni or college?