DD15 resistant to autism diagnosis . WWYD

[Corfucrab]

My DD is 16 and is highly resistant to the idea that she may be autistic. She has been diagnosed with dyspraxia and feels she may have ADHD but the general paediatrician feels that the psychiatrist could diagnose autism. This would devastate her. She definitely needs some assistance, as she gets older she is struggling but I know this would devastate her.

I am a bit of a loss as to what I should do

• drop assessment idea totally
• bring for a specific ADHD assessment
• bring to physh and ask that it’s only ADHD considered and they don’t make her aware of any autism diagnosis

I would work on DD’s perception of autism. Personally, I think diagnosis is important so I wouldn’t drop assessments completely. Although at 15, if DD doesn’t want an assessment, HCPs may not go ahead.

An autism diagnosis means fuck all these days especially at your daughters age. I would leave it.

I disagree with a medical diagnosis meaning ‘fuck all’.

Sorry, may have been a bit rude. But what i meant is that support is non existent, and the ops daughter is past school age which is where it matters.

OP’s DD is still college/sixth form age. Although the vast majority of support in schools and colleges is based on needs, not diagnosis, with the exceptions of things like some autism specialist schools and some autism specialist teaching services.

A diagnosis is still important for understanding yourself. Some support groups also require a diagnosis.

We have found our ASD diagnosis to be really helpful. We got extra support / flexibility from college, we’ll be getting extra support if she goes to uni, we have accessed PIP so we can get her driving (can’t use public transport).

While a diagnosis and the subsequent report can support the need for support at college, support at university/DSA and PIP, they all are needs based rather than diagnosis based.