ASD (mis) diagnosis vent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is such an interesting thread. We've recently been referred to get DD assessed for ASD. I am an anxious person (on meds, yay!) and so of course I have been watching for this since DD was little. But I was still caught off guard when it was recently suggested to us. Multiple people (family, OT) who are not ASD experts but who are professionals who work with children have told us in the past that they were not concerned that DD has ASD.

It has just struck me that there is a huge disconnect between what most people think ASD is and how experts view it. We do want to know if DD is on the spectrum if it will help her, and are so curious to see what the assessment says.

Np here. My DD (now 10) has ADHD combined, the symptoms which we had to manage are emotional dysregulation, rigidity in thinking (which impacts social situations), hyperactivity, impulsivity, and difficulty focusing. DD also has dyslexia and some sensory issues.

DD recently started seeing a new therapist who flagged the potential for ASD during the intake. I feel like it’s possible, but I think that most of DD’s social challenges come from lack of impulse control and inability to manage their frustration. DD is very social, has a few good friends, but no very close friendships. Is that ASD? To me it seems like she is showing how ADHD traits are negatively impacting her socially - I don’t “see” ASD. But then I wonder if I’m in denial? I am not trying to avoid an ASD diagnosis, but that diagnosis (at least my understanding of it) doesn’t seem to fit DD.

DD due for a neuropsych next year and I’m unsure about whether or not to go to a psychologist who “specializes” in ASD in girls. I definitely would go to one if I had more confidence that they don’t just give everyone to comes to them a diagnosis, that they are really trying to “see” my DD.

I mean, sensory plus rigidity plus social challenges really suggests ASD. However - there’s no great therapy for ASD so personally I don’t think there’s
much of a point spending time/money on additional diagnostics.

Thanks for your ridiculous armchair diagnosis.

it literally checks all the DSM boxes for autism

Again, ASD is not a checklist diagnosis.

It is a matter of degree and what else could be causing these behaviors.

The problem is when people get stuck on insisting that ADHD is eg causing social difficulties and not autism. And oh yeah, child also has rigidity and sensory issues. At that point you are trying to avoid an autism dx for unclear reasons.

I avoided it because the ASD classes were a disaster for my kid.

Very clear reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is such an interesting thread. We've recently been referred to get DD assessed for ASD. I am an anxious person (on meds, yay!) and so of course I have been watching for this since DD was little. But I was still caught off guard when it was recently suggested to us. Multiple people (family, OT) who are not ASD experts but who are professionals who work with children have told us in the past that they were not concerned that DD has ASD.

It has just struck me that there is a huge disconnect between what most people think ASD is and how experts view it. We do want to know if DD is on the spectrum if it will help her, and are so curious to see what the assessment says.

Np here. My DD (now 10) has ADHD combined, the symptoms which we had to manage are emotional dysregulation, rigidity in thinking (which impacts social situations), hyperactivity, impulsivity, and difficulty focusing. DD also has dyslexia and some sensory issues.

DD recently started seeing a new therapist who flagged the potential for ASD during the intake. I feel like it’s possible, but I think that most of DD’s social challenges come from lack of impulse control and inability to manage their frustration. DD is very social, has a few good friends, but no very close friendships. Is that ASD? To me it seems like she is showing how ADHD traits are negatively impacting her socially - I don’t “see” ASD. But then I wonder if I’m in denial? I am not trying to avoid an ASD diagnosis, but that diagnosis (at least my understanding of it) doesn’t seem to fit DD.

DD due for a neuropsych next year and I’m unsure about whether or not to go to a psychologist who “specializes” in ASD in girls. I definitely would go to one if I had more confidence that they don’t just give everyone to comes to them a diagnosis, that they are really trying to “see” my DD.

I mean, sensory plus rigidity plus social challenges really suggests ASD. However - there’s no great therapy for ASD so personally I don’t think there’s
much of a point spending time/money on additional diagnostics.

Thanks for your ridiculous armchair diagnosis.

it literally checks all the DSM boxes for autism

Again, ASD is not a checklist diagnosis.

It is a matter of degree and what else could be causing these behaviors.

Yes, it pretty much is.

[Anonymous]

"Again, ASD is not a checklist diagnosis.
It is a matter of degree and what else could be causing these behaviors.
***
The problem is when people get stuck on insisting that ADHD is eg causing social difficulties and not autism. And oh yeah, child also has rigidity and sensory issues. At that point you are trying to avoid an autism dx for unclear reasons."

[phone]

This is so painful to watch

[Anonymous]

Just because an autism class was a disaster doesn't mean that the kid doesn't have it. Maybe they don't, but the class mismatch doesn't tell you much in either direction.

Contrast that with a kid taking Adderall for ADHD who also has an Autism diagnosis. If that kid stops taking Adderall with no discernable effect, he probably never had ADHD.

[Anonymous]

It's sad, but it seems that most parents can handle an ADHD diagnosis. They can accept it and many are okay with medication to treat it. But an Autism diagnosis scares the hell out of people and they'll try to come up with every possible way to explain away behaviors so that they don't add up to Autism.

The problem with this thinking is that outsiders will generally cut a family slack if the kid has a disability. Nobody who is a decent human will expect a kid that the parents acknowledge has Autism to behave just like kids who don't have it. But if parents won't acknowledge it and the kid displays typical ASD behaviors like not coming over to greet your aunt you haven't seen in a year or not being able to thank your cousin in person for the gift they brought, people will judge the parents for failing to raise their kid with manners and they'll judge the kid as rude and inconsiderate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's sad, but it seems that most parents can handle an ADHD diagnosis. They can accept it and many are okay with medication to treat it. But an Autism diagnosis scares the hell out of people and they'll try to come up with every possible way to explain away behaviors so that they don't add up to Autism.

The problem with this thinking is that outsiders will generally cut a family slack if the kid has a disability. Nobody who is a decent human will expect a kid that the parents acknowledge has Autism to behave just like kids who don't have it. But if parents won't acknowledge it and the kid displays typical ASD behaviors like not coming over to greet your aunt you haven't seen in a year or not being able to thank your cousin in person for the gift they brought, people will judge the parents for failing to raise their kid with manners and they'll judge the kid as rude and inconsiderate.

You've described it exactly. Kids with ADHD are expected to generally act like, now or in the future, kids who don't have it. But ASD is a disability, and everyone, including you, others them. Kids who are autistic are disabled and do not and never will act like kids who don't have it.

The idea of lack of theory of mind makes autistic people seem alien or inhuman. Only recently has it been rephrased as a delayed theory of mind or even merely a language issue and nothing to do with theory of mind at all. Autistic people are not inhuman after all.

(I have two kids with ASD and one with ADHD and yes, the one with ADHD is both harder and easier. But none of them are disabled.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Again, ASD is not a checklist diagnosis.
It is a matter of degree and what else could be causing these behaviors.
***
The problem is when people get stuck on insisting that ADHD is eg causing social difficulties and not autism. And oh yeah, child also has rigidity and sensory issues. At that point you are trying to avoid an autism dx for unclear reasons."

[phone]

This is so painful to watch

No what is painful is people like you thinking you are qualified to say who has autism.

It is disgusting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is such an interesting thread. We've recently been referred to get DD assessed for ASD. I am an anxious person (on meds, yay!) and so of course I have been watching for this since DD was little. But I was still caught off guard when it was recently suggested to us. Multiple people (family, OT) who are not ASD experts but who are professionals who work with children have told us in the past that they were not concerned that DD has ASD.

It has just struck me that there is a huge disconnect between what most people think ASD is and how experts view it. We do want to know if DD is on the spectrum if it will help her, and are so curious to see what the assessment says.

Np here. My DD (now 10) has ADHD combined, the symptoms which we had to manage are emotional dysregulation, rigidity in thinking (which impacts social situations), hyperactivity, impulsivity, and difficulty focusing. DD also has dyslexia and some sensory issues.

DD recently started seeing a new therapist who flagged the potential for ASD during the intake. I feel like it’s possible, but I think that most of DD’s social challenges come from lack of impulse control and inability to manage their frustration. DD is very social, has a few good friends, but no very close friendships. Is that ASD? To me it seems like she is showing how ADHD traits are negatively impacting her socially - I don’t “see” ASD. But then I wonder if I’m in denial? I am not trying to avoid an ASD diagnosis, but that diagnosis (at least my understanding of it) doesn’t seem to fit DD.

DD due for a neuropsych next year and I’m unsure about whether or not to go to a psychologist who “specializes” in ASD in girls. I definitely would go to one if I had more confidence that they don’t just give everyone to comes to them a diagnosis, that they are really trying to “see” my DD.

I mean, sensory plus rigidity plus social challenges really suggests ASD. However - there’s no great therapy for ASD so personally I don’t think there’s
much of a point spending time/money on additional diagnostics.

Thanks for your ridiculous armchair diagnosis.

it literally checks all the DSM boxes for autism

Again, ASD is not a checklist diagnosis.

It is a matter of degree and what else could be causing these behaviors.

Yes, it pretty much is.

Is that why they charge 3 grand to diagnose a kid? Because it is a simple checklist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Again, ASD is not a checklist diagnosis.
It is a matter of degree and what else could be causing these behaviors.
***
The problem is when people get stuck on insisting that ADHD is eg causing social difficulties and not autism. And oh yeah, child also has rigidity and sensory issues. At that point you are trying to avoid an autism dx for unclear reasons."

[phone]

This is so painful to watch

No what is painful is people like you thinking you are qualified to say who has autism.

It is disgusting.

+1000000
It’s incredibly well documented that asd now is not a clear dx and in many cases being handed to kids who then cannot benefit from asd interventions and do not benefit from knowing their own ‘label’. Once that occurs we need a radical rethink not to tell people they are in denial

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is such an interesting thread. We've recently been referred to get DD assessed for ASD. I am an anxious person (on meds, yay!) and so of course I have been watching for this since DD was little. But I was still caught off guard when it was recently suggested to us. Multiple people (family, OT) who are not ASD experts but who are professionals who work with children have told us in the past that they were not concerned that DD has ASD.

It has just struck me that there is a huge disconnect between what most people think ASD is and how experts view it. We do want to know if DD is on the spectrum if it will help her, and are so curious to see what the assessment says.

Np here. My DD (now 10) has ADHD combined, the symptoms which we had to manage are emotional dysregulation, rigidity in thinking (which impacts social situations), hyperactivity, impulsivity, and difficulty focusing. DD also has dyslexia and some sensory issues.

DD recently started seeing a new therapist who flagged the potential for ASD during the intake. I feel like it’s possible, but I think that most of DD’s social challenges come from lack of impulse control and inability to manage their frustration. DD is very social, has a few good friends, but no very close friendships. Is that ASD? To me it seems like she is showing how ADHD traits are negatively impacting her socially - I don’t “see” ASD. But then I wonder if I’m in denial? I am not trying to avoid an ASD diagnosis, but that diagnosis (at least my understanding of it) doesn’t seem to fit DD.

DD due for a neuropsych next year and I’m unsure about whether or not to go to a psychologist who “specializes” in ASD in girls. I definitely would go to one if I had more confidence that they don’t just give everyone to comes to them a diagnosis, that they are really trying to “see” my DD.

I mean, sensory plus rigidity plus social challenges really suggests ASD. However - there’s no great therapy for ASD so personally I don’t think there’s
much of a point spending time/money on additional diagnostics.

Thanks for your ridiculous armchair diagnosis.

it literally checks all the DSM boxes for autism

Again, ASD is not a checklist diagnosis.

It is a matter of degree and what else could be causing these behaviors.

Yes, it pretty much is.

Is that why they charge 3 grand to diagnose a kid? Because it is a simple checklist?

They charge because people are willing to pay that amount. It’s a bunch of checklists and subjective observations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's sad, but it seems that most parents can handle an ADHD diagnosis. They can accept it and many are okay with medication to treat it. But an Autism diagnosis scares the hell out of people and they'll try to come up with every possible way to explain away behaviors so that they don't add up to Autism.

The problem with this thinking is that outsiders will generally cut a family slack if the kid has a disability. Nobody who is a decent human will expect a kid that the parents acknowledge has Autism to behave just like kids who don't have it. But if parents won't acknowledge it and the kid displays typical ASD behaviors like not coming over to greet your aunt you haven't seen in a year or not being able to thank your cousin in person for the gift they brought, people will judge the parents for failing to raise their kid with manners and they'll judge the kid as rude and inconsiderate.

You overestimate people’s knowledge of ASD or ADHD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's sad, but it seems that most parents can handle an ADHD diagnosis. They can accept it and many are okay with medication to treat it. But an Autism diagnosis scares the hell out of people and they'll try to come up with every possible way to explain away behaviors so that they don't add up to Autism.

The problem with this thinking is that outsiders will generally cut a family slack if the kid has a disability. Nobody who is a decent human will expect a kid that the parents acknowledge has Autism to behave just like kids who don't have it. But if parents won't acknowledge it and the kid displays typical ASD behaviors like not coming over to greet your aunt you haven't seen in a year or not being able to thank your cousin in person for the gift they brought, people will judge the parents for failing to raise their kid with manners and they'll judge the kid as rude and inconsiderate.

The problem is the word Autism and the slushy mess that is ASD. APA needs to do a much better job of defining ADHD-like HFA, ASD that is mild, and ASD folks who will never live independently. Blame APA, not each other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As the parent of a child diagnosed with asd, and whose diagnosis has been concurred with every professional we've seen, I think there is perhaps some denial going on in this thread. Just saying.

(I say this gently) I concur. ASD and ADHD absolutely do not look the same. I was one of those parents that really hoped it was "only" ADHD and convinced myself that the two are so similar as to be almost interchangeable. Nope. Any parent who has a kid on the spectrum that was diagnosed early can spot ASD a mile away. A kid with ADHD having trouble in social situations looks very different from an ASD kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As the parent of a child diagnosed with asd, and whose diagnosis has been concurred with every professional we've seen, I think there is perhaps some denial going on in this thread. Just saying.

(I say this gently) I concur. ASD and ADHD absolutely do not look the same. I was one of those parents that really hoped it was "only" ADHD and convinced myself that the two are so similar as to be almost interchangeable. Nope. Any parent who has a kid on the spectrum that was diagnosed early can spot ASD a mile away. A kid with ADHD having trouble in social situations looks very different from an ASD kid.

this is true YET the ADHD symptoms can end up being much more prominent and challenging for people with both, although the ASD is considered more stigmatized.

Also I think the one symptom that has a lot of cross-over is emotional dysregulation, and for a lot of kids (mine included) it is the biggest challenge.

[Anonymous]

Our pediatrician office was able to write a letter about our son’s adhd and anxiety diagnosis, and we did not disclose the questionable autism diagnosis. My son has an iep for OHI and we tell few people (like only emergency room doctors) about the autism diagnosis because in extreme circumstances, he is very extreme!