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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I am wondering if anyone has been through late testing/diagnosis of autism in the teen years and what it meant for your kid.[/quote]Yes, we just went through neuropsych testing with Stixrud. Teen felt validated and that now they felt understood, but even so, immediately following diagnosis it has caused a huge mental upheaval for them — and frankly for parents too — in trying to come to terms with what it all means.

We had known OCD and GAD diagnoses which we’d been addressing for years and years but still ended up with our teen in what looked like a major depressive episode (but actually seems to have been autistic burnout): one day said they just couldn’t do it anymore, didn’t want to live anymore, then complete withdrawal, school refusal, suicidal ideation. During a partial hospitalization program and subsequent intensive outpatient program, both the psychologist and psychiatrist working with us recommended neuropsych testing to screen for autism.

[quote=Anonymous]Were there additional therapies of interventions you felt were helpful at such a late stage?[/quote]Not so much therapies, but supports for developing self-reflection, self-knowledge, self-acceptance, self-advocacy so that we and they can identify and work towards realistic goals for their future.

Two books by late-diagnosed autistic people recommended to our teen were:

What I Mean When I Say I’m Autistic: Unpuzzling a Life on the Autism Spectrum by Annie Kotowicz [i would say this book is not a gender specific book]

I Am Autistic: A Workbook: Sensory Tools, Practical Advice, and Interactive Journaling for Understanding Life with Autism (By Someone Diagnosed With It) by Chanelle Moriah [again, i would say the content of this book is not gender specific; it is illustrated with line drawings/water color and has space for journaling]

[quote=Anonymous]Was it helpful for your teen as far as self-understanding and awareness?[/quote]Yes.

[quote=Anonymous]If he has autism, I feel incredibly guilty and overwhelmed that we didn't know/understand earlier. Parenting him has been exhausting and I just want to get him on the right track for a fulfilling, independent life. I am scared and confused, and I want to do what's right for him.[/quote]Starobin counseling in Maryland has a support group for parents of autistic children and another one for siblings as well as one for autistic adults (think it’s age 18 and up).

It is so exhausting for parents (and really the whole family). I encourage you to work on self-acceptance too. You clearly are a loving, caring parent. [/quote]

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