Porillion

Hi, Charlotte, I took a two-pronged approach. I joined Benefits and Work (http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/) and followed their DLA claim booklet, and I asked my support worker at my local charity to help - the one I had to go through before going on to the pyschologist (whom I'm still waiting to see). I'm not hopeful I'll get DLA either, despite the problems I have, but if I don't apply (and appeal if necessary), I guess I certainly won't! I'm sorry you were turned down. Take care, Ian

Hi, A big thank you to everyone who answered my questions a few weeks ago. I'm an adult whose fiancee first noticed many similarities between my thinking and behaviour and that of her son, who has AS: Except hopefully I'm more adult than a teenager! Thanks to your suggestions, I made a successful approach to my GP who referred me on for assessment. I've also now passed the initial screening stage and been referred for full assessment by a psychologist at some point in the future; hopefully not too long. It turns out that the online test I took for the Austism Quotient was inaccurate - it missed several answers - and I score 47/50. The local charity involved in the screening stage has also helped me put in a claim for DLA, although if the accompanying booklet on whether you should claim is anything to go by pretty much no-one can claim DLA now (you have to be born without legs, or 100% blind and 80% deaf, etc.). Shocking. Anyway, touch wood. Take care, one and all. Ian

Hi, Karen, and thank you. This is a local charity. I guess I'm going to find out... Take care, Ian

Thanks, Tally, The worrying thing is that I have to give evidence of lifelong problems so "early". I haven't been able to see my mum (who lives some distance away, and who herself shows a lot of ASD signs now I know what to look for) and it didn't seem fair to drop this on her by phone. With the soon-ness of the appointment and the weather forecast now, I might have to. I'd also written to my childhood schools asking if they can help, but they haven't as yet replied. And because of all these problems over the decades I don't have a long-lived relationship or friendship by which to prove things either. Fortunately, the advice here and with the NAS means that I have a list of (many) problems I have; many of those lifelong or which I cope with unless I get stressed, etc. I kept a copy (having given the original to my GP), so I can print another off to take with me. My fiancee also wrote a list in a sealed envelope. She will ask my GP for a copy of that when she sees her next week. Take care, Ian

Hi, Thank you again for your help in the past when I was deciding whether to ask my GP for a referral for assessment for adult AS. I can tell you that I followed all your advice, including taking that from the National Austistic Society website, and she agreed to refer me. Yesterday, I received a letter from a local charity who work in partnership with my county council and local NHS PCT. Before I can (maybe) see a psychologist for "a full diagnosis", I must first meet with the charity's support worker to "for a brief talk and [to] ask you a few questions. If this confirms the likelihood of Asperger syndrome, we will then refer you to a clinical psychologist." My fiancee phoned the charity and it turns out that the support worker has no formal qualifications, but does "have lots of experience". My fiancee, who is a registered staff nurse, thinks it is a screening process. That's certainly what it feels like to me: Another hurdle I now have to jump before being assessed by a trained and qualified psychologist. My fiancee has an AS son, and she said that my reaction is exactly how Callum would react. Is this normal for an assessment path? Has anyone else gone through this, and if so, what suggestions could you offer, please? Do you have any other thoughts, as I would be grateful for any input? Many thanks, Ian

Thanks, BlueLotus, Sorry for the delay in replying, but I've only just got round to reading posts again. I share your shock at a low EQ score! But at least I take a crumb of comfort in the fact that I (we) am shocked and not simply brushing it off. Take care.

Thank you, everyone, for your kind replies.

Thank you, Karen. This has been a very useful thread to read.

Thank you all for your kind welcome.

Hi, all, I am an adult, in my 40's, and have had a large number of problems in my life relating to social interaction, depression and anxiety. Gradually I've developed some coping mechanisms, but I still have several major handicaps in my life. Until recently, I had no possible framework by which to name the problem. However, two years ago I met my now fiancee who has two boys: One with High Functioning Autism, and one with Asperger Syndrome. I can see a lot of me in the eldest boy with Asperger's, and my fiancee (a staff nurse) has said the same. Before I continue, for those not wanting to read a longer post(!), I recently took the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and Empathy Quotient (EQ) tests devised by Simon Baron-Cohen et al that I found online. I score 37 on the AQ test (clinically significant at 32 or higher) and 15 on the EQ test (clinically significant at 30 or lower; 20 according to the website I used). My understanding is that other adults have considered asking their GP to be referred for a diagnosis, but that this can be difficult to be granted and a lengthy process (and expensive for the NHS). My questions are: Can anyone offer any suggestions as to how I can best put my case to my GP that I need to be referred (given the list of on-going problems I have, below)? Is there any organization or helpline I can contact that can offer support and advice for this also? My current problems (and traits!) boil down to: Inability to hold down a job because of these problems, usually ending in depression or other mental health problems... Frequent and severe migraine - not something I guess is related, and that for the moment stop me working, Chronic and apparently progressive long-term memory problems - which I'm wondering if could be related to ASD or AS, Inability to function with changes in routine or plans for the day, until I've calmed down about it, Fixed and rigid interests and ways of doing things, Socially avoidant and unable to adequately work out people in social situations, Few and poor, usually short-lived friendships - several ending with comments like: A lack of empathy; Not knowing when to stop talking; Talking, talking and talking about the same thing over and over; Not being "socially aware", Unable to function in any "political" environment, such as an office, Can't project myself into the future or otherwise think on my feet in social situations. Thanks for reading, and in advance for any suggestions you can offer.

Hi, all, I've recently found this site while looking for UK online support forums for people with/supporting people with ASD and Asperger's. My fiancee has two boys: The youngest has High Functioning Autism, and the eldest has Asperger's. Because my fiancee is the non-resident parent, we don't get much help or support of any kind for the school holiday periods when we have the boys. So I'm hoping we might get some suggestions from here. But I also have felt "different" to everyone else throughout my life, and have had many many problems with the work environment, social environments, making and keeping friends, relationships....... but more on that in a nother post. I just wanted here to say "hi" and hope you're all well. Take care.