I realised about two years ago that my daughter had an ASD when I went to a weekend workshop run by the School of Infant Mental Health on Early Signs of Autism. All of the differences I had experienced during the early years of her life suddenly fell into place. I was in a confused state of shock and relief that weekend. It took a whole year more to get a diagnosis, aged 15, through the NHS. (ADOS performed by local paediatricians.)
She has just been to her Year 11 Prom (an experience that must have been like a long drawn-out scream for her...) and all through school, she has had precious little understanding or support. I could write a book about the baffling, humiliating and isolating experience of bringing her up, undiagnosed.
There have been the Women and Girls on the Autistic Spectrum conferences, but what is happening about assessment and, in particular, diagnosis, with girls? If anyone has any information, I'd be pleased to hear about it. Are schools being educated about it? Autism is referred to as "the hidden disability" but in girls, at least in its quiet, withdrawn mode, it is not even known to exist.
I know that the Lamb Report made recomendations about autism, but how does this relate to getting a diagnosis through school? Will it be any easier? I erroneously assumed that school would be the experts in spotting a condition like this. I don't believe I am alone. As a Mum, you feel rather intimidated by school. They were constantly saying things like "she's very shy" and "she needs to speak out more in class" or "she needs to speed up in her work", but I knew instinctively they were missing the point. She was, in fact, completely lost and in despair and I was powerless to help as I didn't understand what was wrong.
I remember a day, when my daughter was quite young, when she asked "Mummy, why do you send me to school?" She answered her own question "Is it so I can learn?" and I gratefully agreed. But I now feel I have put her through some sort of torture. I have been there every day for her, listening to her feelings about it all, but if only I could have it all again, with a diagnosis, I would have known what I was dealing with and could have made sure she got the support at school she so very badly needed.
If a child is "high-functioning", if they are intelligent, if they are getting adequate marks in tests and exams, there is no support. The support is focussed on getting better SATS results and supporting those who are scraping along on the bottom academically. Whatever happened to the ambition for every child to reach their potential? How is it possible for an individual to go through nearly an entire school career and nobody to realise or do anything about their problem?
