Hi. Advice needed.

[Nicolax]

Hi

I am new here and I am certain that my daughter has ASD, She is being assessed on the 27th Feb by a speech therapist and she is 14 years old.

 

I have been doing some research into this and she pretty much fits the spectrum,

 

She is so obsessive with certain things and is a very quiet teenager especially around people she doesn't know.

 

She is obsessed with a certain group and watches them over and over again on TV and I mean she records them and has them on the sky+ planner from 2 years back and will not delete them and she will watch them everyday in the same order, She also thinks people are talking about her and finds it very hard to make friends and becomes upset very easy (can't take jokes)

 

School at the beginning thought there wasn't a problem until she started secondary school and she was bullied because she is so quiet and of cause she becomes upset so I took her out and put her in another school and now she is under CAMHS who think she has ASD.

 

So anyone does this sound like ASD?

 

Thank you.

[Lyndalou]

Hi Nicolax

 

Welcome to the forum and hope you can find some answers and support here. In order to obtain a diagnosis it will have to be established that your daughter has problems across what is called the 'triad of impairments' which includes problems with Social Imagination, Social Communication and Social Interaction. The best place to start for quite a comprehensive overview of what ASD is is probably to go on the National Autistic Society website.

 

Obsessiveness and repetitive behaviour can definitely form part of having an ASD as is difficulties with making friends and resultant bullying. Mental health issues (including paranoia) can be common problems that can exist alongside an ASD although they are technically not part of the condition. However, there are a lot of other issues that will have to be present too but from what you say there must be enough of those issues present for CAMHS to be considering it.

 

The main thing about your daughter getting a diagnosis is that it should open doors to her getting more of the support that she needs. It also means that you (and she) can start to understand why she might act and react in the way she does and help you to learn ways to cope with the difficulties associated with the condition.

 

There isn't a great deal of 'formal' literature out there about girls with ASD but more and more is starting to be written. Jessica Kingsley Publishers publish a variety of books on ASD's in general and women and girls with ASD in particular.

 

Best Wishes

 

Lynda

Edited February 18, 2013 by Lyndalou

[matzoball]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

 

Well there certainly are traits common in people with ASD that you've described here. I am on the spectrum myself but wasn't diagnosed until my 30s.

 

I suggest this for women who suspect they have an ASD - ask your daughter to keep a diary for the week, or you can do it for her - note down how her ASD affects her. This would be things like sensory problems, instances of anxiety or upset and what you think has caused them - anything that is related to her issues.

 

This helps present things to the GP, or medical professional so she can be referred for diagnosis if that's what you want for her/

 

It's not essential to have a diagnosis, but it does open a lot of doors for support from your local health authority and also for possible benefits.

[Nicolax]

Thank you both so much for your advice.

She does struggle very much with communication too she was also diagnosed with selective mutism last year.

 

I will have a look on the national Autistic Society website too.

[GRP1919]

Hi Nicolax!

 

I thank you very much for your post and cordially welcome you to the forum.

 

This is a very interesting story you have shared about your daughter. I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) at 7 years old by a clinical psychiatrist. What inspired my parents to have me formally assessed by him at the time was that I was very frequently displaying patterns of behaviour that were extraordinary to them, my teachers and my peers etc. For example, I was so blatantly obsessed with TV programmes like Neighbours, Home and Away and Fireman Sam, as well as storybooks like The Tiger Who Came To Tea (often calling out "tiger tea" when my parents offered to read me a story). I also had this thing about TV programme credits and was determined to tell my parents that [A programme] was produced by [A name], directed by [A name] and written by [A name]. I often used to communicate with my school peers and perform on the school playground in such accordance. In retrospect, what I understand by this is that I had a great deal of difficulty in understanding the true needs and feelings of others (and the importance and complexities of these). My perception now, therefore, is that I always used to make others around me suffer and make life more difficult for them. On myriad occasions, I was nervous when it came to making my way to school and timid in the classroom, on the playground and the assembly hall. Unfortunately, others saw this as a tempting opportunity for teasing me, which I was inclined to overlook and consider as sadism.

 

I can understand where you and your family are coming from, having grown up in various environments that caused me doubts and even severe distress on some occasions. I have gradually managed to overcome the radical challenges I have faced, having received only minimal support for my special needs at school. I therefore conclude that you and your family will succeed over the long term. In addition, I am sure beyond all reasonable doubt that your daughter has better opportunities for personal and social development than I had as a youth. I just want you and your family to know that, whatever happens, you have all got one more person (me) who is always there for you and genuinely believes in you. I am determined to back you every single step of the way. Whenever you need anything like moral support, you know where I am.

 

Kind Regards

Gareth.