Hi Everyone

[tabz2711]

Hi

I wondered whether I could ask all you experienced forum people whether you could give me some advice. I have a daughter aged 14 who I feel might have aspergers. As a new born I was convinced she had autism as she was so different from my other daughter, she screamed when held etc, when she was 3 weeks old we discovered that her collar bone had been broken whilst been born hence the screaming.

My first daughter is very socialable, whilst daughter number 2 has no social skills, she is extremely bright quite excentric and a loner she also hates anyone hugging or touching her, i.e mum, dad or sisters loves the animals better than us and I found out yesterday that she turns her back on the cat whilst getting ready for bed. We are having lots of problems with friends at school having moved her to an all girls grammar school because she was bored in class, she is very upset and wants to move back to her old school where she has "friends" which I would question as being very awkard she would not have agreed to move if she was so happy with her friends.

Over the past few months I having been reading about aspergers and have joked since she was little that

she has autistic tendencies . I am beginning to feel that maybe her behaviour and social skills are more than her being a rude, difficult teenager who only listens to what she wants and cannot see anyone else side of an arguement .

Firstly can anyone tell me of any tests that she could have maybe online at first just to see whether I am barking up the wrong tree. I don't like labelling a child but having the understanding of why she behaves in such a manner in which my other 3 children do not, then I could put stratagies in place for her and help her instead of moaning and calling her rude.

thank you for listening

tabz2711

[mum22boys]

Hi and welcome <'>

 

have you looked at the National Autistic Society website it is very good and lists the criteria for aspergers. it also gives lots more excellent advice. I am sure someone on here will be able to point you in the right direction of an online survey. i have done one for my son but can't remember where it was - sorry.

 

mum22boys

[baddad]

Hi Tabz -

 

Couldn't possibly comment on your daughter, but would say that 14 year old girls are going through so much 'stuff' that any sort of behaviour would be par for the course.

 

Here are two links recently posted by something different to 'AQ' tests

 

'geek syndrome test'

 

AQ test

 

These are, of course, in NO WAY diagnostic 'tools', but they can tell you something about the underlying personality and perhaps highlight that further investigation is worthwhile...

 

I found some useful 'guides' on the Autism London site, so you could google that for more info, and a good look around the forum is well worth it (if only for my dazzling contributions )

 

Very Best

BD

[ceecee]

I took the two test Baddad mentioned.I am an adult with suspected A.S. I scored exactly as i suspected, probable aspergers.They are only a guide though.There are a couple of others as well that i have taken that have been posted on here.I cant remember what they were called though.

 

I went all the way through school with no one picking anything up.

 

It seems that often girls especially those that are high functioning seem to slip through the net as it were.

 

Then again your daughter could just be being an awkward teenager but if you have doubts a s a parent then I think these should be looked into.As parents we usually know our children best and often have an insight that others do not.

 

Good luck <'> <'> <'>

 

Forgot to add welcome to the forum.

[tabz2711]

Thanks for all your helpful replies. I have two other girls ones who has gone through the awkard teenager stage and one who is hitting it now ahhhh. My middle daughter has behaved this way since being a toddler. at her birthday party's she would go upstairs and never join in she has always got overwhelmed in any sort of company. I think I have made so many excuses for her behaviour that I am now looking for other reasons.

I will look at the links you kindly posted.

thanks

tabz2711

[DaisyProudfoot]

Hi Tabz,

 

Go with your gut feelings.

 

We suspected my son (aged 9) of having autistic tendancies since he was a toddler. Sometimes after a particularly bad day with him we would just sigh and say: "This is not right, he's too different, it's almost like he's autistic."

 

It wasn't until I came across AS in a couple of my cub scouts that it hit me. This was my son...so similar. After that we went to the GP and told him our suspicions, he referred us and now he has a dx of AS.

 

It could be difficult as your daughter is 14 and may not co-operate with an assessment, could be worth arranging an appointment with your GP without your daughter and discuss it from there.

 

Keep strong,

Daisy

[ceecee]

I can only second what daisy has said.Go with your gut feeling.As a parent you often know best.i think your first port og call is going to be your g.P.

[tabz2711]

Hi Tabz,

 

Go with your gut feelings.

 

We suspected my son (aged 9) of having autistic tendancies since he was a toddler. Sometimes after a particularly bad day with him we would just sigh and say: "This is not right, he's too different, it's almost like he's autistic."

 

It wasn't until I came across AS in a couple of my cub scouts that it hit me. This was my son...so similar. After that we went to the GP and told him our suspicions, he referred us and now he has a dx of AS.

 

It could be difficult as your daughter is 14 and may not co-operate with an assessment, could be worth arranging an appointment with your GP without your daughter and discuss it from there.

 

Keep strong,

Daisy

 

thanks Daisy, just had proof that my daughter will not co -operate as I tried the test on all three daughters the middle one answered all the questions that I was sure about wrongly i.e loves crowded nightclubs and bars (she's never been in one) but can't stand mum and dad being in her rather large personal space never mind someone she doesn't know. She made me laugh though.

I counselled a lad with autism a few years ago and noticed a couple of similar traits the same as my daughter, but didn't really know about aspergers then.

I looked over the test and without her being here and what I know about her scored 32, what have others scored, I know its just a small test that can't be taken as a diagnosis but its a start.

thanks for the welcoming you have all given me its nice to have support.

[ceecee]

I got 37!!!I think sometimes we can often be unaware of how we are and need someone to sit down with us and do the test and say well no that isn't what you are like and give examples.I guess as someone with a.s. we like to pretend we are different from who we are and don't have any areas of difficulty.Hope this makes sense.

[Helen]

Tabz2711,

 

I don't know if this link will be of any help to you, I've a feeling that this questionnaire is geered towards the younger child: http://www.mind-steps.com/assessments/assessment.htm The Australian Scale for Asperger's Syndrome - You could still have a look at it and try to think back on how your daughter presented as a younger child.

 

Good luck.

[tabz2711]

I got 37!!!I think sometimes we can often be unaware of how we are and need someone to sit down with us and do the test and say well no that isn't what you are like and give examples.I guess as someone with a.s. we like to pretend we are different from who we are and don't have any areas of difficulty.Hope this makes sense.

 

Hi Again I did the test with my other two daughters and son and they scored 3, 6 and 12. I did sit down with her and she still put answers which we both no are not her, luckily I can get her to laugh about it.

[tabz2711]

Tabz2711,

 

I don't know if this link will be of any help to you, I've a feeling that this questionnaire is geered towards the younger child: http://www.mind-steps.com/assessments/assessment.htm The Australian Scale for Asperger's Syndrome - You could still have a look at it and try to think back on how your daughter presented as a younger child.

 

Good luck.

 

thanks Helen I have just printed this one off to look at. It is probably better than the geek one, 1. because of the name, no 14yr old wants to do a "geek test" and some of the questions are aimed at adults, i.e job interview and going to a club

[nellie]

Hi Tabz

 

This test may prove useful but it's only a guide it's not a diagnostic tool.

 

The Empathy Quotient test.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/flash/page/...,937836,00.html

 

Good luck, I hope you find some answers.

 

Nellie xx

[nellie]

Tabz,

 

Have a look at the following websites they belong to females diagnosed with ASD. Hope it helps.

 

http://mugsy.org/wendy/index2.htm

 

http://www.donnawilliams.net/

 

http://www.aspie.com/pages/1/index.htm

 

Nellie xx

[Kathryn]

Hi Tabz,

 

My daughter was about the same age as yours (13 - 14) when we began to think that that she may have ASD. We had always known she was different in some way, and she always had problems at school of one kind or another, which we attributed to other things at the time. I has also come across one or two boys with autism but they seemed so different from my daughter that we did not think along these lines for a long time.

 

She was finally diagnosed nearly two years ago when she was 15.

 

If I can help by answeing any questions you have, please ask.

 

K

[tabz2711]

Hi Tabz,

 

My daughter was about the same age as yours (13 - 14) when we began to think that that she may have ASD. We had always known she was different in some way, and she always had problems at school of one kind or another, which we attributed to other things at the time. I has also come across one or two boys with autism but they seemed so different from my daughter that we did not think along these lines for a long time.

 

She was finally diagnosed nearly two years ago when she was 15.

 

If I can help by answeing any questions you have, please ask.

 

K

thanks Kathryn, I am sure there will be lots of questions to ask you,

[Kathryn]

Tabz

 

Feel free to send me a pm if you want to,

 

K