Diagnostic Impression

[FayetheAspie]

My diagnosis of ASD and ADHD is called a "diagnostic impression." Should I consider myself officially diagnosed or not? Is a diagnostic impression as valid and beneficial as a regular diagnosis or is it just something that could be used to obtain a normal diagnosis later?

 

[Kitsuna]

I spent a good but of time asking people this kind thing before taking the leap and seeking an official diagnosis. I found it's kind of subjective, because some think considering yourself autistic without a formal diagnosis does a disservice to those who do (I've had someone in this camp tell me to not follow any advice for ASD until I officially knew I had it) and others think self-diagnosis is enough.

When I've asked about it here, I was prompted with questions of what I wanted to achieve through an official diagnosis since it enables resources that can't be accessed with just a diagnostic impression and provides a firmer understanding of myself.

 

[FayetheAspie]

It's not self diagnosed. I was evaluated and thought that I was officially diagnosed, but then kept wondering about the wording from time to time after I finally noticed.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

My diagnosis of ASD and ADHD is called a "diagnostic impression." Should I consider myself officially diagnosed or not? Is a diagnostic impression as valid and beneficial as a regular diagnosis or is it just something that could be used to obtain a normal diagnosis later?

Translation: This is your current diagnosis.

I see this sort of language quite a bit in the medical fields. Noncommittal language. Too many don't have the courage and would rather hide behind the language just in case they might be wrong, they can always have a way out of it. "Impression", "Suggestion", or as I joke around "describing it in detail, but not saying what it is." It drives me crazy reading some of these radiology and ultrasound reports from some of these doctors. Sure, you get the occasional doctor that will use direct language and get to the diagnosis, but those are not the majority. I am such a direct person in terms of my own language, it drives me a bit nuts to see this sort of language within the literature, in patient's charts, or during teaching rounds at the bedside. I am thinking, "For F sake!" "Just call it what it is!" "Stop this dancing around the obvious."

 

[Kitsuna]

Oh, sorry for misunderstanding!

 

[FayetheAspie]

@Neonatal RRT Is this sufficient if I continue to not be hired anywhere and end up needing to apply for disability? Also would that actually be why they gave no level assignment perhaps? Meant to hit informative, but I guess it was winner quality information.

 

[FayetheAspie]

Oh, sorry for misunderstanding!

No problem.

 

[Judge]

Looks to me that you may need a more formal diagnosis when it comes to Diagnostic Impressions. Particularly in the case of seeking entitlements like Social Security. Whose bureaucrats take a very close look at every case, being mindful of fraud. A process that frequently rejects first-time applicants without professional legal support.

I found something more formal that may back this up to some extent. Not entirely related to what you are asking, but in a general sense it does seem to support a need for a formal diagnosis. Maybe even more so in the case of an adult seeking government entitlements.

Though I suspect you need to contact such legal support specializing in Social Security Disability cases who would be most likely to be able to accurately answer such questions:

Social Security Disability Lawyers | 2024 Attorney Directory | FindLaw

Addressing Challenges of Diagnostic Impressions in Psychological Assessment

"Despite the challenges diagnostic approaches pose, diagnostic impressions remain important in Psychological evaluations of children, because a clinical diagnosis can inform the legal classification of a child as eligible for remedial services and accommodations as per the Individuals with Disability Act (IDEA; Wright & Wright, 2010; Hass, 2018) and can guide intervention choices (Goldfinger and Pomerantz, 2014).

In some cases, a formal diagnosis is required for a third-party reimbursement of treatment cost (Sattler & Rapport, 2014). From the clinical perspective, offering a diagnosis may help referral sources and clients to understand the presenting psychological difficulties in the context of a specific syndrome, determining whether the problems in functioning are clinical and require intervention, or are mild and transient. A diagnostic approach to psychological evaluations also facilitates common language and can help to systematically describe a disorder and aid in choosing and designing a suitable intervention (Mash & Wolfe, 2016)."

http://www.aijhss.cgrd.org/images/Vol8No1/4.pdf

 

[Neonatal RRT]

@Neonatal RRT Is this sufficient if I continue to not be hired anywhere and end up needing to apply for disability? Also would that actually be why they gave no level assignment perhaps? Meant to hit informative, but I guess it was winner quality information.

If you are in the US, there should have been given a numerical ICD-10 diagnostic code (i.e. XXX.X). My own 12-page report simply had the diagnostic code in the last paragraph. The psychologist never used the language "autism", "ASD", or anything else. I had to go online and look up what that ICD-10 code referred to, in my case, "ASD-1". I later asked my psychologist about the report, and she confirmed that "If there was a code for Asperger's condition, she would have diagnosed it as such." However, in the US, we do not use that language.

When applying for workplace accommodations through a human resource department or disability, you will need a copy of that paperwork.

 

[FayetheAspie]

Don't sound like mine.

 

[FayetheAspie]

Do I need to change how my diagnosis status is listed on this forum? I thought I had my official diagnosis, but now am uncertain what if anything the papers that I was given almost 2 years ago mean. I am pretty sure I have it though seeing as how I have many stereotypical behaviors and such and have suspected since I was about 10 I think. Multiple family members started referring to me as aspergers by the time I was 12 or so. Practically everyone I interact with immediately seems to notice that there is something a little off even if they don't know what to call it. If this paperwork is not an actual diagnosis but just some opinion summary that holds no real value, how should I proceed next?

 

[Judge]

Do I need to change how my diagnosis status is listed on this forum? I thought I had my official diagnosis, but now am uncertain what if anything the papers that I was given almost 2 years ago mean. I am pretty sure I have it though seeing as how I have many stereotypical behaviors and such and have suspected since I was about 10 I think. Multiple family members started referring to me as aspergers by the time I was 12 or so. Practically everyone I interact with immediately seems to notice that there is something a little off even if they don't know what to call it. If this paperwork is not an actual diagnosis but just some opinion summary that holds no real value, how should I proceed next?

Your status on this forum is irrelevant. What counts is whatever medical documentation is in your possession, or whether it exists elsewhere and that you have access to it. Something to talk to your mother about first.

If your intent is to seek government entitlements, you're really dealing with a legal matter first and foremost. Having to explore the depth (or lack thereof) of the medical documentation in your possession and whatever exists in legal medical records, and being able to contact anyone affiliated with signing off on such records. If not, you're probably looking at having to be reassessed all over again.

Above all, to understand that attempting to negotiate social security disability benefits all on your own will statistically result in failure without having an attorney at law specializing in such things. In essence, Social Security Disability "plays hardball" with applicants.

The good news is that you may find legal support at no extra charge. Best to seek them out first and then ask such questions. Though I'd try in earnest to get your hands on every bit of medical documentation that exists in your case.

Finding Free Lawyers for Social Security

 

[FayetheAspie]

Well hopefully a job will come though soon.

 

[Judge]

Well hopefully a job will come though soon.

Hedge your bets, by all means. But try to seek out formal legal counsel who may assist you on a gratis basis. At least to let you know where you truly stand at the moment. Whether you find work or not.

 

[Outdated]

I thought I'd outline some of my experiences with getting disability, it might help you in some ways even though I live in a different country.

I was diagnosed by a large specialist autism diagnostic centre, I did that off my own bat, just walked in and asked for a diagnosis. The wait list took twelve months but when I got in it all happened in one afternoon. I was interviewed face to face and tested for three and a half hours by a panel of three professionals in psychological and behavioural fields, and afterwards I waited around for fourty five monutes while they wrote up their report.

At this stage I had been claiming unemployment benefits for twelve years, I haven't worked since 2008. Part of the rules for unemployment (the dole) require us to be registered with an unemployment agency and to apply for a certain number of jobs per month, I never applied for that many, I just got good at lying on forms.

Once I had an official diagnosis I was allowed to switch to an unemployment agency that specialised in finding jobs for people with disabilities. During my initial interview there I told them straight out that I had no intention of ever joining the workforce again and I wanted them to help me get on the pension.

They arranged another interview for me with one of their staff who was also autistic, and she was fantastic. She had spent twenty years working for social security before she burnt out and she knew the system inside out. The diagnosis I had was perfect, it ticked all the necessary boxes. She outlined them for me.

Firstly, I was diagnosed by AutismSA, a recognised authority on all things autistic so my diagnosis would be accepted without question. If I had gone to an individual psychologist for a diagnosis it was likely that social security would send me for a second opinion.

The way the diagnostic report was worded was important and there was nothing vague in mine. They listed six key areas of testing, what tests they used and what my responses were. Then they listed their assessment of my responses, and on one line all by itself at the bottom of each of those sections it clearly states:

ASD2. Andrew is a person in need of substantial support.

The lady in the unemployment agency also downloaded all the specific forms that I needed for social security and she filled them all out for me. The only other thing I needed was a report from a general practitioner, she also downloaded and printed several copies of the specific form she wanted them to fill out and explained to me exactly how she wanted them to fill it out. The most important was that they tick a box for "Life long condition, no treatment possible". She gave me several copies of that form because she knew I'd have a hard time finding a doctor that would tick that box for me. She was right, it took three tries.

The reason I needed that box ticked is because without it my eligibility for disability would have to be reviewed every three months, I'd have to resubmit my applications again and again. With that box ticked I never get questioned again, never have to submit to any reviews, I just keep getting paid with no hassle.

Once I had all the forms filled out correctly along with copies of my diagnosis she put them all in the right order, put them all in a big envelope and posted them for me. This lady was the greatest, it would have taken me years of frustration and getting the run around to get on the pension without her.

A couple of months after that a psychologist working at social security interviewed me over the phone for 45 minutes. I didn't hear anything back from them about that interview, but about two months later I was put on a full pension for life.

So my honest best advice is to find someone who knows your social security systems inside out and see if you can get them to help you. If it's anything like ours it's not easy for the average mug in the street to navigate their way through it.

 

[jsilver256]

@Neonatal RRT Is this sufficient if I continue to not be hired anywhere and end up needing to apply for disability? Also would that actually be why they gave no level assignment perhaps? Meant to hit informative, but I guess it was winner quality information.

Are you in the USA? In the USA, SSDI is a very, very difficult road outside of a few medical conditions. Most people get it in the end, but it often takes years during which you cannot work.

Autism is difficult to qualify for SSDI. I have met autistic people who were on SSI, but not SSDI.

If you are in the USA, you should contact a SSDI lawyer. The consultation is free and it will increase your chances of getting SSDI greatly.

Also: it seems from my vantage point that the lack of driving, rather than autism, is the biggest reason you cannot get a job. There might be a different medical condition that you can get diagnosed with.