Hello

[illud]

So, I have ROBPI (obstetric brachial plexus injury-affected arm: right).

I'm part of the online community in english related to this injury and around a year ago a mother got her son diagnosed as an autistic, so she brought the question to the group if someone else had both.

I researched more about autism/asperger's and I found a lot of traits common in myself since I was a kid.
So I took several self-diagnosis tests.
Asperger's result in percentage was 41/50 (82%) and Autism result in percentage said 76%.

I long before that suspected myself of having either Asperger's or Autism, and back then took other self-diagnosis tests (Baron-Cohen) and again gave a high percentage. I don't remember which exactly. So it comes to a point, when all the self-diagnosis test's result are high, I don't think all them are wrong, right?

Then yesterday on the spanish (I'm spanish, so sorry if my english is not correct) BPI's group, runned partly by a physiotherapists specialized on children, posted a link to find if a kid has Aspergers, I read it out loud and my dad started to point that most those traits, I had them or still have them.

Truth is, it's affecting me, I can't seem to make or keep friendships, and I fear it'll get worst socially, it already causes me social anxiety and I fear it'll worsen to agoraphobia.

For some reason I fear getting an official diagnosis won't help me much.

Shall I start there, getting an official diagnosis? How do I get one? What the diagnosis consists on? Does it have different phases or involves different specialists?

And second question to the group, has anyone else has both Asperger's/Autism and BPI?

 

[Tom]

Hi & Welcome,
The exact process is hard to say, because yours in Spain will be different then mine in the USA, and there even is a a lot of variation in how one gets it done here.

Two basic ideas I have though are:

1) Learn about autism (specifically High Functioning Autism) and gain understanding of your own self/personality. Look at what your strong points and weak areas are. Just figuring out how autism affects you can be useful in developing your own methods for compensating and being able to effectively socialize. For instance it might mean avoiding large group settings, but going to small group functions. You might have to make yourself go at first. The idea is to acclimatize yourself to being with people. HFAs can and do lead very normal lives frequently. You can probably be in that group, but it takes a lot of work. It can also be very rewarding. But its something you will have to find out yourself, what your capabilities and limitations are.

One hint is that to get to goals, you must usually push yourself at times. This is not an Aspie specific problem. Its just regular human nature.

2) Investigate what having a diagnosis will mean or do for you. You have to weigh benefits vs negatives. Having a diagnosis can bring on negative effects like people stereotyping or avoiding you, not thinking you fully competent, etc.

 

[Rocco]

Hello and welcome to the community
Talking with a specialist or therapist might be very helpful. Best wishes.

 

[Epicurean Pariah]

You are welcome here, and your voice is needed and respected. Post often.

 

[Progster]

Hi, and welcome to the forum

I would start by looking for information in your country, or speaking to your family doctor. If there's an autism support organisation in your country, they will have information - you could call them or email them and ask.