Hi from sunny N.Ireland

[Reload...]

Hi. I'm new here and may have a lot of questions down the line. I'm currently sitting on a waiting list for assessment and official diagnosis but the process is more for confirmation and also better understanding of exactly where I am on the spectrum. I have the usual pieces falling into place, on line aq tests(which are by no means accurate but consistent scores on a few different ones merit investigation) but I also have direct comparison available...sounds really cold when I put it like that :s

My nephew was diagnosed at a young age. At the time my family didn't really know anything about ASD so it was scary times. My sister took herself back to school and learned everything she could to understand and be in a better position to help her son. My sister is a pretty amazing person to say the least btw. But what's my nephew got to do with me? Well it's that direct comparison I mentioned. As my nephew has grown my sister has observed a lot of familiar situations, traits and behaviours that she remembers from me when we were kids.

So now the excitement of finally stuff making sence has gone I'm sitting just waiting for an assessment. Does getting an official diagnosis really help any?

There's also an adult support group in my area I've known about for over a year...still struggling with trying to figure out do I have any right to go speak to them?

Anyways...hello. I can ramble a bit so long posts will probably be a regular occurrence from me. Sorry

Edit: auto correct derp

 

[Tom]

Studies consistantly show Autism does have hereditary link, meaning it can be passed on genetically. But not everyone in these families gets it. For example not all of the children of autistic parents will get it, but more will then from NT parents. That your nephew has it could mean it was in your family genes at your parents level. Some get it, it skips others, etc.

Sunny N. Ireland?

 

[Reload...]

Studies consistantly show Autism does have hereditary link, meaning it can be passed on genetically. But not everyone in these families gets it. For example not all of the children of autistic parents will get it, but more will then from NT parents. That your nephew has it could mean it was in your family genes at your parents level. Some get it, it skips others, etc.

Sunny N. Ireland?

For once it is actually sunny in NI...still cold though.lol

From what we know now, primarily from my sisters studies and her educating my family, we strongly believe my uncle, my mother's brother, may have been on the spectrum too. We only have my mother's memory to go on as my uncle passed away before me and my sister were born. He was a very intelligent person, photographic memory to numbers, socially awkward and also had special interests. One was photography and he was really good at it. The other was communications. That landed him a job straight out of school with British telecom. This was yrs back so even though he had no formal qualifications they didn't care. He could naturally do the job and do it well. I'm not so lucky as an 80's kid. Computers is my thing but no formal qualifications. Infact I nearly failed computer studies in high school but I know computers...go figure.lol

 

[StephF]

Hi there, I've just started my assessment process.

 

[Reload...]

Hi there, I've just started my assessment process.

Hi if you don't mind me asking how long did you have to wait for the referral to come through and which country are you in? I asked my gp for referral well over a year ago and haven't heard anything since.lol

 

[StephF]

I'm in Southern England and my waiting list time was 2 years ! They prioritise the more serious cases first.

 

[Reload...]

I'm in Southern England and my waiting list time was 2 years ! They prioritise the more serious cases first.

Thank you for answering. Thought it would be around that. I do know the support and resources for ASD over here is actually better than UK average but the assessment stage seems to be where wait time always is.

 

[Rocco]

Welcome aboard
(I tried to post a welcome picture but the site won't let me.)


Edit, made it work

 

[Reload...]

Welcome aboard
(I tried to post a welcome picture but the site won't let me.)

Thank you and that's no problem. Saw one of your pics in another post so I'll just pretend it's in here too

Edit: thank you. The other pic I saw was of a skyline too. You might appreciate a photo taken of the sky a few miles south of my home town. Not taken by me I might add but showed up on my Facebook to make me homesick yesterday.lol

 

[ancusmitis]

Welcome to the restaurant at the end of the internet

 

[Myway]

Welcome. Hope you enjoy it here.

 

[Linika Par]

First of all welcome! I hope you will love it in here.
Second: I was diagnosed in January as of this year, I am 24, and personally the diagnosis gave me a sense of understanding myself, a feeling of belonging somewhere (on AspieCentral I turns out) so I feel it was a major help. I am still learning about all this as well.
I understand why people feel they don't need a diagnosis, also because of how different the systems are. I read that Steph had a 2year waiting period :-O
I was sent to a psych evaluation in October, got a reference to an ADD facility (that also deals with Aspergers) had an appointment there a month after. Met with my therapist 3times, got my diagnosis in January (would have gotten it in December, but had to reschedule my appointment). And now I have a set amount of appointments to see my therapist (that will teach me about my diagnosis and answer my questions) and a social worker at the ADD facility (who will help me figure out education, work, living situations) and by the end of it all my case gets handed over to a social worker in my city so I will always have a contact person to help (haven't gotten to that point yet).
And it was all free because of our healthcare system (I am from Denmark).
I only mention this because I have heard stories of people having to save up large amounts of money even to be assesed.
And we go back to the first point: Welcome! In all my experiences in here so far, people are lovely, welcoming, accepting and helpful. I will send some positivity your way!

 

[Reload...]

First of all welcome! I hope you will love it in here.
Second: I was diagnosed in January as of this year, I am 24, and personally the diagnosis gave me a sense of understanding myself, a feeling of belonging somewhere (on AspieCentral I turns out) so I feel it was a major help. I am still learning about all this as well.
I understand why people feel they don't need a diagnosis, also because of how different the systems are. I read that Steph had a 2year waiting period :-O
I was sent to a psych evaluation in October, got a reference to an ADD facility (that also deals with Aspergers) had an appointment there a month after. Met with my therapist 3times, got my diagnosis in January (would have gotten it in December, but had to reschedule my appointment). And now I have a set amount of appointments to see my therapist (that will teach me about my diagnosis and answer my questions) and a social worker at the ADD facility (who will help me figure out education, work, living situations) and by the end of it all my case gets handed over to a social worker in my city so I will always have a contact person to help (haven't gotten to that point yet).
And it was all free because of our healthcare system (I am from Denmark).
I only mention this because I have heard stories of people having to save up large amounts of money even to be assesed.
And we go back to the first point: Welcome! In all my experiences in here so far, people are lovely, welcoming, accepting and helpful. I will send some positivity your way!

Thank you for the welcome I'm in UK so good ole NHS to cover the charges.lol As Steph mentioned the resources available are put into the higher priority cases. I'm 35 and made it 34yrs without figuring it out so not exactly seen as high priority, although in all honesty considering I'm not long after being fired from my job and I am a wee bit homeless that may change.lol

So far enjoying Aspiecentral. All very friendly and welcoming which is great to see

 

[Astroganga]

Welcome I am 34 and from London, England. I have had very similar experiences to your own, and there have been a number of people in the family who have either been diagnosed with Asperger's or another ASD, or were suspected of having an ASD looking back-for example my mum's uncle who died about 20 years ago, his problems were blamed on brain damage at birth and he was labelled as having mild learning difficulties but he was actually really intelligent. I am currently psyching myself up to ask for an assessment. I read that last year they introduced a special adult autism assessment team in this area, so the GP refers to them, then they refer on to the proper diagnostic assessment. I have heard different things about waiting lists in London anything from 1-4 years.

 

[Reload...]

Welcome I am 34 and from London, England. I have had very similar experiences to your own, and there have been a number of people in the family who have either been diagnosed with Asperger's or another ASD, or were suspected of having an ASD looking back-for example my mum's uncle who died about 20 years ago, his problems were blamed on brain damage at birth and he was labelled as having mild learning difficulties but he was actually really intelligent. I am currently psyching myself up to ask for an assessment. I read that last year they introduced a special adult autism assessment team in this area, so the GP refers to them, then they refer on to the proper diagnostic assessment. I have heard different things about waiting lists in London anything from 1-4 years.

From experience with my nephew I know that the best place to be is N.Ireland. The resources they have over here and the experience is just that much better. My sister used to live over here too. It's here where they first got the help and guidance. They moved back over to Scotland and were quickly in a situation were my sister was having to educate the so called professionals in the area from their GP to the school and teachers. She had to fight them to keep my nephew in main stream education. It was quite scary how quickly they wrote him off.

For adults over here the resources are still there but younger kids do get priority, which tbh is the way it should be. It is also some what harder to assess and diagnose adults as most of us have grown up with it and have adapted to overcome most of the difficulties...however embarrassing the learning has been.lol From what I am lead to believe the average waiting time over here for an adult is around 1-2yrs, so a little shorter than national average.