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BoringAl
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16 Jan 2009, 7:39 pm

I have my evaluation scheduled for January 26th. I am having doubts though.

I went a large office with several PHDs and psychiatrists as well as a staff of therapists.

The lady who did the intake scheduled me with a psychologists that "Will definitely be able to tell you if you don't have it. If she can't diagnose it she will refer you to someone that can."

Apparently she has a child patient with AS. I am 30.

The appointment is scheduled for an hour. I don't know if she intends this to take more than one.

I have read that AS in adults can be hard to diagnose. Does this sound like a waste of time and money or should I give this a chance?

EDITED with clearer title



Danielismyname
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16 Jan 2009, 7:55 pm

I don't really see that it's any harder to recognise in adults, except for the fact that understanding can occur due to development, i.e., you recognize some of your social failings and you use intellect to mitigate some of the inappropriate comments you used to make, for example. You apologize after you interrupt the person talking, you make eye contact by looking at something on a person's face that's close enough to their eyes that it looks like you are making adequate eye contact; some more examples. This adaptive behaviour is noted in the highest functioning cases.

But, there's many things that most people with such (I'm talking about 99% of), can't change with intellect, and that's things like appropriate facial expressions (a lack of), a lack of emotional inflection in the voice, the ability to handle change like most people, the ability to do more than one thing as well as your peers, etcetera.

I've seen the supposed "best", as well as generic psychologists/psychiatrists; I saw no difference between them, other than that the former were working outside the bounds of international standards.



nothingunusual
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16 Jan 2009, 7:57 pm

Does she have any history diagnosing or working with adults with AS? I would have made sure just to be safe since it's so expensive for a diagnoses.

An hour seems very short too. It took about four to five hours combined before I recieved the diagnoses.


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BoringAl
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16 Jan 2009, 8:13 pm

nothingunusual wrote:
Does she have any history diagnosing or working with adults with AS? I would have made sure just to be safe since it's so expensive for a diagnoses.

An hour seems very short too. It took about four to five hours combined before I recieved the diagnoses.

When I asked about experience I was told she knows someone with classic autism, and is working with a (singular) child with aspergers. I was assured she normally works with adults rather than kids. She apparently wants to do more work with autism so she "knows a lot about it" :?

I suppose you have to get your experience somewhere...

Insurance pays a good portion of the cost but it is still enough I don't want to waste the money.

I don't know if she will schedule more visits or try squeeze it into that hour. I got the impression that it will just be the one visit. I only spoke with the scheduler though rather than the psych.



nothingunusual
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16 Jan 2009, 8:25 pm

I'm not in the position to give advice at all, but if it were me I'd be expecting longer than an hours worth of her time in order to go over the entire history of my development, which is the most vital information to my knowledge, or at least what was focused on the most during my dx session. :?


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BoringAl
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16 Jan 2009, 8:32 pm

nothingunusual wrote:
I'm not in the position to give advice at all, but if it were me I'd be expecting longer than an hours worth of her time in order to go over the entire history of my development, which is the most vital information to my knowledge, or at least what was focused on the most during my dx session. :?


I have read on WP of people getting IQ tests and interviewing parents and all sorts of stuff. I agree an hour seems very short. One of my concerns is that she will say yay or nay or some other PDD and I will not trust the dx.



nothingunusual
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16 Jan 2009, 8:50 pm

Yeah, that seems to be how it goes generally. My parents gave their version of events also. I haven't taken the IQ yet, but as I said the interview alone took quite a long time. It definetly doesn't seem like something that can be rushed at all.

I think it's strange too that she hasn't given you an overview of what it will entail (correct me if I'm wrong) or more details about her credentials and experience. Especially given the nature of some AS people to shy away from asking questions and worrying so much. I think I'd try to get some more information.

If money wasn't an issue, then I suppose it wouldn't be a big deal if you needed to get a second opinion if she was unsure or gave you a diagnoses other than AS.


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For time has imprisoned us,
In the order of our years,
In the discipline of our ways,
And in the passing of momentary stillness.
We can see our chaos in motion.