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How old were when you got your Asperger's diagnosis?

C

ConcernedDad

Well-Known Member
V.I.P Member
And how did you feel about it? My daughter is 8 and we have not told her yet. She also has ADHD and OCD, we have told her about those, but we don't know what to say about Asperger's. We are not sure we can explain it to her yet.
 
I was 3. I would tell your daughter about her ASD, so she can begin to process it through her little brain.
 
I was 16, and I was relieved to have a name for it. The diagnosis helped me in school also, since I could get extra time for tests and could have additional talks with my school counselor if needed.
 
I just got mine, at the age of 33. Sure puts the past in perspective, finding out there's a reason for the social mess I'm in. Wish I had known earlier so I could have worked on some things before now...
 
I've yet to have an official diagnosis yet and I'm 25. My old psychiatrist was certain I had Asperger's. And my mum mentioned that she's wondered/thought I had it when I was about 14. I didn't really have a response for it which is surprising because I do for everything else. I think if I was taken to the doctor's and told I had it earlier I probably would have been fine with it, however doing anything that made to look different in the face of my peers wouldn't of, I'm not sure if I would have liked them to know my condition at that time; I was too busy with masking things, trying to fit in.

If you do want to hold it off from her, it might be best to check with her, asking if she feels like she is different from her peers. Feeling different and not knowing why can be troubling for a lot of people.
 
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I was 52 when I was originally referred but there followed a further 2 tyear delay before I was actually assessed.

This is a long time but they do say they see the more severely affected individuals quicker.

I got my assessment eventually so I guess I am happy enough :)
 
I was 62. The diagnosis was a real revaluation to me. I felt like I knew myself better than I ever had. I have always known that I was different from everyone else, I just did not know how or why. The diagnosis explained why I am the way that I am. The only negative about it was being diagnosed so late in life. My life was not easy as a child and young adult. When I was a child, nobody knew much about AS or autism in general.

This brings up a point that I would like to make. I firmly believe that children should not only be told about their Asperger's Syndrome, but should get the proper counseling. This would help them better deal with their weakness's and more importantly, take advantage of their considerable strengths.
 
I was 46 when I was suspected of being Aspie, but my definitive diagnoses did not come until three years later. I was amazed, dismayed, joyful, sad. I had to completely re-frame my entire existence up until the diagnoses. But I am so glad that I finally found out!
 
41. After a lifetime of feeling marginalized and unable to identify with peers. It took having a son born on the spectrum to point me in the right direction.
 
Started suspecting at age 40 (actually kinda had an inkling about it long before that, but hadn't really put all the pieces together yet). Officially dx'ed at age 42.
 
45. I already felt marginalized for being gifted, but the 2E diagnosis added another layer of understanding.
 
clg114 said:
I was 62. The diagnosis was a real revaluation to me. I felt like I knew myself better than I ever had. I have always known that I was different from everyone else, I just did not know how or why. The diagnosis explained why I am the way that I am. The only negative about it was being diagnosed so late in life. My life was not easy as a child and young adult. When I was a child, nobody knew much about AS or autism in general.

This brings up a point that I would like to make. I firmly believe that children should not only be told about their Asperger's Syndrome, but should get the proper counseling. This would help them better deal with their weakness's and more importantly, take advantage of their considerable strengths.
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We are already providing counseling and supports for my daughter, and she is the Asperger's program in school. We don't tell her she has Asperger's, we just tell her that these teachers know how to teach her better than other teachers and the counseling we receive is so the whole family can learn to work together better.
 
I don't think that I was aware that I was different at age 8. I was content to spend my time reading and doing activities on my own. I didn't really understand why other kids needed someone to do things with. I mean, if I wanted to ride my bike, I went and rode my bike - the other kids seemed to be incapable of doing so unless they had someone to bike with. I really didn't understand this. :)

I think you are handling things at the level she can understand.

I think that I was in grade 4 or 5 when I realized that the other kids didn't like me and the bullying started. Hopefully, with the support and special programs you may have available for her, she'll be spared that situation.
 
ConcernedDad said:
We are already providing counseling and supports for my daughter, and she is the Asperger's program in school. We don't tell her she has Asperger's, we just tell her that these teachers know how to teach her better than other teachers and the counseling we receive is so the whole family can learn to work together better.
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I am very happy to hear that she is getting the proper counseling. You and your wife need to learn as much about Asperger's Syndrome and/or Autistic Spectrum Disorder as you can. It is not a easy thing for NTs to understand, but the more you know, the better it will be for your family. It sounds like you have a good idea of what is best for your daughter and your family. Keep up the counseling and good luck.
 
I was in my was about 30 before I knew anything about the possibility of being on the spectrum. I'm self diagnosed.

There were things about the social aspects of school life that started to become confusing to me around the age of 9/10years old eg girls started focusing on more socially orientated interaction at play time rather than just playing games like hopscotch and skipping. I didn't take to hanging around and socializing/talking so gravitated more towards playing with boys as they seemed more interested in playing games. I think that if someone had been able to help me understand 'how I worked' and 'how others worked', that would have been helpful.

The girl with the curly hair project has some comic style books that are specifically aimed at girls with Aspergers. They might help you and your daughter understand aspects of life with aspergers better.
 
ConcernedDad said:
And how did you feel about it? My daughter is 8 and we have not told her yet. She also has ADHD and OCD, we have told her about those, but we don't know what to say about Asperger's. We are not sure we can explain it to her yet.
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I was 46...I am still trying to integrate this knowledge about myself a year and a half later. I would tell her ASAP. Many, many things would not have gone down the way they did had I understood. I could have focused n the gifts and not ben so heavily marked by misunderstanding. It is a good life, a beautiful life---with very avoidable tragedies that color my experience much more than the possible bewilderment of diagnosis would have been---which is transitory even in the case of this older gal. Love to her!
 
I was 7 or 8 years old. I remember my mum had been trying to find out why I was different ever since I was little, although Aspergers had only just become a recognized condition when I was born back in 1992. Before then, it was assumed but not confirmed that I had ADD/ADHD.
 
I was 28 when I got my diagnoses. I never realized my behaviour was different and so I didn't try to change it. Because of this, though, I was bullied badly in school and had very few friends. I wish I had some sort of help with it, honestly.

I think you can get away with not telling your daughter about it now, as long as you work with her on her behaviour, especially since the other kids are going to start to get meaner in school.
 
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