• Welcome to Autism Forums, a friendly forum to discuss Aspergers Syndrome, Autism, High Functioning Autism and related conditions.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Private Member only forums for more serious discussions that you may wish to not have guests or search engines access to.
    • Your very own blog. Write about anything you like on your own individual blog.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon! Please also check us out @ https://www.twitter.com/aspiescentral

Took daughter to the doctors and...

S

Skye81

Active Member
Well.. I am not sure I remembered everything so it was all quite a nightmare plus he didn't give me chance to explain anything! He checked her balance briefly and spoke to her briefly too where he got some muffled replies. The school had done a form as well as us and both showed major social concerns.. He was also made aware of all the 'odd' bits but it's incredibly hard to explain. She doesn't repeat things over and over and some things she does but not always like a ritual. Except for kissing hello or goodbye which she spends ages getting just right... So the doctor said he has concerns over the social bits and she does show autistic tendancies. ... but he can't see enough across all areas to say she would likely be diagnosed..
He is referring her to other professionals for a second opinion and more tests (he did very little). And she'll be seeing someone to try to help with social skills.
So I feel a bit up in the air as we are sure there is something going on and being a girl she does try to hide things.. The doctor said there would be things she would do all the time no matter where she was.. But I'm not totally sure. She can try quite hard as she knows she feels different sometimes. So ARGH. Just on here to say ARGH really. And now we will wait for the next appointment. It's hard work. Especially when I know deep down I'm crackers as well. ;-)
By the way, thanks to all of you guys as you've been lovely and helpful since I joined. People who understand and all that.... xx
 
Is your daughter being referred to autism specialists? Don't think there is much point in a second opinion otherwise. It sounded like this doctor was a bit out of his depth and didn't really know what he was doing. But if he was a GP or general psychiatrist, I'm not particularly surprised.
 
Hi we originally saw our GP who referred us to the Community Paediatrics.. so I guess it was a paediatrician we saw today. He was asking questions all about routine, rituals.. does she flap.. that kind of thing.. but he didn't actually listen to what I had to say. It was like he had a tick list in his head and wanted to use that rather than see what I said about her and then have a think...
 
It sounds pretty likely that he was just going through a tick list, which is very unfortunate as the tick lists taught to non autism specialists are generally very male orientated.

Skye81 said:
The doctor said there would be things she would do all the time no matter where she was
Click to expand...

Again this indicates that he was rather out of his depth. Females with aspergers can become very skilled at hiding their 'symptoms' and mimicking 'normal' behaviour.

I really hope your next appointment goes well, and that it is with someone who has familiarity with how autism can present with girls. If you get referred further I would suggest specifically requesting someone who does, and a formal assessment with multiple assessors (this should happen anyway for a good diagnosis).

Good luck.
 
Our next appointment will be with 3 people I think but I will be checking that they understand autism in girls.... I see many things in my daughter and many things which I, as an adult who has struggled right through, have not 'grown out of' or learnt late.. Only as an adult did I really start to copy others. As a child I hardly spoke.. so no one took much notice.. However my daughter is more outgoing and loud... so she brings more attention to herself. Yet she is learning to pretend. And I don't believe that just by a brief look at her when she's sat in a surgery knowing we are talking about her behaviour that she would do the exact things we are discussing. I think I will need to be more prepared at the next appointment!
 
We just got done with a doctor like that about a pain issue. Really annoying when they just kinda rush through and flee as fast as they can. I hope your next one pays attention to you and treats you and your daughter like people rather than plague.
 
Skye81 said:
Well.. I am not sure I remembered everything so it was all quite a nightmare plus he didn't give me chance to explain anything! He checked her balance briefly and spoke to her briefly too where he got some muffled replies. The school had done a form as well as us and both showed major social concerns.. He was also made aware of all the 'odd' bits but it's incredibly hard to explain. She doesn't repeat things over and over and some things she does but not always like a ritual. Except for kissing hello or goodbye which she spends ages getting just right... So the doctor said he has concerns over the social bits and she does show autistic tendancies. ... but he can't see enough across all areas to say she would likely be diagnosed..
He is referring her to other professionals for a second opinion and more tests (he did very little). And she'll be seeing someone to try to help with social skills.
So I feel a bit up in the air as we are sure there is something going on and being a girl she does try to hide things.. The doctor said there would be things she would do all the time no matter where she was.. But I'm not totally sure. She can try quite hard as she knows she feels different sometimes. So ARGH. Just on here to say ARGH really. And now we will wait for the next appointment. It's hard work. Especially when I know deep down I'm crackers as well. ;-)
By the way, thanks to all of you guys as you've been lovely and helpful since I joined. People who understand and all that.... xx
Click to expand...

I think your first doctor did the responsible thing and referred your daughter to someone who knows more about ASD. Finding a doctor who knows a lot about ASD in children is important and their not all the same. You should have a doctor that you and your daughter both feel comfortable with. If need be, do not be afraid to shop around. When you get a diagnosis, it is important for a child to get the proper consoling so that they can better handle their weakness's and better take advantage of their strengths.

By the way, to be on the spectrum does not mean that you are "crackers". It just means that you are different than most.
 
Hehe crackers is only my secret term for myself. ;-D Much more fun to be 'different' than the same as everyone else. My daughter is different to kids in her class which I personally think gives her a much better character. The only difficulty is trying to help her get through each day with kids who don't understand her. When she's home or out with us it's so much easier. School is not an easy place to be when you're not the same as everyone else.
 
Skye81 said:
Hehe crackers is only my secret term for myself. ;-D Much more fun to be 'different' than the same as everyone else. My daughter is different to kids in her class which I personally think gives her a much better character. The only difficulty is trying to help her get through each day with kids who don't understand her. When she's home or out with us it's so much easier. School is not an easy place to be when you're not the same as everyone else.
Click to expand...

I understand. I lived it.
 
It is still good because your daughter will be examined by more specialized professionals. Seeing this doc may have been annoying, but you are still in line for getting an accurate diagnosis. Maybe this doc didn't feel he saw enough symptoms to make a diagnosis, but still felt you daughter deserved a more comprehensive exam. Also, maybe "the group" doesn't accept children until they have been seen by someone else. Just take her to the next appointment with an open mind and let them do their work. Try not to interrupt the doctors with questions--jot them down as you may think of something--and at the end of the exam, or if you are asked if you have questions, then use your list. I believe that when children are examined, the parents are also studied. Try not to interrupt but don't leave without getting some answers to the questions you write down. If asked why you are writing, simply say you don't want to interrupt while the doc is following his train of thought. If he says it is OK to interrupt, then do so. Good luck.
 
Skye81 said:
So I feel a bit up in the air as we are sure there is something going on and being a girl she does try to hide things.. The doctor said there would be things she would do all the time no matter where she was.. But I'm not totally sure. She can try quite hard as she knows she feels different sometimes.
Click to expand...

Skye81 said:
He was asking questions all about routine, rituals.. does she flap.. that kind of thing..
Click to expand...

It sounds like the first doc didn't know what he was doing, but being just your regular doc that's not suprising. They aren't trained for it. If she's got high functioning autism, she probably won't show all the stereotypical boy and/or lower functioning characteristics that a your regular doc would think to look for. It manifests differently in girls. I've seen videos of me at 3 or 4 and i was very outgoing in them around my family and relatives, a typical preschooler. Google autism in girls and that'll give you a better idea of what to look for yourself. And like everyone else said, make sure whoever you go to see for the next appt has had experience with autism in young girls.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New Threads

Top Bottom