Hearing some of these stories of how hard it is to get a Dx, I'm not sure which country some of them are from. Do you folks think it easier to get a Dx in some countires than others? Or from one type of medical professional over another?
I think it can certainly vary from country to country. In the US, for those who have money to go searching for a truly experienced professional, it's not so bad. In the UK, if you can get past some of the initial rounds of the NHS and are lucky enough to be in a local area of an adult ASD expert, you're good.
It's more often a matter of luck, doing the research on who's who in the professional world of autism, talking around with those who've been dxed and by whom, and having enough money to pay for the assessment and bypass stingy insurance companies or difficult health systems, then it's good. I think not enough auties do the footwork before seeking out a diagnostician; without this footwork, most will come across an inexperienced diagnostician who refuses them the proper dx and unfortunately this is often a horrible experience and difficult to get over (I've gone through it but thankfully am bullheaded enough to continue on seeking dx).
Right now, there is an extreme derth of diagnosticians who have enough experience to be able to identify all variations of ASD (and not just meaning the official labels but just the human variety we come in).
In general, as far as types of medical professionals, I've had and heard of the most unpleasant experiences with Psychiatrists. But it is unlikely one will have a good experience with ANY professional, psychiatrist, psychologist, neurologist, whatever, if they don't have the experience to diagnose all of autism.
Unfortunately, for now, any medical doctor, psychologist, and a variety of other health professionals, all have the legal capability to diagnose an ASD. Hopefully one day, licensing will be offered for diagnosing specific conditions and those who are licensed to diagnose ASDs will be the only diagnoses which are either allowed or respected.
I think it can certainly vary from country to country. In the US, for those who have money to go searching for a truly experienced professional, it's not so bad... ...there is an extreme derth of diagnosticians who have enough experience to be able to identify all variations of ASD...
"Dearth" in our state is an under-State-ment... oh yes... 'money' would help...
Should add that the level of such 'dearth' varies from state to state. Washington (My state) is near the bottom when when it comes to support for ASD issues, diagnosis or otherwise. I spoke to a member of the 'only' chapter of 'Autism Society of America' in our state. I quote her comment: "When people ask me about moving to this state, I tell them not to"...
I checked state mental health reporting(required) records. One interesting statistic was the 'saticfaction' qotient of mental health services. Washington scored around 35% for the adult population. Ohio scored in contrasting high percentages.
Ohio is also the state with public schools designed for AS/ADHD, and has double digit ASA chapters.... There may be other states like Washington and Ohio. I'd be curious to document such if I had the time...
Hopefully one day, licensing will be offered for diagnosing specific conditions and those who are licensed to diagnose ASDs will be the only diagnoses which are either allowed or respected.
Hopefully one day sooner in our state...
Beammeup
In the Netherlands you can call the NVA (Dutch association for Autism). They've got lists of decent diagnostical centers, with expertise in ASS in adults. You can also check there, when you're refered to someone if that person really has experience in diagnosing ASS in adults. Good diagnostical centres have got waitinglists here.
Does something like that exist in other countries? Would it be wise to make a thread with information like that per country/state?
In the Netherlands you can call the NVA (Dutch association for Autism). They've got lists of decent diagnostical centers, with expertise in ASS in adults. You can also check there, when you're refered to someone if that person really has experience in diagnosing ASS in adults. Good diagnostical centres have got waitinglists here.
This is 7.5 years old, but when my brother went to secondary school and that school decided they thought he had Asperger's, the waiting list was something like 6-9 months or so... unless you paid. My parents, wanting to keep him out of special ed, paid money to get him tested in a few weeks instead of many months... I think I heard them say they paid fl.10,000 (about $5k), but I might be wrong. Too bad that they did diagnose him with PDD-NOS, so he got sent to special ed anyway (but not to the school for kids with ASDs, because "he's too intelligent" (according to that school)). End result is that he got kicked out of 5-6 special ed schools and now is 20yo without a highschool diploma... Nice mess... There's the difference between me and my brother... I'd be the 'good' girl at school and release the stress at home, whereas he'd let the school know when he was stressed out, and be nice at home.
My psychologist, the horrid one, referred me to a centre where I had to pay for myself in advance and could claim part of it back from the insurance. There was no waitinglist. But when I checked the website, there was no expertise in adults and ASS. They did some support for parents with children on the spectrum, but that was it. And they were of the same religious denomination as the psychologist. I did not like that. As if she only referred me there to give them an extra client, and not because of what I needed.
So I was happy I could check the adress at the NVA. They had never heard of this centre. I'd rather be ad a good place after waiting for months than at a bad place after a week. It took me weeks to get over the psychologist. :-(
I've had my first interview at the centre. They seem allright.
Oh, I was the one who stressed out at home too, in school I could not even stand up for myself. I think because I was to afraid to go beserk there.
I was given the name of a therapist through a hospital’s referral service. I had no idea until I got to the address that it was a church. This guy met me in one of the church's rooms. He had me fill out a form that asked questions like "How often do you attend church?" "How often do you read the bible with your family?". He gave me some religious pamphlets. It was very weird. I never went back.
A bolt of lightning might be just what those wrong therapists need. Electroshock.
Oh I'm in a verbally violent mood today I think. (big smile)
For the rest I'm unusually relaxed. After four month we finally got money again. The weather is great, not to hot. Life is good today.
Well, if it's any consolation, I'm autistic, I'm going into researching ASD but I also want to involve myself in diagnosis and educating diagnosticians worldwide as well as help to put into place the licensing I mentioned earlier.
::shrugs::