How to pursue an autism evaluation as an adult... in 4 steps.
I saw this great thread on twitter this morning. I wanted to add it as an alternative to what I posted about my own experience. It's written by Nicole Filippone, Autistic Advocate & Author @sensorystories_ Her website is https://www.nicolefilipponeauthor.com/my-links
How to pursue an autism evaluation as an adult... in 4 steps.
Step 1: Read up on how autism is diagnosed.
In the US, practitioners use the DSM as a guide when diagnosing autism. In many other countries, they use something called the ICD.
You can find both online for free. Just make sure you're looking for the most current version (DSM 5-TR and ICD 11).
If you're not sure you're autistic and you're trying to understand whether or not you would be diagnosed, this is a really important place to start.
There are a ton of other resources online as well, and the more you read, the better, but you really need to understand the diagnostic criteria if you plan on seeking a diagnosis.
Step 2: Write a thorough and exhaustive list of every sign you can think of that applies to you based on the diagnostic criteria.
This list will help you think of relevant answers to questions asked during an evaluation that you may have difficulty thinking of on the spot. And difficulty sifting through complex information on the spot is ironically a common challenge for autistic people. 🙂
Be sure to include examples from your childhood... the more, the better. Signs of autism being present during childhood is considered one of the specifications for an autism diagnosis.
If you're not sure where to start with this step, I created a worksheet to help you, which you can find on my website here (scroll to the bottom of the page)...
Free Resources | Sensory Stories by Nicole
Step 3: Research practitioners.
This is extremely important for two reasons. (1) Most practitioners that do assessments don't do them for adults. So, you'll probably need to sift through many to find one that does.
(2) Many practitioners are not up to date on their knowledge of autism and are not aware of the more subtle manifestations of it. So, in your research, you'll want to look for someone who's current in their knowledge and understanding of autism.
The best way to find a good practitioner is by getting a recommendation. But if you don't know anyone who can give you one, see if you can find information about practitioners on their website.
If you can't, you'll need to call them. I know... autistic people hate making phone calls 😬😅 but I have a resource to help with this as well 😊 (same page as my other resource... this one is called "Preparing for your initial phone conversation with a practitioner")
Step 4: When you call a practitioner, be prepared to answer the question, "Why are you interested in pursuing an autism evaluation?" This is the first question I was asked when pursuing my own evaluation.
You'll also want to ask some questions about their process. If it's just one meeting or conversation, that's a red flag.
The practitioner should be evaluating you thoroughly by asking you detailed questions about your life, your childhood, your internal experiences and also using other methods (like questionnaires and screening tests) to gather as much information as possible to use as references when making a final determination about your diagnosis.
Before I end this thread... I want to acknowledge that a formal diagnosis is not necessarily going to be best for everyone. Some people need to consider how a diagnosis might impact their job, citizenship, custody situation, and more. All that said... I know that was a lot, but I also realize that there's a whole lot more I could have covered. So if there's anything I didn't cover that you'd like me to, please let me know!
#AutismAwarenessMonth