So you want to know how to diagnose autism.
Don't worry in this video, I'm going through that exact thing.
Step-by-step detail by detail to help you know, how to diagnose autism, all that's.
coming up,
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Right.
Okay.
So I get this question asked a lot, like how do I diagnose, uh,
you know, autism in somebody?
How does somebody get an autism diagnosis and how do you go about getting an
autism diagnosis and how does autism.
Being diagnosed, you know, there's all kinds of stuff.
So for this specific video, I wanted to break down the step by step.
I've got six steps.
So don't worry.
We're not going to be at for hours, the six steps and how you go about
obtaining an autism diagnosis.
If you believe that the person you are dealing with, whether it be
yourself, your child, somebody, you know, is on the autism spectrum
and you want to help them out.
This is going to be how you do it.
Okay.
So let's jump right in with step number.
one, so number one is creating a list of all the quirks and differences
that a person, um, sees in you.
Um, uh, you know, they, they might see something that you do out of the ordinary
and they think that's quite quirky.
And like typically in your typical person, wouldn't do those things.
So they say, Hm, you know, Hey, you know, you eat every meal with
a cocktail stick or you line up all your shoes in like alphabetical order
and you color coordinate your tires.
So.
These kinds of quirks.
Very interesting.
Write them down in a huge list.
If you are the person who is on the spectrum and you were trying
to write it down for yourself, it's not going to be easy.
I remember when I did this, me and my girlfriend sat down and I
wrote a list and she wrote a list.
I had like two things on my list.
She had about 18.
So it's always good to have somebody else who knows you very well to
write this list for you, because I wouldn't be able to do it on my own.
There's no way I could, if you don't have that luxury of doing this, don't worry.
It's not an essential part, but it's definitely the first
step into understanding.
Anything that you may seem different to other people in a good way,
because different is awesome.
Right?
It's empowering, but in a way where that might be classed as something that is
just a bit out of the neuro-typical sense.
Okay.
So number two, and this is kind of an important one.
This is taking an AQ test, which stands for autism quota now an autism quota
test or an AQ test is basically an online test that scopes out if you are
on the autism spectrum or not by this calculation of knowing some of your
characteristics and personality traits, and then applying them to a typical rigid
system, which is quite a crude system to evaluate where you are on that chart.
And they say something like, you know, if you need areas of like 25 to 35 year, kind
of typically on the autism spectrum and any higher than that, you're definitely
autism spectrum, blah, blah, blah.
Now, this is important for a few reasons.
Um, it's important because if you don't have any quirks that you can
think of written down, this test will help you bring to light something
that may not be as typical as you may think it is, which is good.
Because if you can't write all the quirks down, if you're doing it alone, then this
will give you that clue or those answers.
The other thing is that this test is the exact test that they actually do.
During the autism assessment, because they have an official version of
this that you will take anyway.
So to do the online ones, it's a really good way to prep and kind of practice
you for the test that's coming up.
Um, and, uh, as in like prep, you not like, make sure you can diddle
the answers because let's face it.
You have to be honest with this, but otherwise it's not
going to work for the AQ test.
I will leave a link in the description below for a video
I did on how to take that test.
And also I will put it on the end screen.
So you guys can jump from this video to the AQ test video, and
get that sorted straight away.
I would also highly recommend that you take the AQ test results that you do
online, print them out and take him with you with the next part, which I am going
to talk to you about, which brings me to, uh, number three off step number three.
Now call your doctor and ask for an appointment to speak to them
and discuss autism referrals.
And when you get to see your doctor.
Bring with them, the evidence that you've created, which is your list of
quirks and your AQ test, um, print out or whatever it is you've managed to do.
And explain to them that, that you may be on the autism spectrum, that you
have a suspicion you're on the spectrum.
I remember when I was going through this process, one of the things I did
was, um, was bring to light the people who had questioned if I was on the
autism spectrum and asked if I was autistic before I had my diagnosis.
And so this became the.
Um, leading kind of factor, why I was being, taking the initiative to go to
the doctor and ask for this referral.
Then I said to the doctor, may I have a referral to an autism specialist or a
clinic to speak to somebody who could then assess me for an autism spectrum disorder,
which is exactly what the doctor did.
And then they used those notes and wrote up a rapport that then went over to
the team who then did the assessment.
So this is paramount.
You have to ask your doctor for a referral.
Now this is how it works specifically in the NHS, he in the UK, it's a
little bit different in the United States, but it's a similar process.
You ask your doctor for a referral and then you find an autism specialist.
Okay.
So step number four is kind of still within the realm of
being in the doctor surgery.
What you need to do is write a good case, so speak to your doctor,
asking them why you want the referral and tell them, look my results.
Say this.
These are my quirks.
I cross reference this with somebody else's livelihood and it doesn't balance
out and it kind of shows that maybe I'm on the autism spectrum somewhere.
And I need to be referred to a clinic to have an official autism
diagnosis to see if it's autism or maybe something else that could
be picked up during this process.
Now putting your case forward and, and, um, Putting out a formal request
is going to be the best way that you will be taking seriously, because
they know that you're not just saying it because you're bald or some other
reason that it could be completely, you know, falsified or whatever.
So I would say step four is definitely make sure that you have a kind of
plan of action or reasons why a written out in, in, in a, in a.
Proper official version of what you want to do.
Like just write out a letter to your doctor and give up
to your doctor's office.
They can use that in evidence when they present that to the referral.
I see.
Okay.
So is that one of a five, you will be expected to sit two to three, the
assessments and the autism, um, process.
So what happens is that you will sit down like a, a preliminary assessment
where they'll assess you with one thing and then they will, um, basically
like screen, you basically take.
Details.
Typical works all information from the referral program.
Do you smell sort of like an interview with you and then you go back and
then you see a different person?
I think I did two or three.
I can't remember.
I think it was two main assessments on one kind of interview and then
the other two main assessments.
So they'll ask you certain questions.
You'll do an AQ test.
You'll do all kinds of stuff.
And then they formulate a diagnosis from those, um, Those those results.
Basically, they conclude it because they have all of the information that will be
concluding if this person is on the autism spectrum, because they're the specialist
and that the people who are the, the, the.
You know, the people who are in charge of the people who studied this
stuff, the people who diagnosed stuff.
So, um, you know, I would say expect three maximum, uh, you know,
tests or exams or like assessments.
I don't know what you want to call it, but that, that whole process will
typically be about three sessions long.
Okay.
So step into mistakes is once you have your results, observe the results,
observed the recommendations and then implement those, uh, to the process of
like recommended therapy recommended help because the idea of going through
this autism assessment process is so that it leads you to no, what areas
in your life that you would like to improve, how to improve them and
what types of therapy and support is available that you would like to.
You know, use, take advantage of, and really get the better life.
Cause that's pretty much what you're doing.
If you're going for an autism diagnosis, why would you do this?
Well, you know, you want to do it because you want to know,
are you on the autism spectrum?
Could it be something else?
Is it ADD?
Is it a personality disorder?
Is it ADHD?
I mean, there's a bunch of different things that it could be, but you
know, once and for all what it is once you've gone through the process.
Now, the other part is that.
You then have access to help and support in your daily life because you know,
daily life can be a struggle, you know, sometimes getting an autism officially,
isn't that a priority for some people who are actually autistic because they
just don't feel like it's necessarily.
They feel like they, the life works well as they are.
I know that I did a podcast with a woman whose mother was
dying autism at 71 years old.
So she did have struggles in her life, but there was no need
for, until she was in a home.
And then it was a big pressure on to understand what was going
on with this woman's life.
And she was 71 years old.
So it just goes to say that, you know, not everybody has to take an autism
diagnosis if you don't want to, if you don't feel it's necessary, but
I would recommend it just because if you want access to help and support
in your life and, and guidance, um, I definitely think this is the way to go.
Now, if you have anything to add to this process, or if you had a
different experience, I'd love to know when a comment down below,
pop it down below right now, a region respond to every comment and
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