Autism Assessment for Teens & Preteens
Parent Q&A
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After filling out a basic questionnaire for my child’s psychiatrist, we think our 15 year old is on the autism spectrum. We went to our pediatrician to get a referral and they basically said that our child, if they had autism, would be on the upper end of the spectrum so there’s not much point in testing as there’s not much that can be practically done. Is this true, am I just attaching a label to my child with no practical benefit? My child doesn’t seem to care either. We do have an ADHD dx but the accommodations offered by the school aren’t helpful or applicable. Local resources are welcome, especially if they take insurance. Thank you.
Feb 28, 2022 -
Hi. My daughter is 15.5 years old and in 10th grade. She used to be a great student but is failing most of her 10th grade classes with Fs due to anxiety and depression (which started during distance learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic, our public schools are still closed as of June 2nd 2021). My son is a bit younger and is also having anxiety and anger issues. His therapist recommended that we get him tested for autism/asperger's. This got me thinking that my daughter might also be affected by autism/asperger's as she has always been shy, and is now unable to keep up with Zoom classes when she has to work on small groups (she disconnects without warning and says she cannot avoid it). Also, she has always assumed rules that do not exist about what is allowed behavior and what is not, just because she is afraid of doing things differently from others or and doesn't like to stand out. I have been reading quite a bit about asperger's and autism lately and it seems a lot of girls are not diagnosed because they hide their symptoms much better than boys. So, I am looking for recommendations about providers who can do an assessment and have experience diagnosing teenage or older girls with not-so-obvious symptoms. Any recommendations? We live in the southern part of Alameda County but are willing to drive where needed..
Jun 3, 2021 -
I'm looking for someone that can evaluate my 10-year-old daughter for Autism, ADHD, and processing problems. We have medi-cal, although we expect to pay out of pocket. She is 10 years old, highly intelligent (gifted), and socially motivated...exactly the kind of kid that can compensate so that these disabilities can fall under the radar. A few years back, she was diagnosed by a psychologist with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Sensory Processing Disorder. She also has a complicated genetic and in-utero history (she came to my family as a newborn). Despite treatment of a psychiatrist, OT, and psychotherapy, her symptoms continue to become more apparent and asynchronous with age.
I've long felt that she also has ADHD and now we are starting to suspect that she is on the spectrum, particularly after learning about the Pathological Demand Avoidance profile. It was the first time we ever saw all of her symptoms together in one place. I've heard great things about the STAR center at UCSF for diagnosing girls on the spectrum, unfortunately, they do not take Medi-cal or out-of-pocket payments.
I'd love advice from folks whose kids fit (or come close to) this profile. I've received recs for Dr. Zoe Collins and Dr. Lisa Greenberg...do you have feedback about whether either of them might be a good fit for us? Do you know of someone that specializes in this area of hard-to-diagnose girls?
Thank you!
Feb 5, 2021