Few questions about autism assessment through the uni
Hiya,
Basically I am seeing a therapist through the university and they've said that they think its a very strong possibility that I might have ASD and that we should get an assessment.
I am seeing them next week and not sure really what to ask. Its come as a bit of a surprise.
I don't know if this is a dumb question but I was going to ask how long it is. I know normally through your GP the waiting lists can be as long as 5 years but is it different through the uni? Does anyone know or have experience with it?
I feel like I ought to ask some questions or know what to do as prep. Can anyone give me any pointers with what helped them?
Basically I am seeing a therapist through the university and they've said that they think its a very strong possibility that I might have ASD and that we should get an assessment.
I am seeing them next week and not sure really what to ask. Its come as a bit of a surprise.
I don't know if this is a dumb question but I was going to ask how long it is. I know normally through your GP the waiting lists can be as long as 5 years but is it different through the uni? Does anyone know or have experience with it?
I feel like I ought to ask some questions or know what to do as prep. Can anyone give me any pointers with what helped them?
Hey there,
Thanks for reaching out. I'm not exactly an expert on this topic, but I'll do my best to help based on my own experience and what I've heard from others.
In terms of the length of the assessment, I think it can vary depending on the specific university and their resources. However, from what I've heard, the waiting list can still be quite long, especially if there is a high demand for assessments. It's definitely worth asking your therapist about this and seeing if they have any more specific information for you.
As for what to do to prepare, I think it's great that you're already thinking about this. One thing that helped me was doing some research on what the assessment process is like, so I had a general idea of what to expect. You could also try writing down any specific questions you have for your therapist about the assessment, so you don't forget anything during the appointment.
Overall, just try to take things one step at a time and remember that it's okay to feel overwhelmed or unsure. Your therapist is there to support you and guide you through the process.
Hope this helps, and best of luck with everything!
Thanks for reaching out. I'm not exactly an expert on this topic, but I'll do my best to help based on my own experience and what I've heard from others.
In terms of the length of the assessment, I think it can vary depending on the specific university and their resources. However, from what I've heard, the waiting list can still be quite long, especially if there is a high demand for assessments. It's definitely worth asking your therapist about this and seeing if they have any more specific information for you.
As for what to do to prepare, I think it's great that you're already thinking about this. One thing that helped me was doing some research on what the assessment process is like, so I had a general idea of what to expect. You could also try writing down any specific questions you have for your therapist about the assessment, so you don't forget anything during the appointment.
Overall, just try to take things one step at a time and remember that it's okay to feel overwhelmed or unsure. Your therapist is there to support you and guide you through the process.
Hope this helps, and best of luck with everything!
Original post by Quyoon42
Hey there,
Thanks for reaching out. I'm not exactly an expert on this topic, but I'll do my best to help based on my own experience and what I've heard from others.
In terms of the length of the assessment, I think it can vary depending on the specific university and their resources. However, from what I've heard, the waiting list can still be quite long, especially if there is a high demand for assessments. It's definitely worth asking your therapist about this and seeing if they have any more specific information for you.
As for what to do to prepare, I think it's great that you're already thinking about this. One thing that helped me was doing some research on what the assessment process is like, so I had a general idea of what to expect. You could also try writing down any specific questions you have for your therapist about the assessment, so you don't forget anything during the appointment.
Overall, just try to take things one step at a time and remember that it's okay to feel overwhelmed or unsure. Your therapist is there to support you and guide you through the process.
Hope this helps, and best of luck with everything!
Thanks for reaching out. I'm not exactly an expert on this topic, but I'll do my best to help based on my own experience and what I've heard from others.
In terms of the length of the assessment, I think it can vary depending on the specific university and their resources. However, from what I've heard, the waiting list can still be quite long, especially if there is a high demand for assessments. It's definitely worth asking your therapist about this and seeing if they have any more specific information for you.
As for what to do to prepare, I think it's great that you're already thinking about this. One thing that helped me was doing some research on what the assessment process is like, so I had a general idea of what to expect. You could also try writing down any specific questions you have for your therapist about the assessment, so you don't forget anything during the appointment.
Overall, just try to take things one step at a time and remember that it's okay to feel overwhelmed or unsure. Your therapist is there to support you and guide you through the process.
Hope this helps, and best of luck with everything!
Thank you for responding. Yeah I am a bit confused about what my uni has to offer. I remember seeing a page for assessments on the uni site and then they updated the site and it vanished. Slightly worrying. However, I cannot remember if it was my therapist or a disability advice person but someone from the uni did tell me they still offer them. So I am hoping they have the resources still. It sounds like by the way everyone is talking that they do. But ofc I will ask.
I did kinda expect there to be a long waiting list ngl. I hate the way it is. I do also wonder if there is any way of moving up the list though - I might ask.... Just because I have a lot of family members with asd who managed to get bumped up. Although, I bet everyone thinks that. It just seems kinda pointless if you don't get it until after uni.
I think I will write down my questions. Thanks. To be honest as you said I am not rushing it. I am just conscious at the moment of the amount of sessions I have with this therapist. I might make sure I ask my questions in my upcoming appointment.
It's totally understandable to feel confused about what your uni has to offer regarding assessments. It's good that you are planning to ask your therapist about it in your upcoming appointment. It's always better to be informed and have a clear idea of what to expect.
It's great to hear that the uni still offers assessments. Even though there might be a waiting list, it's worth enquiring about the possibility of moving up the list. It doesn't hurt to ask and see if there's anything that can be done.
Writing down your questions is a good idea, that way you can make sure you cover everything you need to know in your appointment. And as you said, there's no need to rush the process, it's important to take your time and ensure that you are comfortable with the whole process.
Good luck with everything!
It's great to hear that the uni still offers assessments. Even though there might be a waiting list, it's worth enquiring about the possibility of moving up the list. It doesn't hurt to ask and see if there's anything that can be done.
Writing down your questions is a good idea, that way you can make sure you cover everything you need to know in your appointment. And as you said, there's no need to rush the process, it's important to take your time and ensure that you are comfortable with the whole process.
Good luck with everything!
Original post by Pluto bat
Hiya,
Basically I am seeing a therapist through the university and they've said that they think its a very strong possibility that I might have ASD and that we should get an assessment.
I am seeing them next week and not sure really what to ask. Its come as a bit of a surprise.
I don't know if this is a dumb question but I was going to ask how long it is. I know normally through your GP the waiting lists can be as long as 5 years but is it different through the uni? Does anyone know or have experience with it?
I feel like I ought to ask some questions or know what to do as prep. Can anyone give me any pointers with what helped them?
Basically I am seeing a therapist through the university and they've said that they think its a very strong possibility that I might have ASD and that we should get an assessment.
I am seeing them next week and not sure really what to ask. Its come as a bit of a surprise.
I don't know if this is a dumb question but I was going to ask how long it is. I know normally through your GP the waiting lists can be as long as 5 years but is it different through the uni? Does anyone know or have experience with it?
I feel like I ought to ask some questions or know what to do as prep. Can anyone give me any pointers with what helped them?
it is probably worth having a discussion with your therapist pre-assessment what you might get out of it and how it would benefit you, so worth thinking about if there are any areas in life you find particularly difficult or might need support in. and if you haven't already ask your therapist to explain why they think you might be autistic. it is worth saying that just because someone thinks you might have ASD doesn't mean you have to get an assessment if you don't think it would be right for you (though for a lot of people, a diagnosis is very helpful indeed!).
in my experience with my uni they don't offer actual diagnostic assessments through the uni but can do needs based assessments - those help with getting accommodations in class or for exams but wouldnt give you a diagnosis. it is probably therefore worth checking what kind of assessment your uni offers and whether it is the same as an NHS diagnostic assessment or something more informal to give the uni an idea of your needs. a needs based assessment from your uni is worth doing anyway as it can make your life easier while you wait for a formal NHS diagnosis (as uni waiting list is very likely to be shorter - but definitely ask about waiting times, its very relevant). and if your uni actually offers formal autism diagnosis that you can be referred for, even better! I know at some other unis they don't offer assessments themselves but might help with the cost of a private one to avoid long NHS waiting lists. Ultimately it varies between different universities so the only way to know for sure what the process is to ask.
(edited 1 year ago)
Hi,
I'm autistic
I didn't get the assessment through the uni but know that at Sheffield they have a special NHS adult autism centre which they fast track the assessment process and it is around 6 months.
As the therapist is through the university I'm assuming it was the disability team that provided it, if so I personally would ask them to send them an email expalining why they think your autistic and about the assessment and copy you in so you don't have to start the conversation yourself
Some questions that might help you (these are from the offical NHS autism assessment) so will help, I would also reccomend looking at the national autistic society website and the ICD 11 criteria for the diagnosis
- Did you play with other children when younger if so how ?
- Have you ever had an obession that dominated time and prevented other activities ?
- Did you enjoy parties or holidays ?
- How did you cope between the transittion between schools ?
- Do you ever misinterpate what others say or they misinterpate you ?
- What helps in a social situation when struggling ?
- Can you understand non-verbal communication and do you use it accuratley?
- Can you imagine how others are feeling ?
- Can you start a conversation or talk about things that don't interest you ?
- Do you have any ritualistic routines ?
- How do you cope with change ?
- Do you do anything repeitively ?
- Do you have any sensory issues ?
Obviosuly there is no right answer to these questions just things to help you decide if you think it would be worth while getting a diagnosis or if you just want an answer without an offical diagnosis.
I would also reccomend looking at the national autistic society and the ICD11 diagnostic criteria
Hope this helps,
Let me know if you have any more questions
I'm autistic
I didn't get the assessment through the uni but know that at Sheffield they have a special NHS adult autism centre which they fast track the assessment process and it is around 6 months.
As the therapist is through the university I'm assuming it was the disability team that provided it, if so I personally would ask them to send them an email expalining why they think your autistic and about the assessment and copy you in so you don't have to start the conversation yourself
Some questions that might help you (these are from the offical NHS autism assessment) so will help, I would also reccomend looking at the national autistic society website and the ICD 11 criteria for the diagnosis
- Did you play with other children when younger if so how ?
- Have you ever had an obession that dominated time and prevented other activities ?
- Did you enjoy parties or holidays ?
- How did you cope between the transittion between schools ?
- Do you ever misinterpate what others say or they misinterpate you ?
- What helps in a social situation when struggling ?
- Can you understand non-verbal communication and do you use it accuratley?
- Can you imagine how others are feeling ?
- Can you start a conversation or talk about things that don't interest you ?
- Do you have any ritualistic routines ?
- How do you cope with change ?
- Do you do anything repeitively ?
- Do you have any sensory issues ?
Obviosuly there is no right answer to these questions just things to help you decide if you think it would be worth while getting a diagnosis or if you just want an answer without an offical diagnosis.
I would also reccomend looking at the national autistic society and the ICD11 diagnostic criteria
Hope this helps,
Let me know if you have any more questions
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