The Knowitall Hall of Fame

[Sophist]

A clinical psychologist who is a supposed expert on Autism here in Minnesota, Andrea Beiberich PHD of Park Nicollet group, said this, and I quote;"Your Daughter can not be Autistic because she makes Eye Contact, has a sense of humor and has an imagination. She does however persevere to moderate measures, has issues with written and verbal communication and I feel that her needs are better addressed with treating her ADHD as it is severe. I do however feel that you, her mother, might be an autistic adult". This was regarding my PDD-Nos daughter, who is 13 now, she was 7 at the time. Three years later I took her to the University of Minnesota Medical School Pediatric Psychiatry unit, who then evaulated her and gave her the PDD-Nos dx, as she didn't fit the criteria for Aspergers due to a speech delay and writtne language impairment.

[odeon]

Good. Grief.

Reading these, I wonder if it's safe to trust any Doctor, anywhere.

[Sophist]

Good. Grief.

Reading these, I wonder if it's safe to trust any Doctor, anywhere.

LOL, true. I think it's safe provided you know to do your homework and go "doctor shopping" and in future know who to listen to and who to diagnose with Horse's a*** Syndrome.

[Sophist]

I hate going to the DR because of this and their general "talking down",resenting my asking for more information.I recently left a DR who told me I dont have AS because I can talk and then when I pressed for a referral to a specialist...she gave it to me and then literally stomped out of the room...it was bizzare.I think some of these folks are really crazy.They have their own agenda,push certain drugs and seem to hate having their "authority" questioned.Personally,people have to earn my respect,they dont deserve it just because they have a diploma on the wall.

[Mon-Key]

LOL, true. I think it's safe provided you know to do your homework and go "doctor shopping" and in future know who to listen to and who to diagnose with Horse's a*** Syndrome.

LOL!

[Sophist]

LOL, true. I think it's safe provided you know to do your homework and go "doctor shopping" and in future know who to listen to and who to diagnose with Horse's a*** Syndrome.

LOL!

Maybe come DSM-VI or something, Horse's a*** Syndrome will be inducted?

[Sophist]

Recently, I completed a full neuroeducational battery at my university's psyc department. They said I scored slightly above average (112 IQ) overall with superior abstract reasoning. The grad student that administered the battery and her supervisor stated that it is highly unlikely for a person with aspergers to score high in abstract reasoning. Their assesment included a history and charactoristics consistent with DSM IV guidlines for diagnosing aspergers but they refuted the previous diagnosis.

[Sophist]

I wanted to get an official diagnosis as all my friends/family see me as a paranoid hypocondriac for some reason. I took the advice of the National Autism Society (UK) and went to my GP to be referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist. She didn't respond particularly well and kept insisting that I was depressed and seeking attention (true, I am probably depressed - have been in the past) which wasn't nice. Finally got her to contact local expert, which turns out to be a learning disability centre. Apparently they don't 'treat' or diagnose adults, and she had a conversation on the phone with them. I began to have problems when I was 3 years old, when I suddenly changed from very outgoing to reclusive and shy (roughly the same time that my mother left home, btw - doctors alternative explanation). The Doctor and psychologist insist that this proves I do not have aspergers, as it would have been at 2 years old. Is this right??? I am male and 31.

[Sophist]

My GP made me feel pretty stupid when I first went to see her - she didn't believe that an adult who was married with a decent job could have aspergers. My mother in law, who is a nurse said that "people grow out of it when they become adults".

[odeon]

When do you suppose we'll become adults?

[Sophist]

When do you suppose we'll become adults?

Hmmm... according to that, I guess we never grow up. No wonder I don't feel my age!

[Sophist]

The jigsaw thing is all very well, but to be perfectly honest, its just a little too child-like for my tastes. Not that its childish as such, I just have a bit of an aversion to things that propogate the "happy little moron" theme too much.

Ok so that sounded mean, and its not meant to. I think its fairly obvious what Im getting at. As I constantly tell anyone Im trying to teach something "Examine the content, not the phraseology."

Yes, it does sort of continue to propogate the idea that autistic children don't grow up to be autistic adults. Most lay people when they think of "autism" they think of children.

Case in point: I've heard of several adults trying to go in for a diagnosis and for that professional to turn them down because they weren't diagnosed as kids (save that of course Aspergers usually wasn't even an option back then). There was actually one person who said that their therapist told them they couldn't have Aspergers because "it's a childhood disorder and you're an adult!"

Oi oi oi...

Thats almost word for word what my psychiatrist said to me the first time I saw him. I think my words of choice were something along the lines of "you arrogant uneducated bastard.." at which point my ex-wife (who accompanied me) quoted some random figures about adult aspie numbers.. Between cold figures and imminent threat of potential violence I think we persuaded him to actually research what he was meant to be analysing. Some of these people REALLY need to read up on the subject

[Sophist]

I went to see my psychiatrist today for the first time since my diagnosis at the CLASS clinic in Cambridge, he laughed at the findings in the report. I found this un-professional, he was "shocked" they had concluded I had AS. I refuse to see this consultant again...

[Sophist]

i've only had bad experiences of psychiatrists myself. way back in 1999 my psychiatrist referred me to a psychologist, who diagnosed AS. but the psychiatrist disagreed, so he 'undiagnosed' me, put me on lots of unneccessary medication, and secretly misdiagnosed me with personality disorders! i didn't find out until years later, after he'd left, and i had to get reassesssed for AS. unfortunately some psychiatrists seem to have problems with their own ego getting in the way of them doing a professional job, they tend to think they're experts in absolutely everything and refuse to believe reports made by any other specialist. its a power thing, they think they're above everybody.

[Sophist]

The one and only psychiatrist i met was an idiot who told me i had low self esteem and i should join a group, this was after i had spent most my time with him saying that i disliked being with other people and that i spend most of my time in my room, and after i had already been diagnosed with clinical depression and AS (this diagnosis wasn't "official" as it was a private psychologist who diagnosed me).