Autistic Quotient

[blackbike]

I have relative who was diagnosed as autistic at about four years of age and he is now 20.

The most curious thing about his condition is that various NHS consultants, social workers and educational staff from the council all agree he is in need of 24/7 supervision because of his unpredictability, tendency to violence and a low IQ which means he is childlike in intelligence, but when he gets too much for the specialist staff at his extremely expensive taxpayer funded residential homes to cope with he is simply sent home to his parents until a new place can be found for him.

It is never explained to his parents how they are supposed to cope alone for weeks on end when a home with many more staff than autistic residents and 3 staff shifts of 8 hours per day cannot cope.

[bigjim]

he is simply sent home to his parents until a new place can be found for him.

That is disgusting! One of the worst things you can do to an Autistic patient is to change their surroundings or routine. They are just making things worse for everybody.

[blackbike]

he is simply sent home to his parents until a new place can be found for him.

That is disgusting! One of the worst things you can do to an Autistic patient is to change their surroundings or routine. They are just making things worse for everybody.

Incredibly that's how it works.

He was expelled from his last place because the principal said some staff didn't feel safe with him around. This is a place which makes Eton College's fees look extremely cheap, and which has a prospectus which claims expertise in dealing with autistic people.

So the system sends a 15 stone, often destructive and violent young man with the mental age of about seven year back to his two middle aged parents while it decides where to send him next.

[tyreon]

I respect and understand the above comments: uncontrolled behaviour,violence,threatening behaviour,15 stone...staff send the individual home to parents! The other end of the stick is that staff can get serious injuries trying to restrain/talk down said individual. The staff may be trained as such,but their training does not cover all eventualities. Once off 'sick'/injured, the employer usually does all he can to support the employee but,after time,will 'have to let the employee leave': euphemism: give them the boot. Compo,if any is usually very inadequate,a pittance. You will then be left to pick up your life disabled with IDS and his gestapo 'appraising your capabilities'(read,'Which way to the Food Bank?') I think you will find the judicial process is focused in favour of the status quo,meaning in effect every one washes their hands of your work incurred industrial injury.
The police have cut some of their personal injuries thru the introduction of a variety of self defence and restraining mechanisms. I guess staff at the centre above wouldn't be allowed to wear anti stab vests or be able to use stun guns,batons,pepper spray or the like: too threatening.
Subliminal and overt bullying often encourage staff to handle very difficult/dangerous situations with inadequate staff numbers. Staff can raise patients/staff concerns about safe practice but in doing so your career is often wrecked.

[blackbike]

I respect and understand the above comments: uncontrolled behaviour,violence,threatening behaviour,15 stone...staff send the individual home to parents! The other end of the stick is that staff can get serious injuries trying to restrain/talk down said individual. The staff may be trained as such,but their training does not cover all eventualities. Once off 'sick'/injured, the employer usually does all he can to support the employee but,after time,will 'have to let the employee leave': euphemism: give them the boot. Compo,if any is usually very inadequate,a pittance. You will then be left to pick up your life disabled with IDS and his gestapo 'appraising your capabilities'(read,'Which way to the Food Bank?') I think you will find the judicial process is focused in favour of the status quo,meaning in effect every one washes their hands of your work incurred industrial injury.
The police have cut some of their personal injuries thru the introduction of a variety of self defence and restraining mechanisms. I guess staff at the centre above wouldn't be allowed to wear anti stab vests or be able to use stun guns,batons,pepper spray or the like: too threatening.
Subliminal and overt bullying often encourage staff to handle very difficult/dangerous situations with inadequate staff numbers. Staff can raise patients/staff concerns about safe practice but in doing so your career is often wrecked.

All the above does not explain the curious logic behind the decision.

Numerous hospital consultants, social workers, educational psychologists and many other professional staff assessed my relative as needing constant care from specialist staff at a place where fees (paid by the local council) are astronomical mainly because staffing levels are so high and 24/7.

But when those staff can't cope they send him home to his middle aged parents who are not professionally qualified in caring for a person with his disabilities, cannot offer 24/7 care and are in physical danger from his more violent outbursts.

So, in times of extremely difficult behaviour the system moves a vulnerable adult from the care of a large professional staff in a specialist institution to the care of two amateurs who have no hope of offering the care he needs.

That is bizarre, and shows how the system attempts to wash its hands of cases which it doesn't want and can't deal with.

[tyreon]

Blackbike: Good question(s). You have a right to pursue your query. It is genuine and does need addressing. Forgive me whilst I do a little dark chuckle as I then say,best of luck. You will need twenty lifetimes to get anywhere near the answer and should any disputation arise,I'd divorce now to save your assets.

Being a little more reasoned,I wonder if I can then say,not all matters are resolveable or understood...at the moment. There are some situations/disorders call-anything-what-you-will that have no resolution at the moment,are misunderstood,unknown,too complex,or too costly. Transfer this situation to the Middle-East,Syria,ISIS and wot-not.

You could explain to me what you think is awry. But telling me is just wasting your calories on typing,I'm afraid,not that I'm indifferent. I guess the institution could call in an independent professional auditor to write a report. Cost £100k. This will be as clear and constructive as the Chilcott Inquiry.

What colour are you feeling today? Do you feel a shape? Your irresolution a mirrored self transference? See where we're going? Somethings can change by getting the media involved. But don't expect to go unchallenged: like the church and other authority bodies,whoever raises troublesome questions will be investigated first,dirt dug. It can get very dirty

[Bmblbzzz]

16, but I don't think it's a hugely reliable test. For one thing, it's clear what the answers "should" be to score high or low.

[Mick F]

No, it's not reliable, and if you score about half way, you feel it's even less reliable.
As I've said before, Mrs Mick F scored 4, and I scored 45. I therefore think that she and I are a little bit different on the spectrum!

Anyone listen to this lady yesterday?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06rkc60
Her descriptions of her condition ring very true with me.

[Mick F]

Mrs Mick F found this yesterday.
It's well worth reading.
I was close to tears when I read it.

http://theoraah.tumblr.com/post/1423002 ... e-spectrum

[Freddie]

Have you been officially diagnosed, Mick, or have you just sat this online test? I just wonder if it helps or hinders a person who is otherwise functional to get a diagnosis. Do they become further constrained, rather than liberated by it?

[Mick F]

No, not been officially diagnosed (as yet). I'm not sure what it would achieve. I know I have it, and most people who know me know it too now. Some folk had already sussed that I was "different" but couldn't put a finger on what it was.

I do have other health issues at present, and I'll be getting an appointment with the doc soon (I hope). I have a few things to say/ask and autism is on my list ........... not that he knows it yet.

The good thing, is that I'm not unusual. There are millions of people with "issues" in this way ............. some of us on here as well.

[axel_knutt]

I just wonder if it helps or hinders a person who is otherwise functional to get a diagnosis.

It would help me, I just need some sort of closure. I've no idea how to go about getting a fair diagnosis though. Private assessments cost a fortune, and I've heard that some social services will only accept NHS diagnoses.

[ThePinkOne]

I have been officially diagnosed.... at the age of 42. Being female too, it was difficult to access diagnosis- most GPs know VERY little about it, many health authorities don't fund adult assessment/diagnosis, and even where they do the waiting list can be 1 year or more. I went private in the end, after a lot of research to find a suitably experienced and expert clinical psychologist who did private work. I was assessed using the diagnostic tools required by the NHS and the psychologist I went to does both NHS and private work- so my diagnosis is accepted by the NHS. Most of my colleagues were not surprised- (typical response: "oh, so that's what it is, we thought you were odd, nice-odd like but odd all the same"). Note that autism diagnosis is a detailed assessment, and in my case also assessed for other potential conditions or personality disorders. Seeking diagnosis is a big deal- if the psychologist is good and experienced, chances are you will learn some truths about yourself and your psychological make-up, no matter what the outcome of the assessment.

In hindsight, I am very glad I sought diagnosis, it explains a lot for me, I have always been "different" but in the end decided to seek diagnosis to (a) know for certain and (b) because I was having a hard time for being different from a new manager in work who didn't like anyone who was "different," and required me to be "normal"- I needed to know if his requirement of me was unreasonable or if he was actually asking something acceptable of me. Reason (b) was the thing that really made it important enough to finally face the issue. It still took a year of learning post-diagnosis (the psychologist who diagnosed me also gave excellent advice on "where next") and some autism-specialist CBT to come to terms with everything. Diagnosis doesn't give you closure- it is the start of a process of moving into a new phase of identity, and for me in many ways was life-changing (apparently not uncommon).

I have some reasonable adjustments in place in work now as well as a different manager (that took over 12 months of fighting for and TU support), it was difficult to get the support I need as I am "high functioning" and "don't look disabled" and have a bunch of professional qualifications so a lot of folks don't realise just how difficult certain things are for me. Ironically, my senior technical role is very much down to my autistic side- the systemising, the detail-focus, the technical knowledge I have built up- I think in patterns and juggle systems in my head.

When you know what to look for, there is a surprising amount of autistic traits verging into autism (often not diagnosed) in certain technical fields. I think we see more of an issue now as workplaces are much more socially orientated and less tolerant of "odd/eccentric but brilliant" technical bods; particularly when such a technical bod is female. In my experience, many workplaces prefer people who are mediocre at the technical work but "fit in with the crowd" better, part of the modern society obsession with image and appearance rather than substance I guess. Oh, and open plan offices are an abomination to those of us with light/noise sensitivities!

For the record, I consistently score 47-48 on the AQ test, and also I score 122 on the related SQ test. I love the detail of speccing out and building a bike (I built my own bike) and have the typical autism traits. These days I would probably be diagnosed early, but in my day in school, that just wasn't happening. In many ways I am glad because I learned to use my autistic strengths without being limited by the label; makes it easier to own what I am with pride, as "different but equal," not defective.

Freddie- to answer you, diagnosis has liberated me. Understanding what I am, I am much more content and able to engage my autistic strengths.

TPO

[Geoff.D]

I have been officially diagnosed.... at the age of 42. Being female too, it was difficult to access diagnosis- most GPs know VERY little about it............................................................................

Freddie- to answer you, diagnosis has liberated me. Understanding what I am, I am much more content and able to engage my autistic strengths.

TPO

This is an informative and concise description, ThePinkOne. It includes so many aspects of how it is to not quite fit, and how to be oneself - not to mention what it takes from the people around to react positively. Thank you for taking the time.

[deliquium]

I have been officially diagnosed.... at the age of 42. Being female too, it was difficult to access diagnosis- most GPs know VERY little about it............................................................................

Freddie- to answer you, diagnosis has liberated me. Understanding what I am, I am much more content and able to engage my autistic strengths.

TPO

This is an informative and concise description, ThePinkOne. It includes so many aspects of how it is to not quite fit, and how to be oneself - not to mention what it takes from the people around to react positively. Thank you for taking the time.

+1

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