There is no test for autism.
No genetic test, prenatal test, blood test, or urine test will come back saying, ‘yes, this person is, without any shadow of a doubt, autistic’.
Instead, in the UK, you are dependent on a diagnosis from a paediatrician and a speech and language therapist.
By the time our son Joshua was eligible for his assessment, we had been waiting for nearly two years on an NHS waiting list. He was 4 and a half, couldn’t talk, and already attended a special needs school.
On the day of his autism assessment, I met another lady in the waiting room with her young son. I could see the desperation in her eyes when she spoke with me. The terrible times she had gone through with her beautiful boy, who could talk, but who was struggling at a mainstream school. The desperate need for a diagnosis to secure the support he needed.
It made me feel sad.
The hoops we have to jump through to get our children the support they need.
The support they so desperately deserve.
Two years or more to receive a diagnosis is far too long.
When we received Joshua’s diagnosis, it wasn’t a surprise. We didn’t need a test for autism to know what was in our hearts.
What did shock me, was the aftercare.
There was none.
No follow-up appointment.
No ongoing support from a paediatrician.
No guidance on what to do next.
Instead, we were packed off on our way with a few leaflets and left to get on with it.
Two years waiting, and that’s all you get.
Autistic children and their families deserve more than that.
Sharing this post to raise awareness of the struggles autism families go through as part of World Autism Acceptance Week 2022. 🌻
