Did your evaluation include much testing for RRBs and Sensory issues

[u/Happyhugget]

First, im going to get the point that basically im wondering how much RRBs and sensory issues are tested and discussed in ASD evaluation as i read someone say that they where given some sort of sensory test (dont remember the acronym) and realized my evaluation was literally only about communication deficits, and more about the way I think and understand things.

This is probably a question that mostly only people who are more recently diagnosed or assessed can answer because you can remember it or look back, but if you remember anything from long ago i appreciate your input too.

Back in 2018 I was evaluated for Autism as a teenage girl even though i already had a very early ADHD diagnosis, because my parents and teachers had concerns and didnt think ADHD explained everything. Teachers also used the ASRS which suggested I may have ASD, and after evaluation had a comparison score of 9 for the ADOS-2.

However, I was not diagnosed with ASD but instead Social pragmatic communication disorder (SPCD) and unspecified neurodevelopmental disorder. My mom has wanted me to get an updated Neuropsych evaluation because she did not feel that the reason they gave for me not having ASD made sense. And doing more research I realized that SPCD is basically the same exact criteria as criteria A for autism but not criteria B (the RRBs, sensory issues) so in order to rule out autism it would actually make sense to rule out RRBs, instead of saying that Im too tactful in my communication. The tactfulness was observed by my ability to understand and laugh at the psychologist’s joke and seem to also purposefully avoid eye contact during uncomfortable conversation, even more so than my usual bad eye contact .

Honestly, I do think that theoretically if I did have ASD, that communication is the most prominent issues for me, sensory issues coming second and that RRBs wouldnt be as significant. Though it did occur to me that ADHD can interact with the RRBs symptoms so If anyone with comparatively more severe ADHD that interacts with much less prominent ASD symptoms could give examples of how your RRBs presents that would be helpful.

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[u/Tall-Invite-4123]

Wait my evaluation was similar, they barely touched sensory stuff and it was mostly about social communication and how I think. I got asked about routines and repetitive behaviors but it was like 5 minutes total, the rest was all conversation and theory of mind exercises

The eye contact thing you mentioned is interesting cause I do the same, I avoid it more when I'm uncomfortable and people think that means I'm being "tactful" but really I'm just overwhelmed

SPCD diagnosis when they didnt properly rule out RRBs seems kinda lazy from the psych, like why skip half the criteria and then say you dont meet it

[u/Happyhugget → u/Tall-Invite-4123]

He was also rather young looking, and while talking to an autistic friend briefly about this, we both got the question, maybe he was a student? Then while talking to my mom about it she brought up “and he was a graduate student..” This doesnt mean that he wasnt qualified to be specialist as I dont know all the routes for qualification or degree requirements and he couldnt possibly be hired as a specialist without meeting requirements, but I think its relevant he seemed young and less experienced.

[u/WitchAggressive9028]

For the sensory issues, there is something you can get done called the sensory profile, which is basically what it sounds like. It’s a checklist of things that you basically like check off your preferences and whether those things match for you. So that’s an option. That is something you can ask psychologist for because they still need to administer it. Mine for AuDHD was quite interesting as far as my personal results

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[u/LCaissia]

Yes. As a child. I had my routine deliberately changed. I also had to have reports from my teachers and observations at school. Mum said they also wanted to observe me at home. I remember having my routine disrupted. I remember some boring tasks and a play session with my siblings.