Sorry if this seems stupid. My kid was diagnosed with type 1 autism, formerly asperger’s. We weren’t even testing them for that (it was adhd), but the doc pointed out a lot of behaviors that are classified as autistic. I never thought of those behaviors that way, because I did a bunch of that stuff when I was a teen, too. I just learned I was weird and figured the rest was due to my super dysfunctional family. I’ve learned to cope. I keep my weirdness to myself and pass for a normal person pretty well. No one would ever guess I’m autistic (again, I’ve no diagnosis but it’s implied).
So, with that context, would there even be a point to getting a diagnosis? What would it benefit me? I’m middle aged, so I don’t need educational accommodations. I’ve learned to adapt, so idk if I’d even be diagnosable.
Idk. I’m still just messed up learning that my kid, who I thought was neurotypical and a LOT like me is considered autistic. How different would my childhood have been if I had been evaluated when I was younger?
I’m in the same boat. When it comes to diagnosis I suppose it depends how secure you are. If you’ve made your peace with the behaviours, adapted and possess a healthy self awareness then you probably also have the right people around you. A diagnosis is just gonna confirm what you already know and the benefits are limited to advice about accessing educational resources and perhaps a network of fellows. Maybe it’s better to focus your time, attention and resources on helping your kid if you’re happy in your life. On the other hand, if money were no object I would seek a professional opinion. I don’t see any downsides other than the cost.