I find it totally amazing that I now
have the correct diagnosis of my Autism and severe vision impairment
and the ACH does not recognise that they gave me a wrong Dx after all
these years. Instead, they say they are happy that I have the
correct Dx and wish me continued happiness. Nothing about they got it
wrong of that they failed me totally in my developmental years.
It is almost like, we stuffed up, tuff,
to bad, not our fault find someone else to blame as no one who was
there then is there now. Our psychologists and psychiatrists cannot
work out the assessment criteria or what tool was used. It is like no
tool was used as there is no legitmate and proper assessment scores,
criteria or assessment done. It was more of a naturalistic
psychological observation done by an industrial psychologist instead
of a peadatric psychologist.
I look at all I did miss out on and how
much my family missed out on with this totally incorrect Dx. For the
mental retardation and physical retardation that was even mentioned
in the locla rag report done on us in dec 1974. Never has such rot
and garbage published before. Nothing about my Vision Impairment and
Autism. Instead, it was me looking like the village idiot hair
sticking out everywhere and my buck teeth showing me as some sort of
freak sideshow act.
I have to laugh, I am mentally
retarded, the new name is intellectual disability yet my IQ on the
Weschler scale is 130 which is superior intelligence. There is no
sign of mental retardation or physical retardation anywhere on me.
There is no mental illness of any kind except for the developmental
disability and the issues surrounding my vision impairment. Neither
of these were addressed with therapy, interventions, respite, support
workers or carers when I was growing up.
I find it impossible to understand why
the retardation assessments were done on me at the ACH yet there is
no follow up one on any of tem. Tactiling and tasting hat I was given
and no vision assessments at all or any other assessments were
ordered or requested from that assessment. The fact I was in “my
own little world” a lot of the time and my Autistic like mannerisms
and actions diud not trigger any form of reassessment of get a review
requested.
I have had poor hand writing, clumsy,
ankle problems, gastro intestinal allergies, social interaction
avoidance, softly spoken, unable to process loud noise without
covering my ears and going away from it. Having been mute in calss
for 3 years, my obvious vision impairment and my lack of peer friends
should havew all triggered either at school, the GP or the hospital
to look into it further. Nowdays it would have triggered all these
assessments and follow up with allied health professionals and
workers.
I have the Dx of HFASD, high function
Autism Spectrum Disorder without intellectual disability,mental delay
and instead I have the rare vision impairment. It is now seen that my
RNFL, Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer is thinnign and has been thinning for
years is another indicator of Autism. The RNFL has been able to be
detected since 1955. I have not had one vision assessment, acurity,
refraction, dialated or any form of vision check in the years I was
under the ACH. Still to to this day, no one ahs been able to expalin
this. All I get out of them is the we dont know as no one from then
is around now.
Now here I am April 2015 having created
my own life no support or assistance and still have issues with
triggers of sound, light and social business and crowd issues. I have
developed my own program to deal with them. I still do not get any
support services for my day to day life and an not entitled to any
other services as I am not seen as severe enough to warrant anything.
This is both a bonus and a kick in the guts as I cannot access
anything I need at all. I have Bart and apart from the basic guide
dog services I do not evne get orientation and mobility services
here. I am told we are capable of doing routes ourselves. It is a
good thing I have a good sense of direction and do not panic if I do
get lost.
I will keep on walking the life as I
have done for the last 50 plus years and keep on keeping on. Not a
lot stops me at all and I can keep on going no matter what happens. I
can be proud of where I have come from and the point I an going.
