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.