Finding help

[Tesseract]

I would appreciate any help I could get from those in the field to find a doctor that I could get a diagnostic evaluation from in the Milwaukee, WI area.

I honestly wouldn't know how to start searching myself, and apparently my insurance can be a tad picky about in vs. out-of-network physicans.

[Jen]

Eric, I know some folks up near the Chicago area- let me look into who they might know who could help you. Welcome to our group!!
Jen

[Tesseract]

Thanks!  I appreciate any help I can get.  The one doctor in the area I had been referred to only works on Fridays....  But he wasn't in the office yesterday

I REALLY want to get this question of diagnosis answered so I can move on with my life.

[Kristi Sakai]

The first step if you are trying to find someone your insurance will cover is to call your insurance company directly. Ask if they cover a local evaluation center, university hospital, or perhaps a developmental pediatrician. If your child is in school (I don't know how old she or he is), you can request an autism spectrum disorder evaluation. And educational diagnosis is different than a medical diagnosis, and has different criteria that must be met in order for your child to receive services. A medical diagnosis, on the other hand, is helpful not only for your peace of mind, but in treatment and therapy options, as well as for receiving services from community agencies such as Developmental Disabilities. In most cases parents eventually seek out both in order to give their child the most support possible.

This is a very difficult time, the waiting, the not knowing. I hope that you are able to find answers soon. I'm glad you are here seeking support.

Kristi Sakai, mom to three kids on the spectrum

[Tesseract]

Heh...  actually, the evaluation is for myself.  That's the tough part.  There are plenty of folks who are specified as providing pediatric diagnostics, but none that specialise in adult diagnosis.  At 28, I'm a little bit outside the 'pediatric' field

T'be honest, I'm also not really looking to get treatment.  Because this is happening later on in life where I've already got an established personality, I'm not keen on changing it at all.  If an early diagnosis had taken place when I was in grade school or earlier, I'd probably have a much different outlook on it because I haven't really shaped a self-image as of yet.

Over the past few weeks that I've been considering this, I've looked back and can see indications clear back to grade school.  Only problem was that I was in grade school before Aspergers even hit the official medical journals in the mid 90's.  I hope, though, that my situation will be an increasingly rare story thanks to the awareness of the Spectrum and availability of the internet.

We DO have an educational hospital nearby, though...  Perhaps I should inquire there.  I'll still look forward to what Jen can find, though.  I'd have no problem taking a day off of work to go down to Chicago, if that's what it takes. ^^;

[Jen]

Hey, Eric!
Thanks for being patient w/ me! Many of us are preparing to go to the Autism Society of America's national conference this week so getting replies is difficult (Thanks, Kristi for taking time and jumping on!). I called my friend, Sue Moreno, who is the president of MAAP Services and she  is looking into where to send you for assistance. She knows EVERYTHING!! (HAHA) Its always good to know people like Sue!
I'll check back and make sure she got on here ok.

[susan]

To find a physician or clinic for diagnosis near you, go to our website: www.maapservices.org.  Under the "find it" section, click on "resources near you."  This lists any and all professionals, groups, clinics, etc. we know of by state.  Scroll down to the map of the U.S. and click on your state.  The contacts are listed by city.  You must click on each contact in your area to get the full amount of information we have on them.  In Milwaukee, you can try contacting Child and Adult Therapies, 414-259-1414.  Or try Children's Hospital of Wisconsin 414-266-6333. Although this last one is for children, they may know of someone in Milwaukee who is experienced with adult diagnosis.  Also, look in our Madison, WI referrals, as they are more numerous.
Susan Moreno
MAAP Services for Autism and Asperger Syndrome

[Tesseract]

Excellent!  Tomorrow I have the day off, so I'll get some phoning done.  Thank you very much for your help!

If the Children's Hospital is the one I think it is, then it's attached to a Medical College.  That might actually be my best bet.

[Jen]

Good luck, Eric- let us know how it goes!

Thanks, Sue- you are the best!!

[Tesseract]

I have a tentative appointment for an all-day test on August 28th.  I'm going to try the Doctor who's only in the office on Fridays again this week to see if I can get things taken care of any quicker than that, though.

This does present a question, though.  In your experience, what are the benefits or deficits to the all-day testing as opposed to just a one to three hour test?  Is it even worthwhile to bother with the shorter test?  Would I be wasting my time with the longer one?

[Jen]

Eric,
Sorry its taken a few days- we just got back from ASA in AZ.  As for your question about the evals- there are pros and cons either way I would think. If you can get the information you need with the shorter one, than it would be worth it and then you could cancel the all day one. (it was amazing you got in so quickly w/ the big eval- it often takes months on a waiting list to get in w/ our kids!) On the other hand, if the shorter one doesn't  go into the detail you need, then it is a waste of time... you get the idea. I will check with Sue to see if she knows any more about that, since it has been awhile since we went through the DX process.
 Anyone else have any ideas- feel free to jump in here!
Jen

[Tesseract]

Oof...  It feels like forever.  I tried to contact the doctor that's only in on Fridays, and never received a return call.  I'm glad to hear, though, that the more extensive diagnosis is worthwhile.  Hopefully that length of time will allay the fact that it'll be dragging my poor second-shift rear end out of bed at 7AM!

[Tesseract]

Well, due to some silliness I was unaware of until it was almost too late, yesterday's appointment just turned into an assessment by the nueropsychologist to submit to the insurance company for their OK on covering the full-fledged test.

I sure hope I don't have to wait another two months for a new diagnosis appointment.

[Tesseract]

Well, I had the diagnostic tests on Friday, and am awaiting the diagnosis.  Perhaps the fact that I was not very satisfied with the precision of the wording on the behavioural self-evaluation should be taken into account.

I had lots of fun with the more visual tests, but the verbal ones where I had to repeat long strings of words and numbers and letters back were frustrating.  Heh...  At one point, I noted that the area code on one of the utility boxes the doctor had was from out of state.  I thought it was Chicago, but she corrected me that '713' was Houston and '773' was Chicago.  She had transferred up from Houston about a year ago.

Since the testing, though, I've just been really out of it and preoccupied...  I hope she gets back to me soon so I can move on.

[Tesseract]

Got word and a final consult today:  It is not Asperger's.

However, it's close.

I was diagnosed with Schizoid Personality Disorder.  From what I understand, it's almost the same thing as Asperger's, but without the cognitive delays (I scored a 135 on her IQ test, and have a rather.... uhm....  advanced vocabulary.) and slightly better social skills, though the emotional understanding disconnect is still there (hence 'schizoid').

It's good to know that I dodged a bullet on the cognitive aspect...  and I'm terribly relieved to have answers to things I've been beating myself up over for the past few years.  I think that it will still be handy to keep in touch with the AS community, though, for support in info on how to deal with the challenges in those aspects which are similar between the two disorders.