I wanted to share my story again about receiving an autism diagnosis, since I gained a lot of new followers on my blog website and tomorrow being my 25th birthday:
I was around the age of 2 in this photo.
I was born in Brooklyn, NY on January 18th, 1998. After I turned one year old, my parents noticed I was not meeting developmental milestones compared to my older sister Samantha. I was not verbally talking as the main sign, but there were other signs and symptoms. I did not want to play with anyone and was mainly in my own world. I did not react to anyone whenever my name was called. I had really hard times with changes in routine, like when going on different walking paths with my parents. My parents were concerned about me.
My pediatrician advised my parents to seek an audiologist. My parents took me to an audiologist because they thought I was deaf. The audiologist told my parents I was not deaf, and I had good hearing. My parents and I went back to my pediatrician, and they recommended my parents take me to a neurologist. When I more than a year old, my parents took me to a neurologist. The neurologist examined me in Down State Hospital in Brooklyn, NY, where I was observed in a room. After being assessed, my mom received my official autism diagnosis in the mail on her birthday. This was ten days before my 2nd birthday in the year of 2000.
Was the process of getting an autism diagnosis tough for those who are autistic self-advocates? Was the process of getting an autism diagnosis tough for parents who got a diagnosis for their child? Share your experiences in the comments section!