How do I find help for DD12yrs with suspected OCD / Aspergers

[Selina]

Hi,
I first took my dD to the GP at age 4 , with suspicion of OCD and we went to CAMS and they basically said I needed to give up full time work and stay at home with her . really not helpful.
Now daily life is difficult, we walk on eggshells and have bated breath if she will explode or not. She gets angry so quickly and frustrated so easily . the list is :

1. Always needs to sit in the same chair or next to the same person
   
2. Doesn’t like her food groups touching on plate
   
3. Limited foods she will eat ( plain white pasta/rice , funny with textures)
   
4. Cannot stand to be near ketchup bottle or even pictures of ketchup to the extent she will not touch a magazine or picture of ketchup
   
5. Only likes to use certain teaspoon in the house
   
6. From a young age has struggled with clothing- seams itchy, too tight, too scratchy, too rough, feels wrong
   
7. Has a meltdown if a family member sips from her cup /straw etc
   
8. Started Year 7 new school in Sept 2014, has been in trouble for kicking or hitting when pushed or frustrated by other girls
   
9. Has had immense anger issues, which I now believe to be frustration, went to GP before Xmas who told me to send her to school counsellor, nothing really wrong with her – counsellor has asked her to write down her feelings. When she gets angry
   
10. Gets obsessive about details – hair has to be just right,- has difficulty accepting small deviations to perfect - if not its a massive meltdown
    
11. Wont eat biscuits if broken or cracked , if someone else has touched it then wont eat it .
    
12. She went through a period of pulling at her eyes
    
13. Buying clothes is a nightmare and actually causes so much stress for her too.
    
    I am at my wits end and am seeing my GP in 10 days to ask for a referral to get a diagnosis .
    Please can anyone recommend someone privately in London or even NHS ?

[browstone]

Daphne Keen in London is a good private pead for ASD. Not sure about OCD. The London Children's Practice is also good for private dx. You can self-refer to both of these. You could persist with NHS but they will probably send you back to CAMHS again and take forever to do anything until the situation is much much worse.

[fairyelephantswellies]

Could you try the National Autistic a Society? They would be able to advise and support you. My DS is diagnosed with PDA, on the autistic spectrum, and there are some similarities with your DD. You sound like you're at your wits end

[anthropology]

its abolutely worth trying to get another referral to camhs at this age in addition to a private route. They need to listen to you, as hitting puberty is hard for girls with ASD/OCD traits.Is she happy to ask Camhs for help? My DD was never diagnosed and then struggled with severe suicidal depression at 14, which now I realise is quite common with ASD girls. The criteria to diagnose girls didn't fit my DD ever. A WISC 4 assessment with an educational psychologist revealed patterns of thinking which really helped with school and therapeutic support, but also showed her strengths as well as vulnerabilities. With Camhs we were dependent on the subjectivity of therapist, and some were good and some very unhelpful. You are absolutely right to push for help now, to help her through the next few years. As she learns other coping mechanisms for her frustrations with therapy, it should help both of you.

[thatsthewayitgoes]

So good to find this post. My DD is 9 going through massive anxiety and anger issues. We got nowhere with NHS and have resorted to private psychologist . Had 5 sessions so far but DD getting worse not better. Spoke to psych today- she thinks DD could be on the spectrum-my head is swimming. Nothing to advise - just wanted to get in touch feel free to PM me if you want a chat xx