is sn on the increase?

[spritefairy]

Now this is not to offend anyone with a child with sn but every other post seems to have someone who has a child with sn be it disabled or autistic. This makes me wonder.
Is sn on the increase or is it just diagnosed more than it used to be due to medical advances?

Urgh, what an utterly depressing graph :(

I have a DD with aspergers. She almost certainly wouldn't have been diagnosed with anything if she'd been a child pre-2000's.

But she probably would have ended up in the mental health system in her teens or 20s, and heavily medicated with anti-psychotics to 'help' her crippling anxiety.

DH works in mental health and says the system is choc full of adults with undiagnosed SN, who are not getting the appropriate help and support, and are just heavily medicated instead. It's tragic. And pre-1980s many would have spent their lives in psychiatric hospitals or asylums.

It's only because of the increased awareness in how ASD presents in girls that DD was picked up. She may still end up in the mental health system but I hope at least the reasons for some of her extreme behaviour will be understood a bit better.

It is only a good thing in my opinion.

This is the DfE's explanation:

Proportion of pupils with SEN without a statement/ EHC plan falls which may be due to more accurate identification of those with SEN following implementation of the SEND reforms whilst those with a statement or EHC plan shows no change

Might be true. More likely isn't true, imo....

I didn't know diagnosis had fallen in the last 3 years, but it doesn't surprise me.
But 40 years ago autism was still commonly seen by many GPs as being caused by parents who were cold and unemotional. And ADD was seen as a "crazy" American diagnosis. So hardly surprising that less childrenw ere diagnosed.

That doesn't mean that children didn't have problems, but they were simply expected to manage. My mother is convinced that my DB in his 50's has undiagnosed aspergers. And I remember 30 years ago working with adults that most people saw as "weird", but who probably had undiagnosed autism or other SN.

Even obvious physical disabilities were not always diagnosed. But it is as another poster says a result of a country getting richer, and thus having the resources to consider in more detail the needs of the population.

Interesting thread..

This is a totally genuine question, not intended to rile anyone or be goady but it is something I wondered about.

I've heard of some parents fighting for SN diagnosis for as long as 8 years. Particularly for conditions related to Aspergers and Autism. One lady from a facebook group I follow started trying to get her DS diagnosed with Aspergers when he was 5 and he has only just received it now and he is 13. My question is: why is so hard to get a diagnosis of Aspergers and Autism? I understand its hard to diagnose, as the spectrum is broad. But is their a point as a parent where you think 'maybe there really isn't something wrong with them after all' and give up trying to get the diagnosis? Are you just fobbed off and not listened to?

Again: not intended to offend or inflame anybody. If it does I apologise in advance.

I suppose I'm just looking for people's experiences in getting the diagnosis.

Why is so hard to get a diagnosis of Aspergers and Autism?

Because The people who diagnose don't interact with the person looking for a diagnose 24 hours a day, they rely on notes from school teachers and observation in monthly sessions.
Unfortunately most teacher only have a very basic understanding of things like autism, and they have 29 other students to work with. So if the child is generally well behaved, like in most autism cases, they slip through the net.

My experience is that waiting lists are long and as children grow older and systems change the buck keeps getting passed. The responsibility for providing a diagnosis and help falls between education and health. It can be difficult to move forward without the support of the school, but some schools don't even have a senco, let alone a proactive senco with training and experience. Nothing in the system is designed to enable easy access to a diagnosis or additional funding.

Ollie, from my experience (from my friend with an autistic child, my own asc and my children, who behave very like me though i have not yet attempted diagnosis)

The behaviour of a child at home can be massively different to that in an official setting (both with doctors and at school) and although there may be peculiarities, they are nowhere near the scale of what the parents see. Plus add to that judgements on parenting, say, "well she behaves fine at school, so youre just not disciplining her properly". Then add to that the professionals may have their own views that go against the official guidelines for their job (i have a teacher friend on facebook who comments about 'made up conditions' ). So the reports given by them say how the child is perfectly happy and you have to fight against that.

Why is so hard to get a diagnosis of Aspergers and Autism?

Also because in some areas the services in place for neurological conditions are overstretched, understaffed, poorly organised, short of funds etc.

There are huge waiting lists, you never see the same professional twice, letters go missing, notes go missing, people don't ring you back, appointments are cancelled. It is a MASSIVELY slow and frustrating process.

I agree about the length of time for diagnosis when we finally got seen by peads we were told that their is at least a 12 MONTH waiting list for camhs who will then start the process.

We are lucky DS was seen by peads age 5 so hopefully by the time he is 7 or 8 we will have a proper diagnosis before we have to start worrying about secondary education

Reasons ranging from incompetence to not believing parents when they explain the circumstances present then. Its troubling when they don't see what goes on at home as iamaboveandBeyond says.

Ive not heard good things about CAHMS either... especially from parents with teenagers.

Once a diagnosis has been obtained, is it then easier to get support financially/ emotionally- are you given more help with special school admission? I know childhood diagnosis are viewed as worthwhile and important. But a few friends of mine who suspect they suffer from autistic traits say there is no point going for an official diagnosis because they would not get any additional support.

All of the kids were diagnosed by May 2010.
I really don't think DD would have been diagnosed with the ASD now had she not been diagnosed back then, she'd have still had significant sensory and physical disabilities though. But she's atypical.

Now it just seems like they are trying to discharge everyone - the only reason they couldn't discharge DS2 is because he's on medication that requires consultant monitoring. DS1 got discharged, I fought it and THEN he went on to have 2 other co-morbidities diagnosed. It's appalling. I know of two children who have had their ASD diagnosis removed and they are both still clearly autistic!

But a few friends of mine who suspect they suffer from autistic traits say there is no point going for an official diagnosis because they would not get any additional support.

As an adult you get bugger all.

oh and Ollie, we're still waiting for a CAMHS appointment for DS1 - fourth time of referral for self harm and fully expecting to be discharged yet again... what do they want? For him to really hurt himself before they help us?

When I reflect both me and DH have lots of traits. I have read my primary school reports and there's stuff like 'loner', 'won't engage in group work' and 'doesn't behave like peers' I am picking up on lots of things where I am just like my kids, but I'm 37 and have never had a diagnosis. I hum and rock to self soothe, I've caught myself hand flapping in times of intense stress. I have obsessions. DH is 43 and has way more traits than me. Both of us cope (to a degree - DH needs more help from me with some stuff) but have been told there's no way for adult dx in our area because we are just getting on with it.

My Dad was diagnosed with ASC at the age of about 75.

He had obviously had it all his life.

We sought a diagnosis due to his difficulties in managing his medical condition which we felt were due to ASC.

I think it took till then for a number of reasons:

1. Autism was only identified and named round about the time he was born.
2. He was high-functioning.
3. He was an only child whose parents doted on him and did everything for him.
4. He was young in a time where children could be beaten by teachers so he learned the hard way to do what he was told at school
5. He was young in a time where success at school was based on remembering facts, not analysis. (Nevertheless I don't think he passed any exams.)
6. He was young in a time where his particular hobby/obsession was not seen as particularly unusual, in fact all young boys were expected to have hobbies like that
7. He was young in a time when you did not need to pass exams to get a job/apprenticeship and you could leave school at 14 without passing a single exam.
8. He was young in a time where you could be fired immediately if you were no good at a job so employers were more happy to take chances on someone with no qualifications and give them a chance.
9. He was young in a time when men were not expected to "do" emotional stuff or consider women's feelings very much, so it was not too difficult for him to find a partner and it took a long time for her to become aware that the emotional connection and support was not there.

10. His meticulousness meant that he was always successful in his manual, artisan-type work. He did not spend much money, so always had plenty in the bank.

My Mum divorced him and he re-married. His second wife struggled with him too but they muddled along. It only really went badly wrong when she became ill and he wasn't able to look after her, and then later, himself. Hence the diagnosis. He still died a decade earlier than he should have done.

fourth time of referral for self harm and fully expecting to be discharged yet again... what do they want? For him to really hurt himself before they help us?

This is truly appalling bishop.

it's cheaper/easier to blame parents

Now this is taboo I know, but I've thought about it for a long time. Do any of you think that people exist in these professional bodies who hand out the diagnosis to these families and their kids, who either think it doesn't 'exist', 'its not as bad as the parents think it is' or possibly the worst 'the parents are trying to get a diagnosis because it benefits them in some way (maybe financially)

It got VERY nasty in the facebook group I was in when this lady was documenting the struggles she was having with her son's diagnosis, and in the end it came out on the page that she was doing it because she had 'a problem with needing attention' (actually written on the page by a parent who worked in the local hospital trust) and another person wrote 'she gets more benefit money if she can write down special needs on the forms'. This group was a support for parents, not just of children with special needs, but for all sorts of parents. When this came out- I promptly left.

If people with these views exist in every day life, I wonder if some exist 'where it matters' i.e- they work in the organisations designed to help these families. Thats why its so shit and difficult to get support.

Balloon I'm so sorry about your dad, that is really sad to read.

Now this is taboo I know, but I've thought about it for a long time. Do any of you think that people exist in these professional bodies who hand out the diagnosis to these families and their kids, who either think it doesn't 'exist', 'its not as bad as the parents think it is' or possibly the worst 'the parents are trying to get a diagnosis because it benefits them in some way (maybe financially)

No they will outright tell you and direct you to parenting classes if they think this, even if they suspect it. (They umbrella it under ODD, and give parenting tips)
It's so completely complicated to get a diagnoses and almost impossible to get anything financially that the idea they do it to shut parents up can only be dreamed up by those with a massive ignorance about how these things work.

Yep, the hospitals should stop diagnosing any SN or ASD (because apparently they're separate) after so many a year, and shove the rest of them into asylums like the good old days when having a disability, especially a neurological one, was something to be ashamed of.

Shock horror, I have a child with SN, the reason I joined MN 7 years ago was because of the SN boards as I was so alone and lost a lot of friends because they didn't stick when my son was diagnosed. Being a parent of a child with SN can be very isolating, heaven forbid we should all group together online and have an adult discussion.

Should we all just stick to the SN boards then, would that make it better for those with non SN children?

Lots of Sn are now recognised I think where as years kids would be labelled as a bit slow and other negative Labels

"Beyond does not pay attention and never reaches her full potential"

why is so hard to get a diagnosis of Aspergers and Autism?

I knew something wasn't as it should be with my DD when she was 2, although I didn't know what. She was finally diagnosed with autism when she was 15. In my experience the delay was because the professionals weren't really listening to what I was telling them. It was actually a parent of an autistic girl on another online forum who first advised me to push to get her assessed for autism. She recognised the signs where numerous professionals over the years hadn't. Thankfully this advice coincided with a move abroad where my concerns were taken seriously and I was listened to.

I still feel very angry that my daughter was failed for so long.

ollie
As stated above, there is a massive distrust of parents, so it's unlikely a child will be diagnosed just to shut parents up.