To ask about private ASD assessment?

[mither]

Has anyone any experience of a private referral for ASD?

I don't know how (GP referral I guess) or where (Tayside) or who (same CAHMS team?)

No experience of private assessment if you mean private (paid for by the individual) rather than the NHS.

I went to my GP to ask for a referral for myself. We had a little chat, neither of us knew who I needed to be referred to but he said he'd find out for me. He made the referral very quickly, I had a form sent to me (AQ something) which I had to complete and return to the GP for him to forward.

It was really easy to get a referral. The only downside is that it's a 12 month waiting list and I've still got ages before I see somebody. That's in Sussex. I don't know if the waiting time is any better where you are.

I am watching with interest as we were referred by our GP for our dc but because my dc is homeschooled we cannot get a teacher to fill forms out and apparently they have no experience of/different procedures for home-schooled children so we have hit a dead-end. The same cahms recently, however, dismissed a severely autistic five year old who is now going to a base unit despite the local cahms deciding he was fine. We are considering a private assessment but assume the cost is prohibitive.

Yes I mean private rather than NHS

A private diagnosis doesn’t hold much weight with agencies where I am, rightly or wrongly. Schools are wary of them, and prefer NHS diagnoses.

I'm not much fussed about agencies opinions, just interested to hear of anyone has experience of seeking the private assessment.

If it's even possible, it would surely cost a fortune. When my DS was assessed it involved several different meetings with teachers, ed psych community SLT, as well as observing him at school - in class, at lunch and playtime and in Out of School Care. Teachers, SLT and I completed questionnaires and my DS attended at least 2 lengthy sessions in a health centre. This took place over a period of about 6 weeks.

Why would you want to go private anyway?

We had a private assessment by a clinical psychologist for my DD at the age of 17. He did a comprehensive assessment which involved work with myself and DH as well as DD, he provided a comprehensive report (the assessment included various recognised tests) along with statistical analysis and results. The assessment and report has been accepted by the sixth form college, exam boards and GP and
as valid evidence for DD to access disability services at university. Practioners who work in the NhS often do private work alongside, our psychologist was a former CAMHS team member and was known to them. It was expensive (£1400) but we had reached a crisis point and my daughter was midway through her A level exam year so we felt some urgency.
If there is a local ASD support organisation they should be able to point you in the direction of suitable clinical psychologists.

It's definitely possible.

National Autistic society has list of practitioners on website.

I was quoted around £2k.

Why would you want to go private anyway?

The same reason anyone goes down the private medicine route, time.

frog thank you, that's what we might be looking for, clinical psychologist.

Thanks plant I will contact the NAS

We had a private assessment for our then 9 year old and I self referred. It was amazing - absolutely covered every base and included school observations and loads of interviews. It cost £2.5k and my Mum in law paid. Going through the NHS would have meant a 24 month plus wait. School got a copy of the report and to a degree followed suggestions- but he didn't end up having ASD so they didn't legally have to do much.

We had a privately obtained multi disciplinary assessment for our son. He had been under the care of an NHS paediatrician for two years but they refused to act, just kept saying wait and see. We felt that this was not an appropriate course of action and took him to a developmental paed in great ormond street. It was extremely expensive, in excess of five grand.

Given that his diagnosis is of a severe SLI, we were able to access appropriate help from the NHS (it helped that we had moved to a new area with a more proactive approach). I feel bitter at the waste of time caused by the first doctor. The new SALT team were happy to accept our privately obtained diagnosis, mainly because they felt it was correct and so did not challenge it. The diagnosis is hopefully going to obtain him a placement in a specialist unit. Overall it was the best thing we could have done.

I work in Children’s Services and we don’t take private diagnosis very seriously

Yes, we paid privately for the ADOS to be done by a developmental paediatrician. It was £3500. Two years later he got his NHS diagnosis through the child development centre. We then paid for heaps of early intervention that he otherwise wouldn't have had. Worth every penny.

I work in Children’s Services and we don’t take private diagnosis very seriously

That's ok.

Neither do the schools we work in.

I would blush if I were you MrsDylanBlue. It is so stressful trying to get appropriate help for one's child. I feel my son had a year of wasted time before we ended up paying. And what about the people who can't afford it?

Thank you humphrey and cindy.

It’s still an assessment. They damn well should.

Neither do the schools we work in.

That's ok too.

I have one but I'm an adult.

Just starting to look at NHS diagnosis for 8yo DD and!nit looking forward to it. I wish private diagnosis was accepted, I really don't get why it isn't. It just seems like years of faffing afuckingbout and fighting for the same result.

It’s not my doing I am afraid - I have a son with a diagnosis of ASD.

You’re not afraid at all.

@MrsDylanBlue why don't you take it seriously?