To think that ASD children are being discriminated against in access to mental health care

[taratill]

I've just come out of an appointment with CAMHS at which I was told that because my son's anxiety and depression is due to the fact that he is on the spectrum CAMHS does not have the remit to cover his care.

My son has, at times, been suicidal and is currently on medication to treat anxiety and depression (a comorbid condition to the ASD).

AIBU to think that parents of autistic children are being left hung out to dry if the mental health service for children is refusing to treat them on this basis? This is the second service (other being NHS OT)refusing to treat my child on the basis that his difficulties are due to being on the autistic spectrum. We are having to pay private.

The consultant who told me this is calling me back to continue our conversation either tomorrow or Friday as my child could not cope in the meeting room and I feel like challenging this decision (basically that they will not be responsible for his care).

Surely it is simply discriminatory to treat NT's for anxiety and depression but not autistic people on the basis that they have autism (a disability).

Sensory Info booklet compiled by OTs, if you're finding accessing support is difficult, something in here may help.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/special_needs_chat/3381127-Sensory-Behaviour

YANBU mental health provision for children in general is shocking

Thanks for all the responses.

I'm still waiting to hear back from CAMHS to see if they are going to try to transfer care to the GP.

I have a 12 year old with mental health issues. He needs and deserves to have support with these issues whether they are due to his autism or not.

He will not be able to live a full adult life if he does not have this support.

I'm just so livid. I am already in a massive fight over his education I'm just shocked to have to be fighting now over mental health provision too when he has a diagnosis of a mental health issue!!

It is horrific. I waited months to be told my 8 year old's self harming was "part of his condition" so basically a waste of time. Luckily he's much much better now but yes. It's exhausting battling for everything all the time

I completely agree. My dd is asd so when the diagnosis came in the help she was receiving was stopped. She's early teens but already I'm stressing about her not bring able to live a full life due to not receiving the support she desperately needs. I hope you can get some support for yourself and your child.

Dinnaehinksae was the mental health support stopped because she was diagnosed with autism?

Jeff that's terrible,
isn't that just blatant you are autistic so we are not treating you?

It is overt discrimination. How on earth can they get away with it?

Same here op. I'm i ireland had to have a row to get a cahms appointment for DS1. They did nothing ad told me it is because he has assd. I actually feel it's discrimination they are denying him access to support. They today me to refer him to psychology...hhhmmm there are no psychology services in our area at all for this age bracket...only early intervention. Ffs.

Completely agree OP.

On the opposite side of things I've had to battle for DD's ASD diagnosis as she was being labelled as having anxiety. Professionals also struggled to recognise that females with ASD present differently to males. I've had to educate the professionals!

It's so hard isn't it? And exhausting. We constantly have to advocate for our children. I wish you and your son all the best. I don't have the answers but I wish I did

WitsEnd2018 yes it is tough with girls our daughter is currently under the process of diagnosis too and will need an EHCP. Our son also has a girls presentation , in that he is extremely sociable and masked in the same way that girls do right up to the point that he could no longer cope and was suicidal. I am glad you were able to get support for your daughter.

It is hard and exhausting and yes it is hard for any child to access mental health services it is just insane that autistic children are refused service at all because they are autistic.

It’s just so ad hoc in the CAMHS system

DD has spent 7 years being shuffled around from team to team, regularly lost in the system

The best care she’s had is in the last 6 months when they finally diagnosed asd and anxiety to go along with Misophonia and spd

She got moved under the care of the camhs autism team and they’re fantastic but it’s taken 7 bloody hard years to get here!

We removed her from school and sent her to Interhigh nearly 4 years ago which was a game changer, she’s due to take 9 igces this year with excellent predictions all funded by an ehcp

I thought generally psychologists were Tier 2 and psychiatrists were a Tier 3

Tier 1 is universal services (ie GP, HVs, school nurses)
Tier 2 is CAMHS specialists working in primary care and community settings
Tier 3 is specialist outpatient CAMHS services
Tier 4 is specialist inpatient CAMHS settings

I work in a Tier 4 setting, I'm a social worker. The MDT is made up of consultant psychiatrists, 'junior' doctors, RMNs, clinical psychologists, psychotherapists, CBT therapists, occupational therapists, social workers and HCAs.

Yes, that's pretty much all she said (after a lengthy consultation). Utterly pointless.

I will say that when his mainstream school finally did finished the EHCP he got moved to a specialist school and the difference in him is amazing. I hope you get it sorted soon OP.