AIBU to ask for child psychiatrist recommenations. Really desparate.

[Concernedmamab]

Sorry I know it's a bit cheeky to post on here but I am at my wit's end. My daughter has been on the CAMHS waiting list for 6 months now despite some awful things happening to her in the last year. Two years ago she was seen by a CAMHS psychiatrist for half an hour and prescribed Prozac, it didn't agree with her at all, she went back and was given Sertraline but this didn't work for her either. Since then she's suffered some unimaginable trauma which I don't want to go into here, has been suicidal and really depressed, has frequent anxiety attacks. The last time she saw CAMHS they said she had PTSD symptoms but she is still waiting to be seen by a doctor. I begged them to prescribe beta-blockers but they refused and eventually the GP did. If anyone can recommend a psychiatrist who works with teenagers (I don't know what the age cut-off for late teens is) in the South of England I would be very grateful. DD is 16. Thank you x

Bumping for you x

Have a look on the BACP website. There may be a psychologist in your area.

Best for ptsd is maudsley national centre but you would need to push for the referral... Maybe they can give you a list of private therapists?

Thank you Border xx

Cestlavie is Maudsley an NHS clinic / centre? But a national one? I will try and ask for a referral, would the GP be able to refer? As we are still waiting for CAMHS to get back to us.

Just google search around in your area. Most have their own little mini websites where they detail their qualifications and such because it's competitive. I will warn you though, it isnt cheap. We pay £230 per half an hour for DD and she goes once a week for schizoaffective disorder.

Try this website www.counselling-directory.org.uk. You can search for someone local to you and also for specific issues such as PTSD. If you find someone on there you think is suitable, you can always double check their qualifications with BACP. x

How stressful for you all. There are some useful advice/support services for teenagers & parents here www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/children-and-young-people/useful-contacts/#.XBXuIOinxTc. Below is a private service but may be useful to find out about how the self-referral process works www.psychiatry-uk.com/psychiatry-for-children/

This is the link to the Maudsley/SLAM referral service. There's a PALS number, they may be able to advice further www.national.slam.nhs.uk/referrals/

You could try LANC UK if you need a private psychiatrist.
For PTSD, look for qualified EDMR therapists.

For ptsd she needs trauma-focused therapy not medication (have a read of the NHS NICE guideline for PTSD), so look for a psychologist not a psychiatrist. She could also be seen by a CBT therapist. The two evidence based options for therapy are trauma-focused CBT and EMDR.

Just google child psychologists or child CBT therapists in your area.

Agree you need to be looking for a psychologist who uses EMDR.

Please double-check the qualifications and professional memberships of anyone you go to see. There are some extremely unscrupulous people out there.

Sandy Gaskins I believe is the same person who had a fantastic reputation when working at poole hospital staff counselling maybe 20 years ago and is now practicing in a private clinic in Bournemouth I believe.

I also know of a really effective psychotherapist called Guy Payne who covers new forest, poole and Bournemouth areas, who has a long history of working with children in schools, and who says on one counselling website advert that he has additional training working with children and adults recovering from trauma, so although you asked for a psychiatrist and he's actually a psychotherapist, he may either be able to help or point you in the right direction for the help you need.

Really sorry for you that your daughter is having such a hard time. Credit to you for fighting for her like this though. As one who has come through some awful traumas (more than my fair share I believe!) I want to give you hope that it doesn't always have to hound you and you can live more free from the history as time goes on

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I was asking for a psychiatrist as they can prescribe medication and I thought that she would need this to help with the panic attacks and anxiety attacks whilst she has the therapy or EDMS as it won't work straight away.
Would a psychiatrist do any talking therapies - e.g the EDMR - as well as medication? Just because otherwise we will be paying for a psychiatrist AND a psychologist.

I only know about adult mental health services but surely having to see one person would be better than 2 as it would save having to build up a therapeutic relationship with an extra person.

Finally would a private psychiatrist be more willing to look at different medications? As CAMHS have flat-out refused to prescribe anything but Prozac and Sertraline which have NOT worked at all.

Thank you x

EMDR can work quite quickly (improvement after just few sessions). Most psychiatrists won't be able to do EMDR. GP might be able to prescribe. Honestly if it was just one then go for the therapy as the drugs won't address underlying issues, then you might have to withdraw from drugs too.

Gp won't be able to prescribe mental health meds to under 16s . Ticehurst Priory has a child and adolescent unit.

I don't have expertise in this but thought a psychologist and psychotherapist will have a plethora of various strategies to help non-pharmaceutically. Do even drugs help with PTSD? You've found not, I suspect no amount of drugs will do anything but dull things mildly if even that at all. You need to deal with comforting the self that has been traumatised and reprogramming the body to stop the fight or flight (or freeze) stress response, which the poor girl is probably continually trapped in by triggers and flashbacks.

Sorry pressed send too soon. It's on Kent/ east sussex border.

Hi, as a child psychologist, I would advise you search for a clinical psychologist and they MUST be registered with the hcpc (health and care professions council). A clinical psychologist can carry out therapy, but would not be able to prescribe medication (only Doctors can do that). However they would be able to address the root cause of the psychological issues, as opposed to managing it through medication.

Some people don't respond to anti depressants at all. Would focus on therapy. GP maybe able to access general counselling very quickly whilst she waits for specialist.

Penguins unfortunately the GP can't even refer for generic counselling - anything relating to MH for under 18's has to go through CAMHS, who are useless.

Appreciate that drugs aren't a magic bullet and don't address the underlying issues but I would like to explore their use in the short-term to relieve her of the hell she is living in.

I know a couple of people who were prescribed Valium as teenagers however I get the impression that this isn't used much any more. Even for adults.

shouldwe - would you be able to give an overview of what EDMR involves please? Not heard of it. Is it specifically for PTSD? thanks x

That's annoying all has to go via CAHMS - I have heard of some children receiving counselling via school - don't know if you would want to tell school, if school can arrange but heard of it once for family issues and another for self harm. We have just hae an Ed Psych via school for ASD, which know isn't what you want, but we had to fill in Early Help Assessment form with school for son.