Second part of CAMHS assessment- what to expect

[GoodnessKnows]

My son is, I think, high functioning autism (asperges). I've only heard bad things about CAMHS being a great disappointment. I'm excited to finally have a second meeting to follow up the initial assessment. It's with the original woman and another psychiatrist / someone.
Is this good news in terms of the likelihood of taking it seriously ... or should I prelate myself for disappointment?

Prepare

I really wish I could say something good about CAHMS. But I can't. My only advice in relation to them would be to run far and run fast in the opposite direction.

If you suspect ASD I would be seeing a Pscyhiatrist that specialises in ASD. Good luck though!

Please tell me why do you think I should actually NOT attend the meeting? I'd heard that the problem with them is that they do and offer nothing. Nadda
Do they actually have a negative impact unless you go privately? Is it better to have a private assessment? If so, why? Thank you in advance

I've minimal experience of CAMHS thank goodness (they are really poor here) I have two children with autism though and thankfully their paediatrician knows how bad they are and referred ds to the man at the top who was the only person worth seeing in his opinion.
I would definitely go to the meeting but if you don't get the answers you need then do ask for a referral to a specialist diagnostic service rather than being reassured that all is ok.
I can fully recommend the Elizabeth Newson Centre here as ds attends the school there and the professionals invoved in assessment and diagnosis also provide therapy to the pupils in school.
Good Luck hope your meeting goes well.

Really helpful, insanity. Thank you.

If I gave you all the reasons why I would be here for a month. So, my biggest reasons were:

1. Diagnosis took forever despite glaringly obvious symptoms.
2. Once we had a diagnosis they did very little anyway.
3. I felt we were basically used for practice for students.

Okay
Helpful
Thank you
Worth avoiding or being mentally & emotionally prepared for ... nothing?

By comparison ds and dd weren't diagnosed through CAMHS they went through a multi disciplinary assessment led by a developmental paediatrician and from referral it took 5 months for ds who was diagnosed at 3 and 7 months for dd who got her diagnosis a week after her second birthday.
They then had specialist input from SALT, OT and child psychologist and the early years teaching service until they entered school nursery with a statement in place before their fourth birthday.
Ds saw the CAMHS head man briefly when suffering from anxiety, he wasn't able to engage but placement at SH remedied his difficulties anyway.
I would attend the appointment I'd be prepared for them not to give a diagnosis though and to instead suggest a parenting course (it's so much easier and cheaper to blame the parents because a diagnosis means you can demand services) but if you have a plan in place and visions of a way forward it shouldn't be so mentally and emotionally draining.

Thank you. I don't know whether it'd be a positive or negative to have a conclusive answer (assessment diagnosis) but I don't want to feel like I'm going mad in thinking / knowing that there's a problem and in assuming responsibility for his 'eccentricity' (as school put it).

Where are you? CAMHS is a real postcode lottery.
Ours is good, and saw my DS really quickly when he moved schools and the new school flagged up anger & anxiety issues. CAMHS saw him initially in school, then did a home visit. They saw him in school about 6 more times and ensured the school had SEN support in place and that he was put in a nurture group. They also referred him to the CDC for ASD assessment. That was last May and his appointment has just come through for March.

Watford/ Borehamwood

I think a diagnosis, a label, is only any good for aiding the fight to get further help and support.

Worthwhile at a private school?

I'd disagree with JanetandRoy and say that a diagnosis means answers not only to your questions but also as the child gets older to their questions. Ds who has fairly severe autism figured by eight that he was different and your child will too.
Having real answers to their questions means they don't come up with their own reasons such as I'm a freak, they hate me, I'm worthless, I'm so stupid. That understanding means that more of their self esteem remains intact.
I can't answer as to whether a diagnosis will bring better support in private school, I think it's entirely down to the school themselves. I chose state school with a statement as the very best option because the statement means I can demand differentiation and support tailored to their individual needs. Ds now attends an independent specialist school and the LA foot the £50k plus pa fees.
I can tell you my dn's experience as an undiagnosed Aspie in private school. SIL didn't want a label as she sees it shameful that she gave birth to a less than perfect child. She put dn in private school when the state school wanted to refer dn to an ed psych because he was struggling socially and emotionally.
The small classes helped somewhat but dn was isolated throughout school as he struggled academically and there were less friendship opportunities and none of the support he'd get in state school. He left at 18 with a couple of D's at A2. He's 25 now, he has no friends, no social life, never had a girlfriend, he works at the firm he did an apprenticeship with at minimum wage. He goes to the gym with his mum on holiday and to football with his dad and it hurts him awfully because he thinks he's a weirdo and a freak and no one is ever allowed to mention that he might just have some needs that have never been addressed because SIL sees it as a slight on her.

Oh insanity, so sad.
We started off in the state system. School were awful with him and he's not an obviously / easily recognisable 'case'. Appears to be wilfully stubborn. He's not. So many experiences of shocking treatment including blasting him out (shouting) at close proximity - triggered sensory processing difficulties.
Anyway, Health Visitor was called in to observe him at request of EP. They were hoping she'd say he was (in roundabout way) naughty. She didn't. She said he was not displaying any behaviours atypical for his age. Off the record, she told us to change schools as the staff were effectively labelling him as naughty by shouting his band continuously across the class. He's bright. He appears bit to be listening but has taken in whatever has been said. He puts electric circuits together in a flash. He's a right royal pain in the arse but wonderful and adorable. It's like pushing a huge lead ball up hill to get him to do anything he's not particularly keen to do: most things that don't involve electricity.
I love him dearly. It was hard to change his school but he got into a fab independent school. They say he's 'eccentric'. When staff ask who my child is, they respond with 'Ah yes, I know Jasper!' with that open eyes look of 'interesting, funny & character bundle of hard work'. Had this CAMHS thing registered for about two years so hope I'm doing right thing going for assessment now as it's only just coming through - a day before I have major spine surgery.

I've been fortunate in so far as ds and dd's needs weren't subtle enough to be swept away. Ds had a statement at three, he entered the local school with ft 1 to 1 support. They did their best, his TA worked miracles but the school was too big and too noisy for him to cope so after infants we moved him to a tiny primary, his TA went with him and he thrived in a class of 14.
For secondary he went to a unit attached to an outstanding academy and again he got the best support I could ask for as everything was tailored to him but again there were too many pupils and too much noise and before he left he spent almost every day in the unit rather than accessing the mainstream part and so they supported me in getting him into SH.
At SH he gets exactly what he needs SALT, OT and child psych on site. He's in a class of six with four staff (the first time in his school career he hasn't had 1 to 1) and he's just wonderful. He has friends, a social life and independence, plans to go to university, learn to drive and travel and with the skills SH are teaching him he will do it maybe not as early as an NT child but he should be in uni at 22 again with support.
Dd is his polar opposite, she went to the tiny primary with a statement where ds had thrived and she thrived in Foundation and then a change of HT and teacher and she fell apart (the teacher was horrendous, dd was self harming at six and the bitch would say she'd had a good day seemingly oblivious to dd coming out bleeding)
I complained through the channels and moved dd to a newly built mainstream primary school recommended to me by one of the team that diagnosed her who knew the new HT's ethos. It's a wonderful school, many children with disabilities and statements 400 children about 50 TAs and 11 classes and a foundation unit.
Dd is in y6 now she still has her statement and the school supports me in keeping it but in actual fact in that school she doesn't need it and wouldn't even be on school action if I'm honest, will leave with SATS level 5s. She will go to secondary with her friends, the school know that I will be watching and there is lots of support planned. If it falls apart I'll fight for independent specialist school for her too.
Your ds sounds wonderful too I'm so sorry he had such an awful experience in school, some teachers really don't deserve to keep their posts do they? Have you spoken to the school about possible diagnosis? Do they give him support for what he might find difficult rather than considering him eccentric? Are there programmes in place to support his social skills and probable anxiety? Do they help him establish and develop friendships?
The downside to private of course is that you will have to fund any ed psych/SALT/OT input and that you have to rely on schools' good will to meet a child's needs and of course they might decide that it's not what they want to do It's all so difficult isn't it but I would still say that if a child meets the criteria for diagnosis then that diagnosis should be given.

I'm deeply moved to hear how awful a time your DD was having and how you tightly and bravely transferred her to a school that gave her the support that she so desperately needed and is now flourishing in every way. Your DS too. Wonderful, heartening 'stories'.
My DS' school is lovely but it's quite an academic prep and I think a label may go either way for him if given. Not sure.

Sorry but CAMHS were useless. They didn't consult the school or the school nurse. We went for two assessments. & they wrote a report which although it pinpointed loads if traits of HF ASD concluded he wasn't on the spectrum & needed behaviour management & star charts.

They recommended an ed psych observe him at school but private schools can't access that service.

The senco phoned them & tried to get them to change their minds & refer us to the ASD unit to no avail

We want a diagnosis so that when he moved into secondary things can be put in place etc.

So the upshot is we are having to pay for a private ed psych assessment.

My experience of CAMHS has been positive and they've supported the whole family. Some of the services have been better than others, but all have helped in their way (apart from one rogue-element who said she couldn't work with DD after two sessions, but was patronising and a bit dim so glad not to bother with her). Family therapy was great if pedestrian and sessions just for me were hugely helpful.

Psychiatrist after being a bit suspicious (but still nice) initially has been a great and calm support since. She did initial testing for ASD diagnosis and then passed us on to a specialist team. Since diagnosis she has again been fab and very helpful in managing DD's school with me.

My fingers are double crossed as my DS' behaviour is even worse at the moment, largely down to a major op. I'm having the day after our assessment (Tuesday).

But that's to be expected really it's a huge thing in his life to have his Mummy in hospital and his routines disrupted. Ds reacts to the weather, the clocks going back and even him having a sniffle.
Have you heard of social stories? Google Carol Gray. Maybe one of those would help him get used to the changes and disruption coming up.
If you have a planner you could make it really clear what he is to expect whilst you are away, who will be looking after him, when he will visit and maybe a system of incentives and rewards to help things along (ds gets lots of incentives)
Hope everything goes well with the appointment and the op.

Our local CAMHS diagnostic team have along waiting list, but were very good wrt diagnosis. Unfortunately there is no little follow up support for the YD, apart from the lead clinical psych keeping us on his books to support me and DH in supporting the YD. Nothing for his anxiety (diagnosis of Aspergers) at all. Despite suicidal meltdowns.... So the actual service rubbish post dx, but one individual doing his best for us (but he retires in July:( )

My CAMHS were good. We were initially assessed as a priority. She got on well with the EP we saw, and he took over as her "lead worker". Within about 6 months we had a diagnosis, and he had helped deal/ and teach me how to deal with some issues she was having. Once we got the diagnosis we did get signed off from them fairly quickly, but he did keep school informed. In this area there is reasonably good contact between the CAMHS the Primary mental health service and the schools. Fortunately her school is pretty good, and once it was pointed out to them what the diagnosis they stopped giving her far more negative labels.

I really really think it is very variable, and I am pretty lucky.

Yes I know about social stories. I'll have a go. He's just not interested in anything unless it's about electricity. Reluctantly gives it a second of his attention if promised / half way through a chat about elec.
The crazy world we live in. Lol

Ds's burning desire used to be shutters and lamp posts, it's surprising how skilled he became at turning every conversation back to those two items Nowadays it's football but I am excused on the grounds women don't know anything about football
Have you tried an egg timer (a big one)? I used to use them so that if we needed to get something across that I could speak about that and he could speak about lamp posts for the length of the timer without interrupting my time.