Desperately need some advice re DD/ CAMHS etc.

[allthedramamick]

DD7 has been suffering with OCD-type thoughts since Christmas. It’s extremely severe - she will barely even let me speak to her, won’t let me in her room, change her bed, walk near me, won’t wash with soap, barely comes downstairs, doesn’t want to see any of our wider family etc etc. Her behaviour and wellbeing at school is affected, and she is extremely low in mood. It’s absolutely the worst time of our lives. I do have a previous thread on this - not sure how to link it but please search my username for more info if required.

Anyway, her school eventually referred her to the School Wellbeing Service that runs in our area. She got seen for an assessment last week. The person she got seen by is a trainee CBT therapist - she seems very nice, and said she’d speak to her supervisor and should be able to start sessions next week.

But I’ve just had a call from CAMHS offering her an assessment with a low intensity IAPT practitioner. I said about the recent assessment with the other organisation, and they said she can only continue with one (which is understandable), so I need to choose.

The person who called me from CAMHS only worked on the admin side of things, so wasn’t able to give any advice.

I have no idea which route would be best. These issues are so severe & wide-reaching that there is no way she’ll be ok after 6 sessions (which I think is what low intensity IAPT involves). But maybe it’s easier to refer upwards if she’s already involved with CAMHS? She’s also got an ADHD referral outstanding with them, and everybody is starting to suspect ASD, so in terms of joined up care it might be better going forward?

Also, the therapist from the wellbeing service is a trainee. I don’t mind this at all - was happy to let her film the assessment etc. and so so grateful for any and all help! But this really isn’t traditional OCD - there aren’t really compulsions as such, nor a clear cut fear about germs - it’s very complex, so I think it’ll be much harder to treat, and DD is going through hell at the moment so I desperately want her to get the most effective treatment.

But then, what if there’s a long wait after the initial CAMHS assessment before the therapy starts? Does anyone know if it starts quickly, or whether she could get stuck on a waiting list for a year? Every day is just a nightmare and all of her thoughts & behaviours are becoming more entrenched.

I am so scared of making the wrong decision, so I wondered if anybody had some advice on any of the above, please?

You have my sympathy as we are going though hell with my DD14 .

She was referred to psychology at GOSH due to OCD and anxiety triggered by an autoimmune illness she is under GOSH for already.

She was referred in Sept 2021 , had initial assessment on Feb 2022 and put on wait list for urgent CBT.

Mental health deteriorated in April 2022 so GOSH arranged another assessment and she was apparently put further up the list for treatment. We are still waiting.

Metal health further declined ( now self harming) so school referred to CAHMS who told school we would get a call within two days. That was last November and we've heard nothing. GOSH are aware of self harming but can't push her up further up the list ( now been waiting 17 months since referral )

We have eventually decided to go private after GP said he thinks she needs medicating and he can't prescribe so gave us a private referral to a children psychiatric hospital. Even the wait for that is three months.

So basically nothing happens quickly ( ever) and it's an absolute nightmare trying to deal with all as a family while we wait.

All services say the same about once you start with one department you can't then get help from another so we are staying on the GOSH wait list ( with their agreement) just in the case the private treatment doesn't work for her.

Oh that's awful, your poor DD - must be so scary for you all, especially with her self harming. So heartbreaking that so many kids are having to go through such hard times without treatment for years! It's criminal, honestly - can't think of many more important things for the government to fund properly. Wishing you all lots of luck with the private treatment

Bumping in case anyone has any advice?

Imo as parent and teacher, cahms are actively harmful. My child was referred to them and I got them off the books asap. We went private. I would use any alternative. A trainee will be being supervised. I’d try trainee and see how you get on.

Oh dear, that is worrying, especially as you are a teacher too so have likely seen several kids involved with CAMHS. I desperately wish we could go private - i just don't have the money for it.

It's so shit having to make these huge decisions with barely any info and no guidance, when it feels like there is absolutely everything at stake. And knowing that neither service is likely to have the time/ resources to give her the intensive & urgent support that she needs.

I hope your child is doing better now, and thank you for replying.

I can recommend the Facebook group Parenting Mental Health. I'm sure you will get some helpful advice.

I couldn't get CAMHS so went private straight away. Got her seen by a psychiatrist and medication prescribed. If I had been left waiting for CAMHS I dread to think where we would be now. She's just been seen a few weeks ago by an nhs psychiatrist and her panic disorder and agoraphobia started at 15. She's nearly 18 now!