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Autism assessment for teen dd

2 replies

Stopsnowing · 25/05/2023 06:01

Dd 15 has no friends and a history of self harm and anxiety. She has tried really hard to make friends at secondary but can’t seem to make or keep them. She doesn’t understand what she is doing wrong. She has black and white thinking and doesn’t seem to understand social conventions like small talk. Her school counsellor suspects autism and she did an online test by an nhs provider that suggests she may have traits. School suggests we get a referral for an assessment. They wrote a letter to the GP (don’t know what it said). GP seemed very dismissive. Kept saying she couldn’t and wouldn’t prescribe medicine (I kept said we were not asking for that and not seeing her about adhd). She took a history from me about DD but stopped at primary although I tried to explain that the problems emerged at secondary. GP said there would have been developmental signs earlier. I said what about masking and GP got annoyed. Dd had made a few notes as a prompt but didn’t get a chance to discuss them. Gp took them but they weren’t meant to be put in a letter but as a prompt for further discussion so by themselves don’t add up to much. GP asked dd what she wanted out of a referral but in An aggressive way and then said ‘so validation’. Gp seemed very sceptical and I am not convinced she will write an appropriate referral letter. What can I do?

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Lougle · 25/05/2023 06:12

Can you look up your area's ASD referral pathway? You might find that you can refer yourself. In my area it keeps changing but at the time I wanted DD3 referred the GP had to fill in a form. I mentioned ASD in an unrelated appointment, then I filled in the bulk of the form and emailed it to the surgery saying 'I spoke to Dr X and I've filled in the details of this form. I'd be grateful if she could sign it and send it.'

Start with finding out the process.

Stopsnowing · 25/05/2023 08:02

Thanks. That is a good idea.

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