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DD age 17 autistic, ADHD and anxiety

3 replies

Bluebunnylover · 11/12/2023 21:07

My daughter was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD age 14 and autism a few months that. Accompanying this has been depression and anxiety for which she started anti anxiety meds. Starting slowly at 2.5mg and rising to 20mg. Before the meds she couldn’t even raise her head to speak to the therapist. School was a nightmare for her especially during covid lock down and after. Attendance was about 60% maybe bit lower. During this time she came out as gay and experienced some bullying which was dealt quickly by the school but resulted in self harming. She would actually set off the school alarms to get into the toilets to do this even with a piece of plastic😞😭was such a horrendous time.

she managed to get enough GCSEs to go to college which the attendance started to wain - in fact in the may I didn’t think she would finish but she just about managed it. Pysciatist wouldn’t up her meds, said she had to find it within herself to finish college.

She is having a year off now to recover from being in an education environment and has couple of hobbies, sees friends and looks after friends dog every day. Shes definitely healing which is such a relief. However the anxiety is still there and she refuses to talk about what will happen when the year is over. Recently a friend said their teenager had meds upped to 30mg and it seemed so easy whereas our psychiatrist was against it when I had mentioned it. I’m going to get a different psychiatrist with the aim of upping Prozac to 40mg and if that doesn’t work change to sertraline. Obviously I will take the advice of the doctor with this plan (which I have researched from chat rooms/boards of anxious autistics).

please let me know what meds worked for you child in this kind of situation. Thanks

OP posts:
KeepGoingThomas · 12/12/2023 18:55

If the psychiatrist won’t increase the dose, will they switch to a different antidepressant?

Is DD receiving therapy? Maybe one less based on verbal communication.

Does DD have an EHCP? If not, you should request an EHCNA using the model letter on IPSEA’s website.

Bluebunnylover · 12/12/2023 21:53

Twice I’ve applied for an ECHP but been rejected even after an appeal. She does receive PIP which is ironic as it’s harder to get!

at the moment she doesn’t want therapy. Did it for a year. Focus now is the get the anti anxiety meds sorted.

OP posts:
KeepGoingThomas · 12/12/2023 22:47

Would DD be amenable to therapy that is different to what she had previously. For example, animal assisted therapy? Or maybe something not quite therapy per se but like Mindjam if DD likes gaming.

NICE guidelines state antidepressants should be used in conjunction with therapy in children and young people, so you may find the psychiatrist is reluctant.

Request another EHCNA. Were the previous ones refusal to assess or refusal to issue appeals? Did you have independent assessments?

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