DS's new Dr

[borderslass]

For years we've been fighting to get a diagnosis of autism for DS[16]most people who know him in a professional manner and even personally have said he is on the autistic spectrum.
Well today his new Dr came to meet us and take a complete history he's not got his notes yet as he does it back to front as he put it.
Told him about his peculiarities and the SPD he is also concerned about the safety implications for me during his meltdowns so wants us to think about meds for his mood swings [don't know]he also said some of these meds can help them sleep.He has said he definately has some of the traits of Autism.
He asked us what we wanted to do and we've asked for a reassessment he's going to put the wheels in motion and he doesn't want to be doing his reviews 6 monthly any more says it's to long he's arranging to come back at Easter.
Feel were starting to get somewhere at LONG last.
Also found out before christmas that his Dr he had up until last year was the only one in the unit who seemed to discount autism and blame everything on ADHD
A couple of questions:
Does anyone have any idea how long these assessments take and what it involves?
Does any one have any experience of these type of meds?

Oh thank God Borderslass! What a breath of fresh air that doctor must be.

I'm sorry I don't know much about the asessment process for older children though.

Another thank god for that and a yay for the doctor!

Is he going for the multi disaplin approach or going just for the ADOS?

Don't know how it works Arsenic were in Scotland but he was quite astounded by the previous Dr's attitude to his behavioral issues. [several parenting classes] We told him he's ok 90% of the time but that's not good enough to him.
Sorry to sound dim but whats ADOS or multi discipline.
Last time he had one assessment in a room with lots of professionals, I waited in a waiting area but in my mind it was badly timed as they arranged to see him just as his teachers and therapists who he adored where leaving and he was high as a kite.
We have it in writing from his previous Dr as well about him categorically not being Autistic as he interacts with his carers.

Pah at old doctor's notes! grrrr

ADOS is where they basically are doing an assessment via observation, 2 professionals and its a standardised thing according to age and ability (how old and how verbal etc).. lots of scoring on interaction answers to questions and how they play ( very basically).

multi discaplin ( sp) is a whole team seeing, assessing and taken on reports (normally alongside an ADOS and ADR.. ADR is a parent question thing)... so OT assessment, SALT, EP, clinical PSychologist, school input.. along those lines and the paed pulls it all together.. and then they meet discuss and give you a dx.

( obviously this is really a basic explination)

Sound like the assessment has already started if he's already taken a full developmental history from you.

And it's good that he hasn't seen your DS's notes. That ,eans he will form his own opinion, untainted by the previous Drs who didn't think he had autism.

Good news