Can I ask you guys to help with a decision please?

[coff33pot]

I am really in a pickle as one would say

I have just received a phone call from CAMHS regarding DS and his assessment.

To cut a long story reasonably short We went to camhs with our concerns end of March and he is being assessed for AS/ASD by referral to SCAP. The multidisiplinary team shut down due to their psychiatrist leaving and DS and I have been in limbo since.

There is a SA going on at this moment in time also and he needs an EP assessment to complete (second EP assess) and I will hear mid october the result.

The person I am in touch with their is extremely supportive and knows how urgent things are with DS and she has phoned me to tell me a few things.

1. The SCAP team are looking to reopen in October as they have now got a psychiatrist. And she has had DS name down so he should be seen when they open.

2. I have a second option of seeing a psychiatrist called a Mr Pearce in mid sept if I wish for DS as she knows how urgent things are.

3. She is putting in a referral to SALT as although his language is extremely good he still cannot express himself correctly and it is eccentric and long winded for want of a better word.

4. She is leaving me :( She is studying to be a child psychotherapist which is why she is so keen on following DS in the sidelines but she cannot be my point of contact anymore so I am gutted as she is wonderful.

I am stuck now on wether to see the psych on his own or the psych with the multi team. She has said government guidelines request multi team exp in autism and behaviour is the right recognised route for dx however she knows how long it has been and this other psych is highly trained but solo iyswim.

my thoughts are.....they say they should be ready by oct........my EP was assessing DS in march and went sick and that delayed SA till now. cahms were rolling for DS till the psych quit and we have been waiting since 1 april for this final bit. What if they dont start in oct?

I would like something from a psych to send to the LEA to go along with their bits and pieces for their final decision on Statment in october but supposing I go with this solo psych and it all goes wrong........

HELP! please on being rational and getting this in order as I had DS screaming at me through the whole phone convo

Can't you do both? Then if the report is not great from the first Psych you have the second to back up what you are saying you can always submit it saying here it is BUt he was not an expert in XXXXX and so this bit and this bit are not his fields of expertise so we think XYZ instead.

And will the 2nd report be ready in time? it can take ages to get the final written report.

Thanks for replying

I asked her if this solo psych is experienced in this field and she replied he was highly experienced. I am taking that as ok but like DS I have a problem with trusting people and I dont want to mess it up for DS iyswim.

DH has just come in from work and just plainly stated go for him. His reason for this was that they (camhs) have obviously discussed DS and she wouldnt have suggested two routes if she didnt want me to take it. Also if we stayed with him then we would still be under her or her partner she is passing me on to. If we go to SCAP team then we lose contact with her.

It doesnt sound like I can do both to be honest as I was asked to make a choice between the two on which route I wanted to take.

I just want it all to end really and I was looking into borrowing money to go and see a private psych in london that has been mentioned on this site so I suppose it would be no different to seeing her than seeing him?

I would def take a confirmed appointment in September than a possible. My DS has been on top of waiting lists/next in line then delayed and back down the list. Good luck

Yes, go for a definite expert in Sept rather than a possible Oct. Can he DX? Just because a multi disciplinary team is the advice it may not be compulsory.

Rang camhs back just now after talking it through again with DH.

Asked her if this man can actually make a diagnosis and the answer is yes.

Also the woman who she is transfering DS to as she is leaving will also be at the appointment? (I am glad she told me that as I get stressed out when there is more than one face I wasnt expecting!) She said she has verbally gone through DS files with her but she will be there to follow through anything that is decided at the psych meeting.

She also said the psych will have had access to all the reports she has made with us and his assessment of his school life when she visited him twice. So she said we wont have to start from scratch with him so that is a relief! And we should get a letter soon.

So here we go roll on September!

I'd go with September. You can't see two psychs because there has to be a gap between tests used - most tests can only be used once within a 6 month or year interval otherwise it would invalidate them. If this chap is highly respected I'd go with it - he's obviously linked to CAMHS. If they want to make is multi agency after that then they can.

Good luck

Thats just what DH said. That he is linked to camhs as the camhs woman is coming to appointment. If we go multi way it could take longer as there is no definate opening date to be honest. At least this is earlier and we hopefully will get some idea where to go from there. If it is still further assessment then so be it, but it will be another report to send to LEA to back up his assessment that things are ongoing

And thanks for the luck

That sounds fine, then. Shame your lovely contact is going but it sounds like she's doing her best for you before she goes.