Is there anyone who specialises in diagnosing girls with aspergers /asd?

[HarrietJones]

Still wavering about this for dd2 . Dh would like to go private but i am not sure. Will they ask school etc for feedback anyway?
I would prefer someone who specialises in girls or at least is aware of how different they can be.
I have worked in SN and am aware how ignorant some people are on this sort of thing.

She's 10. School have no problems, we have obsessional/routine type stuff. Dh/I & xh/gf all have a lot of experience in SN so manage it.
The SALT (before she was discharged) suggested Aspergers too & would do an assessment on language( she talks v grown up/ has had clarity problems)
Have seen a mental health team(Camhs lite!) and she didn't meet their criteria.Discussed some problems with GP over that referral. GP b approachable. They've seen her hiding at appts too.

My only reason for getting diagnosis is that she may need to understand her behaviour/feelings and I'm aware that there can be regression in teen years.

School nurse involved & also seen routine/ obsessional stuff.

I've been searching on Internet but private child psychologists all seem
To do asd as an afterthought and specialise in abuse etc.

I think you are right to consider finding someone who knows about girls. You could try ringing the NAS they might know someone.

We had a great mh nurse at cahms who had alot of expeience with girls on the spectrum
He was really uderstanding of the differences and supported us well.

I have 2 girls on the spectrum, one is 23 and undiagnosed the other is 9 and was diagnosed with ASD in september.

Good luck with your search

Thanks

Where is she based?

Thanks

I think if she is authorised to do the DISCO then she would be able to DX.

Dd3 was diagnosed using the DISCO, we were told it had been designed by Lorna Wing and one of its purposes is to aid the diagnosis of people who are proving to be difficult to diagnose eg. Girls.

I was thinking about Lorna Wing when I suggested you contact the NAS because I know she works with them.

But maybe Margo Sharp would be more accessible to you, I don't know what area of the country you are in or how far you would be willing to travel.

Also just to say, one of the reasons we persisited in trying to get a DX for Dd3 was that we were really worried about what will happen to her at Secondary school when girls can be so vile and anyone different is a target.

Now she has a DX I feel sure that the transition to Secondary and the support available to her will help.

Luckily my local Secondary do seem quite clued up about ASD.

I'm in Cumbria. So not a lot local.

Can only find Margo Sharp via Birmingham CAMHS.

Think I'll speak to NAS. Had a difficult day with family. Keep having to divert dd2 as she blocks people I corners & talks at them.

Will do!

my dd doesnt yet have an official diagnosis of AS, but has been attending special school for 4 months and they are certain thats what it is. she is nearly 7 and i have been told that most girls with AS are not diagnosed until they are teenagers. she has some very specific traits, but seems to be missing some of the major ones i know about.

We are waiting to see Daphne Keen in August. Not sure whether she uses SALT or DISCO. CAMHS has been useless. We were seen by a social worker who keeps telling my daughter that we (her parents) think she could have Aspergers while we didn't discuss it with our daughter. She is worried that she will be labelled. she now thinks that something is wrong with her, she is not as clever as the other girls in her class...etc.The social worked told us that a Psychiatrist will see her sometimes in July to do ADOS but we haven't heard back from her yet. I am not sure whether to do ADOS through CAMHS then an assessment by Daphne Keen. It's a bit too much for My DD. While waiting her condition is getting worse. She refuses to do her homework and has been missing school because she doesn't do the homework. She says doing homework makes her unhappy. I am very worried that she is refusing education in general. she will be changing schools in Sept which I am hoping will make things better. I am not sure whether to take her to a psychologist while waiting to see Daphne to treat her depression and anxiety or do nothing as she will be finishing school on the 10th of July. She is normally ok if she doesn't have to go to school and do homework. Any advice please? Thanks

Margo diagnosed DS1. I live on the Essex Suffolk border. She will travel and stay overnight if needs be - after all, you are paying! She was also a witness at his tribunal hearing. DS1 is now at OOC Indi ss.

We went private and we didn't want to involve the school at first.We decided with the psychologist as we went along when it was appropriate to contact the school, no pressure. They can do this in a very subtle way. I was actually diagnosed last year with AS, and I will add that you are right in saying "My only reason for getting diagnosis is that she may need to understand her behaviour/feelings" Self acceptance is very very important.

I'm not sure you need somebody who specialises in girls. I work on a private diagnostic team and we diagnose both boys and girls, men and women using DISCO and ADOS.

Girls do present differently but if your clinicians know their stuff then this won't matter. The tools are sensitive enough and the ados is reasonable provided it is videotaped and rated by independent raters from different professions.

Multidisciplinary assessment is key; no matter how good somebody is at diagnosing (or not) asd, I strongly believe that it should be more than one clinician from more than one discipline. NICE guidelines agree.

We have often had parents worried we won't be able to spot their daughter's "subtle" issues, but lengthy interview and careful observation means that their issues don't appear subtle to us!

This is not meant to be a plug for our service, I'm just making the point that good clinicians using robust techniques will spot what you can spot. Hope that helps!

my daughter is seeing margo sharp who is a salt in a couple of weeks time and then in September she will also see daphne keen as I got the appointment yesterday. daphne has been for me quite straightforward to get an appointment for. I will be interested to see what the SALT says - we already have one report where she has a significant delay to receptive and express language so will see if margo picks up that she may have ASD - Im thinking if margo doesn't pick it up, then may not continue onto see Daphne but whatever happens within the next 3 months we will definitely know one way or another and in good time for secondary school next year.