Why does it seem that no one understands and doesnt want to help

[Hai1988]

Hi everyone, I posted here a few weeks ago about my DS (heres the old thread : www.mumsnet.com/Talk/special_needs/a1396153-Some-help-and-advice-would-be-great-please)

Sorry its long I hope you can take the time to read it

Well the problem now is that I have got as far as the teacher has "said" she is going to refer him to the educational psychologist but nothing seems to be happening, this was a while back now as you can see from the date of my last post, I spoke to DS's teacher last Monday to see what was happening with DS and the referral and she said "Oh I need to do the forms and you then need to sign them" So she hasn't even got the ball rolling yet.

I know she has classroom of children to deal with as-well but could the forms of been collected by a TA or something there are many teachers in DS's class its not like it one teacher vs 28 children.

Anyway she said once the forms are done he will be put on a waiting list that is sorted out by priority (which I expected to be honest)
So I said to the teacher would it be quicker and beneficial to go back to DS's GP and go down that route and she said I could try.

So I took DS to the doctors and saw the nurse practitioner, I took down all the things I have noticed about DS's behaviour and things that concern me, and she wasn't sure, first she did mention CAHMS, but then disappeared off to see the health visitor, when she came back she said that all the things I have wrote down where behavioural and it was really down to DS's teacher to do any referrals.

I feel like I am being pushed from piller to post and nothing is getting done.

No idea what to do next, I am not the best at explaining things and a friend of mine thinks maybe i am not explaining exactly what's up. I haven't mentioned the possibility of ADHD to anyone other than my friend and she thinks I should mention my worries that this is the problem, but I don't want to put the idea into there heads if its not that.

What should I do now?
Part of me thinks to go back to the gp and see someone else and explain more clearly and the other part thinks I should just leave it up to the teacher.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, sorry for the long thead

anyone?

You need to see a GP and demand a referal to a developmental paediatrician.

Copy down lists of symptoms of ADHD/ ASD/dyspraxia etc. From the Internet and where appropriate give a real life example of this behaviour.

Have your own list and hand one to the GP, dated and signed, with your request for referal on it.

why did you see the nurse practitioner?
make an appointment to see the gp and specifically discuss adhd. they can do some checklists etc and give you some for school, and referrals if appropriate for your area (inlcuding camhs if they are the diagnsotic authority locally).

you could additiionally pay for a private ed psych assessment if you have available funds. this is often a much quicker route to assessment - as you have found the world of potential sn moves veeeeryyyyy slooooooowly.

also call the school and ask to have a meeting with the senco. discuss what is being done currently in the classroom to support ds. does he have an iep? do they have listed as 'school action'? where does she think he will fall on the priority list for ep? (sometimes this can be a year or so) when does she think he will be assessed?

i haven't read the other thread by the way.

the one thing you need to know as a mother of a potentially sn child is, nothing happens without you pushing for it.

if ds is hurting other children or being disruptive, then encourage other parents (peer group) to complain about him as well. to the head teacher.

the more ammunition you get for the the school to buck up, the betyter.

in the meantime, you could be reading around the subject copiously - there is loads on the web, and loads of books in the library. nothing miraculous will happen even if you do get an assessment and a dx, it will still largely be up to you to implement support and try to teach him some coping strategies. yes, school can also put things in place, but ultimately thebulk of the work will fall to you. so you could be trying some of the tactics now. it might make life easier

good luck.

fight for some assessments, but get on with learning about what might help him and putting it in place in any case.

i assume you have been down the omegas, zinc and magnesium routye already? it's usually the first thing encouraged on here to try wrt to children with poss adhd type behaviours. if not, get onto that as well.

its the gp who refer to camhs. its the school that refer to EP.

there are long waiting lists for EP!! if you can afford it go private.

camhs also have very long waiting list.

sorry havnt read your previuos thread had trouble finding it.

unfortuanately unless you push very hard and keep on at them they will just sit back.

Have many years experience with canhs and Ep's.
it does depend on the urgency of your childs needs as deemed by the proffesionals involved how quick the appoints are but unless you are urgent expect to wait at least 12 months!! ( well if you live in kent or essex anyway!)

please do not sit back and wait you need to push and hard for the referals now.