If it is my 'fault' can they take the kids away?

[FeelingGuiltyToTheMax]

May seem like a bizarely paranoid question and I hope that it is but my DS's pead is going to phone tomorrow re assessment for possible ASD - do I tell her that there may be 'biological predisposition' - ie me - or will this release a newfound desire to blame the parent?

You cannot state that there may be a biological predisposition within you as no one yet knows what causes ASD.

There is evidence that points at ASD having a genetic cause as some familes have many members with ASD.

No, they won't take your children away. If your DS does have ASD they would be even less likely to 'take him away' as it would cost even more to foster him as a child with ASD.

Why don't you kust listen to what the Paed has to say without trying to 2nd guess what caused it (if he even has it) and what happens next.

Family history is always one of the questions you would be asked anyway, so whether you mention it tomorrow or at your Ds's assessment doesnt really matter I dont think. Although mentioning a family history of ASD will help the proffs to decide the correct DX for him.

In my family there are at least 6 undiagnosed people and some of them have
had mental health issues relating to their undiagnosed difficulties.

Unless children are being abused, neglected or in danger from harm it is unlikely that SS would get involved.

Try not to worry too much although in my experience anxiety is one of the symptoms of ASD.

Be kind to yourself and good luck

I have never been diagnosed with ASD but I was diagnosed 'paranoid schizophrenic' when I was about 17 although nothing ever came of it. I would say that I am ever so slightly ASD but I don't really care - my neurological differences are my strengths - in terms of self-esteem and building a life/career - although this was a long and painful realisation. But I am left with a deep distrust of professionals and am loathe to be honest with them - it has never made things better.

I think if you want to help your DS you will have to be honest with the proffs.

If they think you are being obstructive they are more likely to blame your parenting because they will think you have something to hide.

I am glad that you think that your differences are your strengths but if your ds needs a diagnosis to help him get through the system the you are his advocate and the best person to help him.

You were probably misdiagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic - just like my own son was. To untrained consultants ASD can be wrongly presumed to be PS.

feelingguilty, asd is no-ones fault.

we self referred to a social worker in the children with disabilities team, in order to access services.

just to reiterate what others have said, social workers will not remove your child unless they are being abused or neglected.

in fact, in order to access more respite we like to remind the social work dept that if we dont get it we might not be able to cope! they soon see that a few nights respite a year is a lot cheaper than looking after a child who needs one to one attention...

i dont really trust professionals either. when i think of the personal things i told the psych now, i cringe.

i think its brilliant that you know now that your neurological differences are your strengths.

good luck.

Councils don't want expensive SN kids in care unless the parents are bad enough to cause a daily mail scandal. So you should be fine

My inner cynic agrees with Maria . No way are they gonna wanna spend upwards of £3k a week on keeping your kids in care unless you force them to .

Schizophrenia is almost the opposite of ASD. Pyschosis responds to medication, core ASD doesn't. ALL neurological conditions can be helped by more general therapies such as CBT, ABA and nutrition. The science of how the brain works and develops is still in it's infancy but schizophrenia seems at ths stage to be bio-chemical in origin, whereas it's possible ASD is more to do with brain structure.

One involves the lack of boundaries and almost too much intuitive imagination to a dehabilitating level, the other is characterised by rigidity of thinking to a level that dehabiitates.

He couldn't even fucking pronounce 'Aspergers' - fucking moron masquerading as psychiatrist. I want to use the 'c' word.

I get that the old dear in Tesco's might muddle the two conditions up, but for someone who has allegedly studied enough to qualify as a shrink to make such an error is shocking.

WetAugust the man should be struck off the GMC register or apply for a job with Borat. Neuroscience is in it's infancy but we are supposed to have moved past the changling fairy tale stage ffs.

Twas a bit of a vent wasn't it? [ashamed]. It still comes in waves even after all these years.

No, I'd best not use the 'c' word 'cos I have to go to work tomorrow and may be so comfortable with it I'd use it on the boss - who really does deserve it.

That man left the country to work in the Middle East. Now please tell me - who leaves a well-paid NHS consultant psychiatrist job to work in one of the poorest countries in that area? (we are not talking Dubai etc)

Your Borat comment Boc was not too far from the mark. Romanian trained I believe. You know, the country where until recently they tied orphans to their costs. God knows how they treated those with MH issues.

If he ever comes back to the UK I will take delight in following through.

No - he's still on the GMC specialist register . I think he did receive a word in his ear - he left soon after the mis-dx was confirmed.

A doctor being foreign is no excuse for being incompetent. There are plenty of home-grown useless baggages, and lots of exceptionally talented doctors who have come here for professional opportunities and research (googling great ormond street's consultant list is a good example).

EU doctors are legally considered to be exactly the same as UK doctors, and the GMC isn't allowed to enquire too closely into their qualifications or ability to speak English.

The 'officially' overseas doctors have to pass this difficult medical exam and a university-level English language test including a 'good' on their weakest area (includes listening, speaking, reading, writing)

Not excusing the schizophrenia/Asperger misdiagnosis, wet, just have heard similar stories about this same misdiagnosis made by drs with British passports, first language English and a UK medical degree.

Ignorance, arrogance, stupidity and lack of either listening skills ot basic common sense is seen in far too many drs from all countries.

I refuse to see foreign trained doctors now.

My view is that psychiatry requires an in depth understanding of Bristish society, social norms and background in order to be able to treat British patients. It also requires the standard of English of a native speaker if nuances are to be noticed and there is a danger that if the patient hestitates in answeringbecause the pysch's English is poor that could be misconstrued as a failure to undertand etc etc.

So I'll take my chances with Britsih fuckwit shrinks but I will not go looking for trouble by seeing foreign-trained ones.

Which I think is reasonable given the trauma we were subjected to.

It's a discipline that seems to span the extremes of brilliance and arrogant stupidity far more than some areas. It also allows those with ego-related personality disorders full range to indulge their narcisstic traits in a way straight surgery for instance never could.

I've heard some howlers from doctors trained in the uk. My all time fave was the pead consultant who told me to feed double cream to my dairy intolerant infant to help hm gain weight and then was genuinely shocked when I muttered that cream contains milk. It was my Mum who marched up to the reception desk after that appt to demand that DS was placed in the care of another doctor for future appointments, I think I was too busy laughing hysterically.

There do seem to be some exceptionally thick Drs about. Especially the ones that can't seem to dx meningitis.

Wet, i think pretty much any view would be reasonable after the nightmare you guys had. And I agree psychs need a better standard of spoken English, cultural understanding, etc than a 'physical' doc as the nuances etc are so important.

For you and your DS, the chances of easily mutual understanding are higher with a UK shrink, obviously it makes sense to aim for this. For my aunt, they'd mainly need to be easy to lipread. For ds1 & me, it'd be far more important that they were (for example) sensitive to our religious beliefs and slightly unusual family background.

Just found this. Wet's comment about the psychiatrist not being able to pronounce Asperger's made me laugh.

That is my yardstick for judging whether a professional is worth listening to . Asperger's with a hard "g" always