Recommendations for child psychiatrist / clinical psych for ASD diagnosis assessment

[TigerLightBurning]

Hi, we have got the go-ahead from Bupa to get a pysch assessment for my 3 year old but I am not sure about who to go to. We are based in North Hampshire but could travel. I would be very grateful for your recommendations.

We have seen an NHS paed (said the CP would have to diagnose ASD, he diagnosed social communication difficulties) but the psychologist seems to have been made redundant with no replacement!

How long should I expect to wait for an appointment? What do they do? What if the child is not co-operative?

Thanks for your help

Hi, just bumping this up. I am still confused about which way to go, and who to go to. Has anyone seen Imogen Newsom-Davis? Dr Richard Fry?

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Daphne Keen. Gillian Baird. Consultant neuro peads not shrinks but very well respected.

GOSH do private assessments - that would be my preferred choice as they do a multi-displinary cahms led assessment, so easing the route back into local NHS services afterwards.

Or contact the NAS for local rec's.

Hi, can i ask you how you managed to get tjis agreed with bupa- need the same n was thinking of contacting bupa. Thanks
Someone recommrnded David Urani

We saw an nhs paed, got a referral to a clinical pysch. I phoned Bupa sent them the report, they said they would fund only 2 assessments with a psychologist or psychiatrist not a paed as we already had the paed report. So no Daphne Keen.

Why is nothing ever easy? I spoke with a Clinical Psychologist who was very nice and honest. The usual at this age generally we prefer the wait and see approach as they don't want to diagnose anyone with it who doesn't have it. I can sort of see where they are coming from but then you get all the Early Intervention is key stuff, surely it is better in that respect to risk a false positive? Are medical doctors more likely to diagnose than psychologists?

There don't seem to be many options where I live.

It just seems odd that there are so many variances in how it gets diagnosed.

Should I just leave it for now and wait till he is a bit older? I don't know.