we have a camhs meeting today for dx...

[PedanticPanda]

This is when they'll tell us if he meets enough of the criteria for a dx or not, I'm so worried that they'll say no and he'll have no support at all.

Has anyone got any advice on coping with not getting the answer you wanted?

Any questions I should ask?

Or even just a little handhold would be really appreciated!

Support is supposed to be given on a needs basis as oppose to a dx, so in theory no dx should not stop support.

As for questions, have they told you what the dx is likely to be? Ds received his dx from a CDC and i was told beforehand that they strongly suspected a dx of Autism.

and good luck of course

Just come to hand hold for you and sending some encouragement down the internet wires.
On our dx meeting although they asked if I had any questions they specifically arranged another meeting shortly afterwards so that I had time to think up questions for them. I had been expecting DSs dx, it was a bit of a foregone conclusion from the way that the dx process went, but it was still hard to have someone else say it and all questions zoomed straight out my head.

Handholding here as well.

We will be in the same position soon. DSD has one last appointment in September to do the ADOS and then we will get feedback.

I am sitting in a CAMHS waiting room whilst my son has an autism assessment - though this is the start of the process. So thinking of you. I already have a DS with an autism diagnosis. He was 14 and with us when we had the meeting and we actually had to ask specifically if they were saying he had autism because they were just saying 'social and communication difficulties' maybe because they didn't want to say the 'A' word in front of him. Claw is right - support should be based on need not diagnosis. Even if DS3 doesn't get a diagnosis he will need support. And sadly having a diagnosis is not a guarantee of support as our experiences with DS2's schools have shown us.

all I can say is dont let them fob you off and blame it on something else, if your gut instinct is saying that he needs support and maybe a diagnosis then push for it. I had the experience of having to battle with the CAMHS here to get my son the support he needed. Dont back down and accept their first answer, get things double checked and keep going back.. HTH

Good luck and holding your hand x

If he doesnt receive a dx he is still there for a reason so once they have told you their thoughts on the matter immediately ask what they propose or suggest to do next to help him.

I would go home and give yourself time to absorb it all and if after a day or so you have received the report and are not happy or are in any doubt about their decision then you are entitled to request a second opinion.

I hope it all goes well for you :)

Hi all, sorry for the late update, I've had no Internet at home. We got to the appointment and they'd said they'd made a mistake and forgot to send me out a letter to say they'd rescheduled the appointment

I pressed for some kind of feedback and they said it was difficult to tell as he's a complex little boy. Tthe developmental history I'd given him and the report from his school teacher point to ASD, but when they had an observation of him he seemed like a lovely boy and they enjoyed being in his company. They said they'd made jokes that he didn't understand and seemed fixated on building a bridge but was polite and made eye contact.

I personally think his eye contact is awful and his teacher agrees, but on his good days he makes eye contact but we've spent so long teaching him to remember to "look at peoples eyes for a long time when you're talking to them" so remembers this on his good days.

They said that if he doesn't tick enough boxes then he doesn't which I disagree with to an extent - why would a 2nd opinion show a different answer for instance? And why is the dsm revised and new versions introduced if that's the be all and end all and can't be argued with? On his good days he's great, on his bad days we've seen him excluded from school and being restrained by 2 teachers...

So I need to wait until Wednesday for their decision but I feel they'll say no dx due to his 20 minute observation, but how could they ignore opposing views from his parents and school who spend far more than 20 minutes with him?

oh I am sorry you have been all worked up for nothing x

I will give you a reason that a second opinion can show a different answer. He needs to be seen by a multi disiplinary team not just for 20 minutes either.

Dont despair if they dont dx your son they are in a way as they are saying he is complex. That is an excuse to say they dont know and are not experienced enough to work it out.

I had the complex dx and was told to get ds hair cut for concentration and told I am doing well just keep at it. That was because DS willingly let the psych pull him harsh toward him (he hates light touch not heavy!) he gave him eye contact (he stares into and through the back of the skull to anyone new and strange) and he was friendly............A second op by a correct team of people revealed DS had Aspergers and co morbids of ADHD, SPD, Tourettes to go with it. If youre instinct says different then dont give in x

Panda, sorry you had a wasted visit.

I am very dubious about CAMHS dxing and personally feel its a bit more involved than 'ticking boxes'. Ds was under CAMHS when he received his dx from a child development centre, if left to CAMHS i feel sure ds would never have received a dx.

Ds is a polite, well behaved and very passive little boy who quite enjoys the company of adults. On our first CAMHS appointment and subsequent appointmnets (they were not assessing for dx) i was asked several times 'what makes you think he has Autism' and told 'we havent seen any signs of Autism'. As they got to know ds, the 'symptoms' might have become more obvious to them or they might not have, i dont know.

But ds was assessed by a SALT who specialises in ASD at the child development centre at the same time i had the comments from CAMHS and it was blantantly obvious that he had Autism during his assessment.

Seen as autism is a speech, language and communication disorder, it made perfect sense that ds should be assessed by a SALT who specialises in ASD.

I would also add that during this assessment which i watched through a 2 way mirror, i was quite shocked to see just how autistic ds became. This SALT really knew how to bring out his 'weaknesses' which ds could hide quite well.

Well today is finally the big day where we'll find out about a dx or not. So many stories I've read on these boards are so similar to mine, especially yours claw and coffee, have yous any advice about getting a second opinion if I'll need to ask? Who would I get the 2nd opinion from?

Camhs also had a trainee clinical psychologist (who really didnt sound like he had a clue) on their team, does that mean he's seen a multidisciplinary team already?

Thanks x

Good luck for today, hope it goes well :)

Thanks starfish!

Oh pedantic, - you REALLY don't want coff and claw's stories!

Hope you made a breakthrough today that gives you an easier path!

Hope all went well today

Just back from camhs, they gave him his dx, and said that his level of intellectual functioning is low. I really wasn't expecting it after last weeks appointment.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/special_needs/1551876-My-son-has-just-been-dx-with-an-ASD

Thought you might appreciate a link to your current thread, Pedantic. X

Glad you got an answer today, hard as it must be. :(

Give yourself time for it all to sink in. This board has been great support for me, even when I don't post often. x