DS2 may have SN. Please read

[AnnaLiza]

Hi, this is my first time posting under SN. I need some advice please.
DS2 is 9 years old. He's always been a very difficult child since I can remember. As a toddler he used to hold his breath when he got into a rage and he would pass out.
He's always got very bored easily and has never learnt how to entertain himself. Clearly when he was younger this was less strange than it appears to be now. Anyway, his behaviour has got much worse since his little brother was born in February and I'm convinced more than ever that something is not quite right. This is what he's like:
Anxieties and fears:
fear of being kidnapped (won't wait outside by himself in public toilets)
fear of someone hiding in cupboards or burglars coming in (won't be alone on any floor in the house)
Fears being taken from back of car.
Fear of being left by his parents (not be collected from birthday party or sport class)

Has been pulling out chunks of hair. He says he does it when he's upset or sad.

Thinks people are laughing at him and judging him. Is overly concerned with what other people think of him. Feels everyone is picking on him. Is worried about being ridiculed or making a fool of himself in front of people.

Has regular outbursts of anger, feels no one understands him and everyone thinks he's the baddy. Can become verbally abusive.

Difficulties socialising. Very few friendships. Falls out with the few friends he has. Does not give people breathing space.

Obsessive interests. Accents in languages, airplanes and now being rich and having a large house/car. Doesn't understand that other people are not interested and keeps talking about it.

Rituals and habits - waking up very early. Making sure he's not late for school. Needs to check that the adult in charge knows what to do e.g. check they know which way to go.

Disturbed sleep and sleepwalking.

Gets bored very easily and wants to be entertained all the time or he requires attention from an adult. If an adult doesn't give him the attention he requires he starts behaving badly and doesn't stop until it all escalates.

Can someone please tell me if he exhIbits signs of ASD? We have an appointment to discuss this with our GP.

Many thanks.

Some of the things you list may be due to ASD, but TBH, you are doing the right thing seeing your GP. You should list everything as above and take a copy with you to the GP and don't leave until you have a referral, preferably to a developmental paed, otherwise to CAMHS. You need an expert to see your DS. All we can do here is guess and that won't be useful to you. HTH

Thanks for your reply. Why is a developmental paed better? I can see how getting a referral is going to be a struggle...

i think developmental pead is more likely to look at whether he has a condition such as ASD than CAMHS who I think sometimes look more at the symptoms eg anxiety and try and assign a cause, maybe looking at parenting and family dynamics as well as possible conditions. I dont have a lot of experience with CAMHS but this is the impression I get from others who have been down this route.

Yes, I agree with Cansu. If it is ASD, then it's not a mental health issue and CAMHS can get a bit of tunnel vision sometimes. But in some areas CAMHS is the diagnostic route.

CAMHS actually do dx in some areas.... So don't discount CAMHS ... In some areas this is exactly who you should be seeing.
Ds was given dx of aspergers/ hfa / dyspraxia by CAMHS here in Cheshire. Waiting list humongous though .

Try and find out what the diagnostic pathway is in your area - that way you can make sure you get the most appropriate referal from your gp.

Thank you do much got your posts. Is there any chance of using our bloody expensive medical insurance to be seen? He's fine with learning and has always hit his developmental milestones.
It's the bad temper, the attention seeking, the anxieties and all the other things I've discussed above that worry me. When he was younger I put them down to immaturity but the older he gets the more difficult it is to think this is not pathological in some way.

I have OCD but have only realised after DS3, so a few months ago, believe it or not. The post partum psychosis was such that one day I started reading on the Internet and self diagnosed. I've realised I've always had it and that my mum probably has it too. I had no idea that this what DS2 could have because ASD seemed more plausible but now that you've said it, of course it would make sense.
I've been meaning to speak to my GP about my OCD but haven't got round to yet.
What do I do now?

Thank you.