referral to Camhs (aspergers)

[XandaPanda]

Took my son to see the Doctor today as I am concerned about some of his behaviour / traits.
I didn't think anything of how my son is until 2 separate people I know that work with children with Aspergers , They both picked up/noticed separate things that they say are main signs for aspergers and they both suggested that I should go to the doctors in regards to there concerns and to take a list of what my son likes/dislikes which I did and now my son has been referred to Camhs (never heard of them before)
and even though the doctor did not seem overly concerned he also didn't seem in the slightest bit interested.
How long will it take for an appointment & what is Camhs & do I need to do anything specific etc ...
So confused , I'm hoping you lovely Mnetters can put my mind at rest .
I know the referral is a good thing and would explain so much about my son (4 years old) , I just thought I was a bad parent , Sorry for rambling any advice/info would be great

CAMHS stands for Child and Mental Health Service :)

It can take a while for a referral to go through and then there is ususally an assessment which is a lengthy 2hr appointment where they go through your sons milestones met or not met etc so its best to look at a few pictures, videos etc to jog memory.

If at that point they decide to refer further you may be referred to what they call their Multi Disiplinary Team for assessment. Usually you are given a batch of forms to fill in regarding behaviours etc to send back for them to score. They visit school and observe sometimes or home if the child is at home.

It takes a while as with waiting lists nothing happens in a hurry.

What you can do in the meantime is keep a diary of events. One for home listing an issue if your concerned, how you dealt with it and what was the outcome afterwards. You could request a Home/School Book from his school telling them that he is having an assessment and any issues or information would be appreciated to show to the relevant people doing the assessment.

Good luck x