ASD assessment and therapy centres in England?

[thisisyesterday]

Hi, does anyone know if such things exist?
I found this place in Ireland, but wondered if there was anything like it in England?
spectrum centre

I am getting increasingly worried about DS1 who is becoming very unhappy, and I want him to get some kind of treatment before this gets worse. CAHMS refuse to help, the paediatrician says she can't recommend anyone....
I think he would benefit from some kind of therapy, maybe CBT? or similar, plus some work on boosting his self-esteem and confidence, but I don't know where to even begin looking.
I was reading a piece earlier that said each child should be assessed to ascertain their individual strengths and weaknesses and then any therapy should be based on that- but where do I find someone to assess him????

if anyone can give me any pointers I would be eternally grateful, we're all so unhappy right now :(

I would highly recommend Francesca degli Espinosa's assessment centre in Southampton.

thank you! am googling now. we're in the south-east, so that would be far easier than a trip to Ireland lol

did you use it yourself?

i know of 2 places - pscion in canterbury and london children parctice centre. pm for prcies

thank you so much :)

zumbaleena, I've pm'd you

Francesca was my consultant, before she set up ths clinic - she is awesome

Does anyone know about such a place a bit further north? (I am in the North East - all this feels a bit far for me, unless for an assessment only)

sickofsocalledexperts... do you have any contact details? I've googled but can't find much?

thank you toughas... am going to e-mail all of these places :)

www.analisicomportamentale.com/abaclinicuk/getting-here

Hope this linky thing works!

ahh brill, thank you :)

he is almost 8. we've never been offered any medication for him.
his paediatrician is lovely, she has a son with aspergers herself so she knows how difficult it is, unfortunately they simply do not have the resources to be able to do anything except listen and point us in the direction of NAS and Autism Sussex. it's shocking really

I kind of feel that the NHS (round here at least) is very much in a state of picking up the pieces rather than focussing on prevention- I guess because of lack of funding, they can only deal with the most severe cases. But I worry that without the right help now, he will be a severe case in a few years time :(

What medication is your son on hotheadpaison? will check out the Huebner books too, thank you :)

It is not true that paediatricians cannot prescribe, they are doctors and can prescribe just as much as psychiatrists can.

Where is that?

Whether you are in Cambridge or anywhere else in the UK, a peadiatrician is a doctor and can prescribe if they wish/feel it is appropriate. (I am a psychiatrist, we often get people making the opposite mistake, thinking that I am a psychologist and therefore cannot prescribe!). Believe me, any doctor registered with the GMC can write a prescription.

I am an adult psychiatrist so would not really like to advise too much about a child (especially one so young). But I know that various antidepressants including Fluvoxamine have been used with good effect for all these kinds of symptoms. Needs to be together with psychological /family interventions too though, as you mention. Benzodiazapines are also used, but I would be very careful to use them only very short term. Is your child on the autistic spectrum?

As long as the medication is a carfully considered element of a full (and well-monitored) care plan and not the only treatment, it could potemtially be very helpful. CBT/mindfulness type techniques should also be part of the plan.