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Original poster

Aspergers Diagnosis

19 replies

scubawoman · 07/04/2004 10:36

Boy am I glad to have found this site!
I've spent ages going through previous posts, which have proved very informative and helpful - nice not to feel so alone!
I just need to ask how other people have had their children diagnosed with Aspergers. We have been given a diagnosis for our son who is nearly 9 by a paediatrician, but a couple of days later had to go and see CAMHS, and it was implied he doesn't have it. Apparently there didn't appear to be any social communication issues (as there weren't that day my son having had the wind put up him at the mention of childrens' homes - not by us I hasten to add!). From what I can gather whilst the rest of us were sent out of the room he did the Sally Anne test (which I only just asked him thanks to an earlier posting). I think he got that right - is he too old for it? I think he might have also have been shown some expressions - we have been working on this for the past year or so - silly me for trying to help, as I think he got those right too!
Anyway just to wrap up my ramblings - is there a definitive test?
Wish me luck - I'm off to Chessington World of Adventures now to let my son offend and be offended a few more times LOL.

OP posts:
dinosaur · 07/04/2004 10:40

Nice to meet you scubawoman.

No direct experience to help I'm afraid as my DS was diagnosed much younger (3.5) with high-functioning autism.

What is CAMHS? And why did it/them imply that the diagnosis was incorrect? And where did the reference to children's homes come from?

Original poster
scubawoman · 07/04/2004 11:00

That was a swift reply - thanks!
I think CAMHS is Child and Adult Mental Health Services or something along those lines.
The childrens' home ref came from the CAMHS doctor in his intro (in front of our 2 children). He said that their were 4 tiers and we were at tier 3 - tier 1 being health visitor, school nurse involvement and tier 4 being childrens' home, special schools and hospitilisation. I've been waiting 2 weeks for a follow up report so cannot enlighten further - suffice to say it didn't feel like a very fruitful meeting. On a positive note I did go and see my sons headmistress afterwards to let her know what had happened as she had done the referral for us, and when she chased him up found him to be very rude and arrogant - nice to know it wasn't just us!

OP posts:
dinosaur · 07/04/2004 11:02

Hmmm...he sounds like his own social and communication skills are a bit lacking!

Enjoy Chessington and keep posting.

mrsforgetful · 07/04/2004 11:08

Hi scubawoman- know exactly what you mean about the fact that due to your good work at home with social skills etc means that the child can pass tests that would have failed if you hadn't been working on it all! (does that make sense???!)

coppertop · 07/04/2004 11:12

Hi there, Scubawoman. Welcome to Mumsnet.

My ds1 (3.9yrs) was given a preliminary diagnosis of AS by a Paediatrician. After a full assessment by the multi-disciplinary team we were just told that he was at the higher end of the spectrum.

I'm fairly sure that there's no definitive test for AS. It's just a case of observing the child and looking for the sometimes subtle differences. Jimjams would know for sure but I think the Sally-Anne test is designed to be passed at around 5yrs old.

I'd be more inclined to stick with the original diagnosis. At least with that you can (theoretically at least!) gain access to the help and services you need, eg statementing.

I know what you mean about when you teach your child something and then think "Now they'll think that he could do it all along!" I had a similar dilemma about speech therapy. The only reason we got into the system in the first place was because ds1 didn't speak until he was 3yrs old. We did a lot of work with him at home to teach him about language and communication so I worried that this would work against us at his assessment. Luckily it didn't.

mrsforgetful · 07/04/2004 11:13

COPPERTOP!!!!!!Fancy meeting you again!!!!

coppertop · 07/04/2004 11:14

That doctor sounds like a complete @rse!

coppertop · 07/04/2004 11:14

MrsF! Fellow stalker!

dinosaur · 07/04/2004 11:15

Scubawoman - just in case you're wondering - these two are always like this! They're harmless really!

coppertop · 07/04/2004 11:19

Sorry Scubawoman. It's just that everytime one of us posts on Mumsnet, the other one seems to there at the same time. We have this theory that either we're stalking each other or that we're the same person with a split personality!

mrsforgetful · 07/04/2004 11:37

scubawoman- the thing about COPPERTOP,DINOSAUR,MARYZ,DAVROS,EULAIA,JIMJAMS....to name but a few ..... with a risk of offending hundreds for not mentioning them too!!! ....is that whenever i have a problem i know that if i post on here one of them will either sympathise or offer advice......you even get to know who will be likely to reply- it is fantastic .

There have been times lately when i have cried walking home from the school at 9am - and with each step i have thought-"i'll post this problem on MN"

Coppertop and I share a very 'odd' sense of humour....and we do seem to 'appear' at the same time!

I have been on MN nearly a year and feel so grateful to know that 'all of us ' are out there- miles apart- together in heart.

Davros · 07/04/2004 14:13

sacubawoman, if poss I would steer well clear of any mental health profs and try to see psychologist and dev paed. Personally I would also avoid psychotherapy-type services or at least think very long and hard about whether this is for you, your child and family. IMHO they can cause havoc. There are no definitive tests for any ASDs, diagnosis is all done by observation of behaviours.
BTW, I have an 8.5 year old son with "classic" ASD who was diagnosed at 2 and a sister who has Aspergers who is 47! I also have a cousin who has 2 daughters, both NT, and one son who has ASD very similar to my own son.
Jimjams is missing for the short term as they have gone off in the Grand Behemoth (motorhome) for a holiday but she says they may return sooner than expected, all depending....... bet they're having a great time!

Chocol8 · 07/04/2004 16:12

I have never heard of the Sally Anne test, what is it? My ds (6.5) AS was diagnosed by a paed consultant at the hospital and he used a questionnaire in the Tony Attwood book. Is there a link I could look at re Sally Anne please?
Thanks, and sorry to butt into your query Scubawoman!

binkie · 07/04/2004 16:30

There's a description on this thread - see Jimjams's message 1st March at 6.56 pm. Sorry can't find a real link.

Chocol8 · 07/04/2004 20:56

Thanks binkie, I will try it with my ds tomorrow - it will be interesting, seeing as he has been diagnosed with AS....!

Original poster
scubawoman · 08/04/2004 14:04

Thanks for the replies.
I got the report back from the 'consultant psychiatrist' today - taken it with a pinch of salt, as he obviously hadn't even been in the same meeting as us.............come to think of it he had very poor eye contact and lack of empathy..........mmmmmmmmmm makes me start wondering!!!!!!

OP posts:
mrsforgetful · 08/04/2004 16:46

!!!!

p.s thanks davros for explaining jimjams absence!!! Amazing what i find to worry about!

Davros · 08/04/2004 17:39

I respect psychiatrists but I don't think they're the right people for children (or adults come to that) with developmental disorders. If mental health problems arise from those (untreated or undetected?) disorders then that may be another story but psychiatry is quite a different area imho. I worked in the Academic Psychiartry dept of UCL/Royal Free for a while and a number of the senior staff didn't make eye contact with us underlings...!! One was even an Arsenal supporter (see other threads)

maryz · 08/04/2004 19:13

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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