First time posting on this board/help please

[dogdaysandcatnights]

We are awaiting a CAHMs appointment and joint meeting for possible ASD/ADHD/sensory processing/anxiety - as my 6 year old shows symptoms of them all including PDA.

He has a few other mild things so under a consultant who did the referral to the community team. His vocabulary & academic progress is within normal age expectations & in some areas above.

But emotionally, socially it is evident something is very different.

While we wait his anxiety and ability to cope with normal life seems to be so extreme. Regularly hysterically crying, holding his ears, super sensitive to everything.

This morning I have noticed a nasty bruise & eventually he told me he injured himself on purpose.

So my question is what do I do know? Wait patiently for what could be 6 weeks for the first contact or go to the GP tomorrow to talk about this self harm & ask for help speeding it all up.

Can you phone the Camhs team and find out where he is on the waiting list and mention the new changes to them?

I doubt the gp will be able to do a lot especially if a Camhs referral is already in place

Thank you for replying, feeling quite sad about him hurting himself at 6 years old.

I chased only last week as we had been told we would be given a timeline within 28 days and the referral had not been received (despite the copy of the letter coming to us) so they resent it and said it will be 28 days.

I have taken a picture of the horrid bruise and may phone in the morning and if no luck try GP.

Your son sounds very similar to my own DS6 - currently being assessed for an EHCP... His anxiety is getting increasingly worse but it is manifesting itself as fear (too frightened to go to the toilet\upstairs alone in any environment and sometimes not being able to cope being alone even if I am in sight in the next room)... His self esteem is suffering he calls himself names and I have seen him hit himself... Mentioned this to the ed psych we saw as part of the EHCP assessment and she mentioned CAHMS involvement. In our case I think the stress of not coping at all at school is the root cause and are hoping move him to a more suitable setting that will meet his needs... Wish I could offer some help, but I do feel for you in your situation

Thank you @HornedViper sorry you're going through similar. Have they done a CAHMs referral now?

When I wrote he is fine academically I meant that he is on paper able but getting him to do work is a whole over thread but mostly he is able to access School although would prefer homeschool but I work full time.

I am shocked by his anxiety & desire to hurt himself & the language around that. We have had a better day then yesterday, but so unpredictable & the last week has been the worse I have ever seen him react with symptoms that could fall into many areas, including mental health/sensory symptoms, etc.

Just wanted to quickly say that i have a 7 year old, already diagnosed. Her anxiety was absolutely enormous, due to school. But came out in all sorts of ways. Utterly overwhelming. Sounds a lot like Horned Viper's ds. We moved school (and to be fair by the end she was begging to leave school, so it was clear that was the issue), and she is so so so much better.

Just want to underline that sometimes we try to fix the child but actually fixing the environment is the main useful thing we can do. We are incrediably lucky that we have a suitable special school nearby that she got into.

Just updating GP was amazing & he said he will do all he can to help, he contacted my son's normal consultant (for medical issues) that day who did the original referral & made a referral to CAMHS himself. Now the waiting game, whilst walking on egg shells at home.

Glad you have made some headway with your GP @dogdaysandcatnights

My son is exactly the same, academically able but demand avoidance is so high that he can not be effectively taught in his mainstream school... we were granted an EHCP this week and he has been offered a place at a local Special school (he starts in Sept). He has already visited the school, had a positive experience there and is taking the news about a change in schools like a champ!

We didn't get a CAHMS referral but we are waiting to see what the ed psych reports say... we are hopeful that being educated in a more suitable setting will help ease his anxiety and we have the Summer to regroup and relax (with any luck!)

I hope you get the help and support you need for your family x