Final CAMHS assessment for MAA

[Needanewadventure2021]

So today was my nearly 9 year old son's final assessment with CAMHS for ASC diagnosis and possible ADHD.

I won't go into the history but I have been battling the majority of his life and it has been one of the most traumatic things I have been through.

As soon as the agencies became involved last July it became easier. It was all so obvious to those assessing him and they have been supportive ever since. However today reminded me of the times when things were not as easy. The times when his difficulties were dismissed.

Today was his final CAMHS assessment. It lasted nearly 3 hours. And it was difficult. My son was put if positions which made him very reactive. For example when discussing his behaviours and his toileting regression and his difficulties with self care and school he got angry and screamed at me for embarrassing him. This made the Dr say he was aware i am talking about him. But of course, he isn't deaf!
Oh and because he can understand my emotions. I said he reacts to me when I am upset but no one else. He doesn't care less when others are upset. But he kept telling me how he can understand emotions.

And as lovely as the Doctor was i couldn't understand him, he couldn't understand me, so there was no way my son understood what was being asked of him. This worries me as how can I be sure his notes are even correct? The communication barrier was so bad and I feel this has put him at a disadvantage. I even had to write down some things for him.

It may sound so little but when you have battled for so long to get your child understood and supported, you work with so many great people who just get him, and then this.

I have a long history of being blamed so it's validating when you have had so many professionals sharing/agreeing with your concerns. I've left all his assessments positive that they see everything I do. Today I feel so deflated and like I am once again being blamed for how my son is, all because he can understand when I am upset and because he reacts to when he is spoken about.

Has anyone else left a CAMHS assessment feeling like this and like you are back to square one?

Anyone?

This made the Dr say he was aware i am talking about him. But of course, he isn't deaf!
Oh and because he can understand my emotions. I said he reacts to me when I am upset but no one else. He doesn't care less when others are upset. But he kept telling me how he can understand emotions.

Sorry, I don’t have a similar experience to relate, but my ds(9) is autistic and understands feelings and knows when he’s being talked about. I can’t believe a doctor would think that tbh, it would be laughable if it weren’t so awful.

It's ridiculous isn't it @openupmyeagereyes it felt like he had a very old fashioned take on neurodiversity.

I'm so tired of battling

I would be tempted to wait and see the results of the assessment and then complain to PALS, or whoever is the right group. It’s a hopelessly outdated opinion.

I'm not going to say anything until I get the outcome. It's a few weeks wait now which is crap. I get on really well with his SALT, OT and Psychiatrist so I may just mention it to them in conversation that it wasn't the easiest for the communication barrier alone. I just hope it doesn't play on my mind until then.

It often feels like it's blow after blow. It's his EHCP panel meeting next week and despite everyone supporting it, I'm trying to set myself up for the decline already. But even though I know it's very likely they will decline, a decline is still going to hit me hard.

He is 9 soon and luckily has a few years in primary to go, but I am so scared if he is without support for secondary school. It will be hell. (Pretty much how it is now)