CAMHS want to do a home visit, is this usual?

[jenk1]

dd was at CAMHS today with the consultant psych.

it went well, she had another senior doctor in with her (she asked us permission for this and we said yes, DH said it was in case i kicked off ), she was very thorough,

she asked what did we think of other professionals who think dd,s problems arent as severe as what we say.

so i said well we,ve been here before with DS, and children DO present differently in different situations dont they?

(thought that was quite diplomatic for me!)

so, she wants to observe dd in nursery, she wants to speak to the paed and see if they can come up with a plan for dd,s toileting problems and if not approach nursery and tell them to give her space and time.

and she wants to do a home visit when dd gets home from nursery.

that has unnerved me a little, i didnt think CMAHS did home visits, i said to DH is it cos she doesnt believe what we are telling her?

I don't know about home visits, but CAMHS were prepared to come to ds's school and accompany us to a park in order to observe ds and then propose strategies to help with his aggressive behaviour.

Personally, I think it is a positive thing that they want to observe her in different environments. Then you have professional evidence of how she acts in these different situations. This will come in useful when you apply for a statement. If it was me, I would suggest lots of other places they could observe my child, especially at the supermarket. Then I would throw in a few small changes in environment and routine, and show them my ds's meltdowns.
Sorry, gone of on a tangent, I would relax about the home-visit.
Hope everything goes ok.

We had a home visit for J's first assessment, although the outcome was inconclusive. Even so, the paed got more information from that visit than the school observations, as he was more 'himself' at home and not holding himself back. It helped that I told him it was 'Mam's friend N popping in for coffee on her way home from work' because he just treated her as any other visitor.

We had home visits from the psych from the CDC, also clinic & pre school observations.
She said that a home visit gives the most true perspective of a childs usual behaviour, ds2 was his normal self & the psych added him to his caseload.

My ds2 was so crazy on our first appointment with them in their office. Hitting, opening things, switching stuff on/ off. Scaling their shelving, trying to break their computer. They felt sorry for me taking him there with his little sis and all the appointments have been at home and they have been fantastic. They have been really lovely and supportive.

thanks for all the messages, i guess im feeling a little paranoid after everything that we have been through with ds and how dd has been passed from hospital to hospital.

i truly hope they will see her how she is, yesterday in the clinic she was shy at first but not for long, she bit DH,s elbow and kept pinching his cheek, she was hyper and we feel they did see a bit of how she is, nursery claim that she is extremely well behaved and they have no concerns (thats why she,s been with the senco all day for the last few weeks them ) but at least if they do a home visit they will see her in her own environment.

the only feedback we got yesterday from the consultant was hmm yes she,s very determined isnt she.

you can say that again!