going to see clinical psychologist today, nervous....

[aefondkiss]

we are going as a family, so dh, myself, dd (6) and ds (4) have an appointment, it is just nerve wracking.

anyone else been as a family?

my ds still has no dx, but maybe we will by next week as we see the consultant paed for the second time....

I think I am appointment phobic.

ds had OT assessment on Tuesday, which was such a good experience because the OT was lovely, really was good at bonding with ds and putting me at my ease.

only seen an ed psych, not a clin psych, so no useful experience. the appointments (especially where there's a possibility of dx) are ghastly and nervewracking, however nice the prof involved, I think the "phobia" is pretty normal.

best wishes for the appointment!

We have been seeing a clinical psychologist for DD's feeding problems for about 3 yrs now, which DD has been making very slow progress in. I was very nervous to start with but not so much now.

How did it go?

We've seen a Clin Psych as part of the autism assessment team where we are. She observed with the S&L lady and nursery nurses and did the diagnostic interview with us (without DS). She was fine as there is something for DS to do there, our paed is useless as DS goes berzerk stuck in her boring office not allowed to touch anything. Next time I will suggest we stay in the waiting room where he is happy playing!

it went better than I expected, my ds was very agitated because he has decided he doesn't want to poo, ever.

but the psychologist was lovely and positive... we do have to go back, he wants to observe my son at nursery, after the school hols, then at home on the same day, then have a play based assessment, with all the team behind a mirror, so it is all ongoing... and see us on our own at some point too.

he was not saying he was ready to dx, wanted to get to know ds a bit better, and see how much progress he makes over the holidays.. he talked about speech and language disorders causing (my words not his) autistic traits or something like that... but still wouldn't say ds is/isn't on the spectrum basically.... next week we have the scary consultant paed, then I can breathe for a while I suppose.

It is interesting that he wants the team behind the window.... This usually means a whole team assessment. This is what they usually do in an ASD assessment. I hope you are not too upset or devastated if the team eventually come back with an ASD. I have a ds who is ASD and I would not swap him for the world.

candlewax - ds is under a multi-disciplinary team now,

I will be upset, but I have been trying to come to terms with all this for nearly two years, I am getting over the hurt now, I think, but I know when/if a dx happens I will be upset again, just now ds is getting lots of support and I know he is progressing, so it is a positive time for us, irrespective of him getting a dx...

glad it went OK, sounds like we are in a similar position reur boys in that noone is quite sure yet with DS whether it's the language issues causing social difficulties.

it is limbo is it not, TotalChaos? is your ds under multi-disciplinary team?

I think the professionals involved are trying to make you aware of the possibilities, but without actually giving you anything concrete to go on, before going to see the psych I was getting myself ready for a dx of an ASD... now I am just happy he is getting help... though sometimes I feel my family are lab rats for all the professionals.

he's only under SALT, I demanded a paed follow up appointment which I hope will actually happen! I completely expected a HFA diagnosis in April, threw all my planning out that he didn't get it tbh!

Oh it drives me mad what a postcode lottery it is, the whole diagnosis thing. I feel very lucky where we are, we have specialist autism assessment units for preschoolers, older kids and this year one for adults opened here too.
Aefondkiss, I found researching the condition really helpful in coming to terms with the idea, meant that even if DS hadn't got a DX the same approaches would be helpful in handling him. I did most of my crying a year ago when I finally came to the decision to ask GP for referral. We eventually got the DX last month and I did a little crying but mostly because it signified a watershed in our lives, the end of the fantasy that he might just grow out of it. I'm really pleased with the DX (AS) as it opens so many doors for DS and lets me and DH start forgiving ourselves (and DS LOL) for the hard time we've had coping.

I agree with Buckets. If and it's only an if, the verdict is ASD, it is much better than living with the questions - 'Why is DS1 so different? Why does nothing that other parents do work? Why is all the well meaning advice useless? etc etc

I think I am past the why stage, and the well meaning advice hasn't really registered much, the family denial thing is in the past too.

I know my son is different, I know he needs as much help as is available - salt, ot, one to one at nursery, plus he has early years support teacher etc, I have even applied for dla - I suppose I reckon a dx is almost immaterial atm, maybe it would be different if he wasn't getting the support?