ASD - How old were you DC when they got a diagnosis?

[Frasersmum123]

And how long did it take?

dd1 was 2.8 when we got her dx (ASD).

She had been in the system officially since she was 17 months old (first appt with community paed at 20 months) but I had been going to hv's with my concerns since she was about 10 months old (but wasn't taken seriously until we moved, then new hv listened and referred her on straight away at 17 months)

My ds was dx at 3yrs 5mths but he saw his first professional (a SALT) at 2yrs old. We also saw a community paed. when he was about 2.5yrs old who immediately referred ds to the paed. team at the hospital. We didn't have to push for his dx at all, his nursery teacher did it all for us and the process was surprisingly straightforward: my ds was observed as part of the ADOS process and then the following week, we had the ADI after which we got his dx. However, in my ds's case, it was a clear-cut case because he was non-verbal (still is at 6yrs old), understood very little and had challenging behaviours - all of which is still true because he also has SLD.

DS1 was 3.2.

I first spoke to my HV about my concerns when he was 22 months and she did a SALT referral. We saw the SALT when he was 2.2, the community paed when he was 2.4 and another SALT visit when he was 2.4. His speech delay was evident but the ASD traits were all very subtle and he presented some very non ASD ones as well so it was a wait and see thing. The SALT came again when he was 2.8 and his language had exploded. I had cancelled a community Paed appt which came through somewhere around that time as the first Paed had made me feel dreadful.

The SALT rang me when he was about 2.11 and persuaded me to try it again and they said they wanted me to get a referral for a multi-disicplinary (which they do to assess ASD and other disorders in this area). I was really shocked at the suggestion as DS1 had really blossomed but I still had a few nagging doubts. The wait for the appt was less than 8 weeks once they had got the referral and I think in our area they aim for a max of 12 week wait.

DS was 11, we waited 2 years to see CAMHS psych.

DS2 was 2.5 when he was dx. We voiced our concerns to HV when he was 9 months about him being "different" but were told just to stop comparing ds2 to ds1 (who done everything really quickly).

ds2 failed alot of the "markers" at 2 year check, and HV finally referred him. DX was pretty quick, but thatw as because doctor who done dx was changing hospitals, and he wanted to help us before he went, rather than do have a job.

DS was 5. However we did not enter the system until he started school, so the diagnosis was very swift (6 months) for us.
I realised he was different by around 1yr old, but no one took us seriously as he was verbal.

Ds1 was 3.5yrs old. It took a year to get from a referral for SALT at 2yrs old to actual therapy but once the SALT made the referral to the Paed it was relatively quick. The Paed appointment was 3mths later and the multi-disciplinary assessment and official dx was 3mths after that. So, 6mths from referral to Paed or a total of 18mths if you include the wait for SALT.

With ds2 it was very fast, mainly because the pro's working with ds1 were keeping an eye on him. At around 16mths he was referred to the Paed, who agreed that he had all the traits of ASD. The multi-disciplinary assessment and provisional dx came within about a week of his 2nd birthday.

ds was nearly 11

DX was last week and he is 2.6 - it was private we are still waiting on the appointment on the nhs.

For those of you who went private, can I ask how you went about it, and (if you dont mind ) how much it cost.

I was given a link to the National Autistic Society by a lovely MNer, I phoned them, they passed me on to an excellent specialist semi-local to me.

To do the DX 100% through her would have been £900. We cant afford that so she was so kind she actually did it all and DX him for free but it isnt "on the books" - for that we are waiting for the NHS. But he is most definitely and obviously ASD and it is as good as done IYKWIM. It helped us tremendously as he is so hard to cope with much of the time and it reassured what I knew in my self and has given me courage to carry on.

My ds was 2.11 via the chld development centre.

DS was 6. It was first raised in pre-school that things weren't quite right, but he slipped through the net. The school picked it up, and once they'd made the referral via the SENCO, the appt came through in a matter of weeks.

I was dx'd last September, aged 41. I went to see my GP in the April, so it took 5 months. But that was an NHS appointment, I was fortunate that there is a centre of expertise for adults practically on my doorstep!

DS1 was 13, DS2 was 10 when dx came through. The process started about 16 months before with a visit to CAMHS. They spotted the possibility of an ASD. Neither primary nor secondary spotted it.

Ds was 8 but had been in the system since 3 and was first referred at 2. I wish now we had gone privatly. We waited 4 years to see Camhs (after several administrative errors)

ds1 was 2 and a half, ds2 was about 3.

long assessment process, but I seem to recall autism being mentioned very early on. They don't rush to a formal diagnosis though.

DS was 2.7. We'd realised there was a problem just before his second birthday and were referred then. It felt like it took forever to get the dx but reading this it seems like it was normal, or even on the quick side.

I always thought ds was unusual, even as a baby, but it wasn't until he joined nursery before he was 3, when all around realised he had difficulties as well. He got diagnosed just after 3 1/2 years. I now realise how lucky he was to get into the 'system' so early on, I don't think I could have done it on my own.

A private dx can cost between £500 and £1000, but not all schools take any notice of private dx's (grr).

Ds1 was 7, he is 20 now, and doing so well, [proud mummy emoticon], it took 2 years from first appoointment till dx with aspergers.
Ds2 was 5, and the entire process took 6 months, although I had concerns since nursery, but there was no referral to the correct team for a long time. He was dxed after 3 appointments with asd. Ds3 was 2 when informally dxd by paed with asd, and psychologist at 2.7 also with asd. He was privately dxed with autism at around this time, who was shocked that he had been so underdiagnosed and said he presented very classically. He was then refferred to consult psych, who dxed him after 2 appointments with classic autism. With ds3 there was alot of trauma, and alot of arguements with so-caled professionals at the cdc. One health visitor would have shouting arguements with me, and bellowed at my dh that ds was definately not autistic, I got a reputation as a nutcase who just wanted her sons to be all autistic. It was a very difficult time. I have now recieved apologies, but I now suffer from anxiety attacks and have not got over the awfulness of it.
But atleast it is all done and dusted now.

Ps, private dx was with Dr Keene and cost around £1,000. Dh did it on bupa.

Dd got dx at 7. Took 5 years of being told defintely no to then eventually getting the dx!

Dd1 got her dx at 4.9, she was refered when she was 2.5, we are waiting for dd2's dx, she was refered at 2.1, shes now 2.11.

My dd was 2.1 when she was diagnosed, she was referred at 21 months to community paed. I was really surprised to get a diagnosis so quickly as had been warned it would take longer.