aspergers syndrome diagnosis?

[cac04]

Hello ladies! Me again talking about AS. dd, nearly 4, been recommended for assessment for possible AS. Brought to my attention by his school teacher and by our nanny, both been wanting to talk to me for a while. I must admit, am becoming obsessed with it and am rather worried! My question is: do you know what the procedure for assessment and/or diagnosis is, and how long does it take? As many of you have said - thank you for your info! - you've been there, and you know how tough it is waiting! Thank you muchly. xx

Hi

DS1, who is 6, is undergoing assessment at present. This has taken the following form:

*referral from GP in January
*appointment with community paediatrician in March
*referral from there to SALT, OT and developmental paediatrician at the hospital
*appointment with the paediatric consultant in June and referral to CAMHs

• I understand that OT and SALT appointments should start in Sept/Oct
• we have an appointment with CAMHS in August to discuss support but assessment via ADI could take another 6 months

It's a long process and a multi-disciplinary one but it's right that it should be so (although could do without the waiting lists!) as labels should not be given out lightly!

In the meantime, we've talked to school about support too. DS1 is doing well academically but it's the social skills side of things which get overlooked as teachers, understandably, concentrate on basic literacy/numeracy skills at this age.

Anyway, hope that helps!

Hi Cac04

Depending where you are, you may have to wait for a diagnosis for your ds until he's a little older. Some paeds are reluctant to give a formal written diagnosis of Aspergers until they are 7 or so. This is not to say that your ds won't recieve help. My ds has a diagnosis of social communication difficulties and will be assessed for Aspergers at 7. However, we are being supported (SALT, CAMHS, OT, Physio, Early Support, Ed Psych).

HTH

Hi Girls. That begins to put it all into perspective! xx

my ds is 4 in nov, first saw SALT jan 08, paed jun 08, nov 08, mar 09. physio for clumsiness jul 08 - shoes sorted. now going to have an 3Di interval in aug. was told initially likely ASD, last meeting will be asperger, but did not feel he needed a dx yet. Worrying about the whole school thing! but i know it runs in my family.

ps. assessments have just been seeing him at nursery, and at the hospital a few sort of games to see what he does, and tests to see his understanding, e.g. put the bear under the chair (could not do, till this year). shape sorter, now his an expert at that.

for me it has been a case of having a psychiatrist suggest I may have Aspergers in March; a referral sought from my GP in July for an appointment with an Aspergers expert, who happens to live in the same city as me, and looking at a (as yet to be confirmed) private (c.£1000) diagnosis in September this year.