ASD and CAMHS questions

[yellowmelon]

Hi have namechanged as don't want to be recognised by teachers/friends etc.
My ds is being referred to CAMHS. We were told by paed when he was much younger that he thought he had AS but he still has no dx.
mY QUESTIONS ARE:

Who can diagnose AS, ASD?

What will CAMHS do? Can they diagnose or are they just there to help?

Has anyone here got a private dx? Any recommendations?

Sorry if they've been asked loads of times before!!

Dr Daphne Keen is good for a private diagnosis, as she does private but is also a bigwig in the NHS (at St George's Hospital Tooting). I have not had any involvment with CAMHS, but the main people who can diagnose autism are paediatricians, often in the special needs section of your local hospital.

thanks - is she based in London then?

Yes, she works in Central London and you can book a private appointment by ringing her at st george's tooting and askign for her private diary I think. She gave us an ASD diagnosis in 2 hours, with no fuss and some careful observation of DS and questions for us. It would have taken 3 years under the NHS!

Thank you!