Is autism an mental health issue?

[AngryWasp]

Sorry if I'm being dense but it is a physical disability, so why are CAMHS sometimes involved, or does autism 'cause' mental health.

I don't geddit. I suppose I have this to come?

Unless he starts displaying behaviours that require the input of CAMHS such as OCD, anxiety etc then that is it Star

Ongoing management is through the educational system by proactively teaching those 'life skills' which, because of ASD, don't come naturally to child.

That's why it's so important to get the correct educational placement with adequate and specific support.

TBH - you don't want ASDs anywhere near CAMHS. ASDs tend to learn by example / copying. Siz months in a CAMHS unit alongside self-harming / anorexic / depressed psychotic children did nothing for my Aspie son - just totally horrified and confused him raised an awful lot of questions from him as to why other children behaved that way

Thanks Wet. Definately will stay away from them then. The very LAST thing DS needs is more incompetent professionals giving bad advice for me to argue with.

Was relieved when the paed told me that there were no follow-up visits too. I've probably got all she has to give from seeing him that is meaningful. She has offered to give medical advice or professional opinion upon request which actually I repect her for. i.e. she isn't going to impose herself on us.

Hi Star (can't get my head around this wasp thingy)

Paed or SS can make referral for respite. But - do you really want that? I was offered it and refused it as TBH it's the very worst thing for an Aspie that thrives on 'sameness' and routine to be placed in a strange environment even for a short period.

I don't now Wet, but when I started out trying to get it I was hoping to get it agreed in principle, exchange for direct payments and use that to fund 'respite' provided by one of his ABA tutors, whilst we are waiting for this tribunal nonsense to pass.

DS gets Direct Payments but they are to meet specific needs described in his Care Plan drawn up by Community Psychiatric Support Worker.

Think you could struggle to get it for ABA unless it was a specifically stated need.

Sorry about the Wasp thing btw. I give so much away that it comforts me to name change now and then. Dunno why I bother though because everyone seems to recognise me (Except Clarissimo who has done before not but not this time I don't think)

You can't get DP for ABA but you can use your DP for ABA tutors if that makes sense as they are giving you respite by looking after your DS. You can employ who you like.

Oh no, I'd never get it for ABA, but I'd just give it to the ABA tutor to do it, and while she was doing it, she could do some ABA iyswim. I was hoping it would pay for some time to speak with DH and to spend with my 18month old instead of completely ignoring her or locking her out of DS' way.

Cunning plan Agnes - I like it

Wasp - I'll mentally adjust to the new name

Well anyway, we don't get DP and we don't get respite, because according to our SW, although we meet the criteria, there are people with children who are more disabled than ours

And in any case according to them my DH could be helping us in the long university holidays but is instead choosing to do research instead. Never mind the fact that he has a 52 week contract like most of the population.

(It's okay, I'll get them for both of those one day)

Thanks Agnes. Now, - anyone care to attempt an answer for Sc13?

A bit too cryptic for me Wasp

in what way is it defined as a physical disability by DLA? Physical cause, yes, but not in itself a physical disability, not in any of the stuff that I've had to prove for DLA.

I'm going to buck the trend here and say that CAMHS are pretty much the best service involved with J. He was referred at 3 because, here, CAMHS are the only people allowed to dx ADHD (what he was referred by general paed for) and they are also the only people allowed to dx autism/ ASD. However, as there is a specialist ASD team, separate to CAMHS, in the LA, CAMHS receive no funding to deal with anything ASD-related post-dx. They dx and then say bye bye, now off you go to the ASD team (who are woefully underfunded).

However, as J has ADHD and autism (though apparently he wouldn't have got the ADHD dx if the dx's had been done in the opposite order), he is still on their books, and the psychiatrist J has is just amazing. Not just how she is with J, but the back up she is willing to provide in terms of reports and meeting attendance - it was her who got us the Blue Badge, the DLA, helped get the Statement sorted, helped get the SS support etc. She works with J on CBT stuff and also sees me on my own to offer advice and it's so helpful.

J does have additional mental health issues as well as autism, I guess. He apparently meets dx criteria for OCD and then also self-harms, so I guess that's why CAMHS are the best people to deal with him. I think they're amazing and the only service (apart from ASD outreach, when they have the time!) who have really helped properly change things for J with no ulterior motives or penny-pinching going on.

oh I can't remember where I got it from . DDA perhaps. I dunno.

I know it has to be a LD in order to get a statement - or am I just tying myself in knots.

Wet Not talking in code. Sc13 might be though if you look at her earlier post.

giveme If I'm honest the ABA is adressing his anxieties, and his SLT, and his OT, and his education, and his socialisation etc etc etc etc. I think it would be helpful to have actual experts overseeing what we are doing, but mostly they just say 'roll him up in a blanket and sit on him, and give him squeezes' or 'introduce PECS' or 'put labels around the house with whole words as he'll never understand phonics (which he does btw)' based on standard provision and absolutely no understanding of my ds' needs.

We've never received an invitation from CAHMS (or OT for that matter) and tbh progress atm is as good as it can be I'm sure.

I know it has to be a LD in order to get a statement - or am I just tying myself in knots.

You're tying youself in knots Wasp

You can get a Statement without having an LD. For DDA you just have to prove a disability.

The fact that autism has a physical cause is essential for appealing some of the DLA decisions (look at the Commissioners rulings). Some things that stem from purely mental health issues are disallowable whereas if you can prove there is a physical cause that gives rise to the mental health issue (ASD issue) then you qualify - but these a quite fine points of appeal so I wouldn't worry about it.

I think the it probably comes from this criteria for HRM of DLA: "that your child suffers from "a state of arrested development or incomplete physical development of the brain which results in severe impairment of intelligence and social functioning".

It's one of the routes for getting HRM but you have to also be getting MRC/HRC as well. There is case law which says that where a claimant suffers from autism, they must also conclude that s/he has either a state of arrested development or incomplete physical development of the brain.

I hadn't heard of the broken mirrors theory, but this looks like an interesting article. My brain is too tired at the moment to understand the science though.

Thanks Sugar - that's useful.

You know WA I think that is a bit unfair- some CAMH's are undoubtedly shite others are very good, ours for a start. Yep ds1 ahs only been referred because he needs specific input (we have help wrt to DS3 as well, a Psych who supports DH and I after identifying that we as she says 'parent in a vacuum'- too true, her help is a Godsend). Of all the people we have encountered, I trust our PAed and our CAMHs Psych. Oh and the SNU SENCO.

Oh a yes agre with WA about the statements and DDA- ds1 has had a statement since he was 6, his IQ is in the higher range and his speech was assessed at age 6 as age 16 - 21. far from LD in the true, definitive sense (plenty of functiona;l learning difficulties) but needed and received a statement

Sorry, the muzzle thing was a joke, but I was serious about wanting to know more about the broken mirror theory. Having been off mumsnet for a while (just crazy busy at work) I was catching up with old threads and there was one on theory of mind explanation for autism, which was interesting - also because most of the MNers there thought ToM was not a good explanation. So I was wondering about this other one - basically postulating damage in the so-called mirror neurons
I have understood what Clarissimo's former nickname was, but not AngryWasp

Any clearer if I tell you to:

WRITE DOWN EVERYTHING!

PMSL AW

I didnt relaise either

Now I do

LOL. Sorry Clarissimo. I'm not trying to fool anyone just cover my tracks a little now and then.

Also I've noticed that when people don't know who I am they are more forthcoming with advice. Perhaps I come across as a know-it-all but I'm really not and I really don't.

(Or maybe they just don't like me much)

When I do though it has been through a huge amount of effort and I can live with the incredible waste of time it was to learn it when there are people PAID to know it and use it, by posting it here if I can.