AIBU to write back to CAMHS?

[debs40]

Stupid, stupid, blardy CAMHS consultant psychologist. She is a deeply useless but profoundly patronising woman who seems to have little practical experience of ASD beyond administering a few ADOS tests.

Anyway, we've been on the waiting list for over a year. I kicked up a fuss as this clearly was not acceptable and DS was getting no help or support.

Eventually, stupid blardy head of the ASD diagnostic team agrees to see him and visit school. She is a very odd woman. Not very likeable or warm and completely self-obsessed (prattling on about her back and the take over of her team by another mental health trust). I was reluctant to let DS be seen by her but it appeared to be the only way to speed things up.

She saw him and thought ASD was 'very clear'. Then saw him in class and was not so sure - he didn't lash out and gave good eye contact to friends .

Anyway, we told her not too bother writing a letter about her visit as she didn't appear to understand why she was there. I think part of the problem was that one of the teachers she spoke to (DS has 2) had played the 'everything's fine here and la di da' card.

Anyway, she has written a letter which is a useless pile of crap. She lists a brief column of 'strengths' e.g. doesn't lash out, gives eye contact and 'weaknesses'e.g can't sit still on his seat.

I know from talking to her that she had not read the other reports filed by professionals e.g. SALT, community paed, or looked at DS's IEPs and she wasn't aware that school had referred to the Ed Psych and ASD outreach team.

What was particularly galling was:

1. She mentions how well he concentrates and does things without assistance seemingly unaware that his report says the exact opposite. She might not have seen this, but she does not limit her judgments to her one hour viewing, they are made as evidence of his 'strengths'

1. She mentions that the teacher has said DS comes in late sometimes and she wonders whether we are missing an opportunity to allow him to follow his friends' morning routine. There is no reason given for his occasional lateness although we had discussed this with her. His sensory/routine issues are so intense that often a drop of water or thw wrong socks can mean we almost don't make school at all. I pat myself on the back that I get him there at all sometimes. This has all been written down many times, yet she fails to address it or offer strategies.

1. I wrote and told her DS was coming home for lunch and having problems in the playground. None of this is covered. Nor is his need for routines which have resulted in him lashing out when put into a different class without warning.

Her report is a page long. AIBU to write back and clearly set out what she has failed to consider or investigate? I think it is atrocious that she has made so little effort to make herself fully aware of what has been happening. I would not want this to feed into any diagnostic assessment

definately write back. My Ds had an assessment at cahms and there report clearly showed issues but in the conclusion they made out like this was not important! i wrote back and made a formal complaint to the lead clinician of cahms who did actually look into our case and reassessed ds with the ados and adi-r test and he was diagnose with ASD and ODD after this.
stand up and tell them what you see and how it affects your son. you know him best

Debs You don't have a choice. You need to firstly make it clear for any future 'judge' (remember your case) to see that it was challenged at the time. In addition to this you also have to (and show at least that you tried) get her to ammend her report so that it accurately reflects your ds' issues.

Entitle it 'factual innaccuracies in x report' and send it to her and her line manager.

Thanks. She is the head of the service but I am in correspondence with the Chief Exec (although her part of the hospital trust has now been taken over) and I will send it to him and to the new trust managers.

One of the reasons this woman rejected an out of area referral was because things were ok with a dx - yet she has no idea of how things really are and this is very clear from the report.

I hate having to waste my time writing yet another letter and had asked her not to bother sending anything.

I work in CAMHS and it sounds like you have some very legitimate concerns. Our ASD assessments are far more in depth and include 3 hours of developmental assessment interviews with the parents etc.

The fact that the report was only 1 page is a bit concerning I think. ASD reporst at our place are always a lot longer than that! In fact I've been told to cut mine down!

i also have an issue with school obs for various reasons. In more than one way they can give a false picture. More than 1 needs to be done by different professionals at different times of day and in different lessosns for them to be an effective asessment tool imo.

I would definitely write. Make sure it's factual, non emotive, concise and clear stating what you want.

Then your case will be re-opened by a different professional/team.

Thanks minx. That is really helpful.

I should make it clear that DS is still on the list for an ADOS/ADI so this is not a full and final report. The consultant got involved because I complained that DS was getting no help/support whilst on the list despite hbhis real problems with school and the stress it was causing him and us.

The report deals with none of this.