Asking for referral for ASD Assessment.

[Bunnyfuller]

My lovely eldest DD is 13. She’s had many ASD traits/behaviours since very young but it was really as puberty started that it was more noticeable. She raised the subject when watch8ng something on TV and recently asked if we could look to see if she could get tested.

Today we went to the GP, we saw a trainee who was lovely and went to check the form to use with one of the senior doctors. He came in and said to him that it would need to be discussed at the next practice meeting and said to me it is normally something that the school raises. I’ve done my homework and the NAS says the GP is the starting point. I was under the impression there was legislation now that basically says you should be offered referral if you ask about ASD.

DD’s last school was small and there was far more interaction with teachers, and the Deputy Head and SENCO there thought it was something worth exploring when we were at a meeting following some bullying. The school she is at now is huge, and there’s a different teacher for every subject running on a 2-week timetable. DD isn’t ‘different’ to the casual observer, her main issues are around change and social communication.

What should we do? I’m pretty sure the school won’t have picked up on it, and besides DD is keen for us to keep the subject private.

Any ideas, please.

Anyone?

Your gp can refer for diagnosis but there's a waiting list. One thing I would caution is that diagnosis doesn't actually trigger any help specifically, help is based on clinical need not diagnosis.

Oh it is so hard to get a referral, depending on where you live. It is ridiculous. Harder as they get older. the GP is the place to go, but ours acknowledged and accepted there were behaviours that warranted the referral but somehow we waited 5 years and never actually got one. We are now doing it privately and almost finished the assessment. It is quite difficult. Trying to remember stuff from when our child was young is just really stressful. We suspect aspergers so it is harder to spot and harder in the assessment process. You will need to really start insisting with your doctor and writing stuff done that you notice or remember from the 4-5 years of age period- they really focus on that age.