Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi all
My name is Sarah. I have a beautiful daughter who has gone through some extremely hard times during the past 5 years. Three months ago she was diagnosed with ASD at 15 years old. She was misdiagnosed 5 years ago by CAMHS after years of trying to get assessed. I feel very angry that the past 5 years could have been avoided or have at least not been as awful if she had had the right diagnosis and help and support back then. She is depressed, highly anxious, has self-harmed and recently spent 3 months in a high dependancy mental health unit (300 miles away from home) where she was finally diagnosed! As those of you in a similar situation know, we have good days and bad days and absolutely terrible days. The time that my daughter was in hospital was the worse time of my life and I almost had a breakdown with the stress and worry of it all. She is back home now and has tried to go back to school, however, she just found it too difficult and I will not, under any circumstances, let her get that ill again so one of us is going to give up work so she can be schooled online for her final year. Very big decision but it's too late to get her a Statement of Needs now which would have greatly helped 5 years ago and opened up so many doors for her. Her school have been OK but unless you have personal experience, you have no idea how the tiniest thing can make all the difference to her feeling safe and less anxious whilst there.
I joined this site as I haven't yet spoken to other parents who are going through similar situations and I think it would help to make friends and support each other so we don't feel like the only person in the world going through these hard times.
I look forward to making new friends!
Thanks Yorkshirelass! I am a bit worried that she's no longer going to school as all the 'experts' say that it is going to socially isolate her even more. She doesn't have any friends at school anyway apart from 2 boys who she speaks to when she sees them. She has had one of them round the house a few times but thats it. Not one other friend has ever asked her around to their house or come to ours. I also think that if she's struggled for the past 5 years at school which makes her more anxious - what difference is the final year going to be? It's heartbreaking that she has no one her own age to talk to. She's so desparate for a friend that will like her and accept her for who she is. She doesn't even know how she feels most of the time and can't even describe to me hows she feeling either so it does get frustraing for her. How does your daughter get on at school and home in terms of friends? Does she go out of the house? My daughter will go out with me or her dad but that's about it. x