Seeking autism assessment for my daughter (age 7)

Hi,

I have suspected autism for some time (since she was a toddler) but school have just started to raise similar concerns. They are willing to help us with a CAMHS referral to request assessment but I have some reservations. The main worry I have is that she won't get the assessment because she is too social. She wants friends and has close friends but there is a lot more to it than this. She struggles with friendships and with empathy etc. She also has some good language skills and wasn't delayed in her milestones. There are a lot of sensory issues however, and difficulties with attention/concentration which are now becoming an issue in school with learning. Do you think we should go for the CAMHS referral? Has anyone been in a similar position and managed to get an assessment/diagnosis? Thanks in advance!

  • I think your very lucky the school has picked up on your daughters struggles. The earlier you get her help the better. My daughter struggled all through primary with high anxiety ptsd and I to suspected autism but was told by her sendco it was just her anxiety. Long story short in y6 I was insistent they ask for a referral as the following year she would start secondary school but then Covid happened. I ended up having an on line meeting with a paediatrician who also suspected autism. I forgot to say she had Camhs sessions which diid not work for my daughter hence why the paedtrician suspected autism. Finally yesterday after waiting a year and a half she was diagnosed as having Autism spectrum Disorder by Mary sheridian. It’s better you have her assessed now as the older she gets the harder it is.

  • If I were you I would just ask her GP for a referral to a specialist.

    That's what I did for my adult diagnosis. Just present them with her symptoms and they will most likely refer you!