behavioural psychologists (sussex)

There are some therapists, and psychologists, that have a better undertsanding, but they are the few, and far between, ones that happen to have specialised in the study of autistic spectrum conditions.

Clairey, though I'm not sure he'll be able to help you directly, look up David Moat (just Google his name and either of the top two hits are what you want) - I know he works at least near to the South-East (in Cambridge), and, if he can't help you himself, he may be able to point you in the right direction.

longman said:

But I would still argue that until psychologists recognise sensory overload as a factor, we aren't going to get any further forward helping people on the spectrum.

I do wonder too if therapy just helps an individual resolve a backlog of issues and misunderstandings, which after a time will start to build up again. The psychologists don't seem to consider that people on the spectrum might have a propensity for accumulating unresolved issues, so that therapy can only be short term.

I agree.  As the ICD is pending revision (ICD-11 Beta Draft), I wonder whether they will follow the DSM5 in writing in sensory problems as part of diagnostic criteria.  We seem to follow the Americans in everything else.

I personally have never found talking therapies helpful.  I actually just sit there and waffle on in answer to questions and it never solves anything.

I think there needs to be a sea-change of attitude and approaches in psychology when it comes to autism.

Granted that will make it all the harder to identify cause and effect (though a pile up of causes must make it difficult in any case for an individual to distinguish one cause, and you have to consider that a child may be reluctant to discuss a primary cause out of a sense of guilt or fear of punishment, and will therefore put up a less controversial one).

But I would still argue that until psychologists recognise sensory overload as a factor, we aren't going to get any further forward helping people on the spectrum.

I do wonder too if therapy just helps an individual resolve a backlog of issues and misunderstandings, which after a time will start to build up again. The psychologists don't seem to consider that people on the spectrum might have a propensity for accumulating unresolved issues, so that therapy can only be short term.

One thing to remember Longman, is that alexithymia or other unknown factors may make it impossible for the individual to actually recognise and identify what is causing their issues.  My 8yo has meltdowns without knowing why and blames anything she can think of, but I know what she blames is not the cause and if I say something she will jump on that (whatever it is) as being the reason when I know it was not.  I think a child is even more likely to be unaware or confused as to the specifics.  I am only now as an adult starting to identify reasons for myself feeling overwhelmed.

I think you need to read up a bit more about "appropriate ways of dealing with anger"  "behaving in certain situations which he struggles with" in an ASD context.

You are treating your child as if intentionally wayward and somehow able to change with persuasion by some kind of pschologist/therapist.

One reason for bad reactions is that you go on and on at him about changing his behaviour as if lecturing him will somehow knock some sense into him.

You need to look into the issue of sensory overload.  There are theories about "bandwidth" as a factor (eg Digby Tantam at Sheffield) which doesn't seem to be being taken up by the experts, but I can only comment personally that it makes sense to me.

People on the spectrum have a narrower bandwidth within which to manage information from their environment and from people communicating with them. It takes longer to take it in and sort out.

Also people on the spectrum take longer to resolve/diffuse issues like criticism, or apprehension, so it goes round and round in their heads and intensifies the overload.

Often when people on the spectrum have a meltdown, it isn't some immediate that triggers it, but multiple issues that they are continually trying to resolve building up to explosion point.

I grew up before these things were understood and without a diagnosis, and the thing that maximised my depression was my parents trying to sort me out, usually one but sometimes both - "look at me when I'm talking to you", "what did you mean by that last thing you said" "stop mumbling" "stop" this that and every other thing.

I was more inclined to keep bottling up than exploding, but my own phrase for the pressure was "last straw syndrome". Because that's how I've always seen it.

The psychologist still works from a variant of the Triad of Impairments that covers everything under social and communication or repetitive behaviour. The panel that set up the NICE guidelines thinks "avoiding crowds" is due to repetive behaviour. The psychologist wont address sensory overload - he'll just refer you to a doctor to prescribe your child a pill to swallow that will dumb down everything.

What you need to do is invite your child to discuss the things causing them concern, and listen without butting in (and please not phrases like "everyone has that problem" or "you'll grow out of it"). Because if you can help your child resolve some of the issues going round in his head, by clearing up misunderstandings, or intervening with others for him, he'll be less pressured and less angry.

But it will be a long long time before you hear that advice from a psychologist. Because they aren't prepared to take sensory overload seriously.

Anything I feed my son has a positive or negative effect on his behaviour.  Have you tried keeping a log book on what he eats and then seeing how his behaviour goes.  Many children with autism suffer behaviour problems due to food intollerances and sometimes a food intollerance wont show up for 3 days after the person with autism has eaten it.  I find that if I keep giving certain types of foods then my son will react either within an hour or hours, or the same foods will cause problems after 3 days if I keep giving them.

They wanted to put my son on strong medication but once I started to address his real health gut-brain problems because the gut is linked to the brain we started to overcome some of his negative behaviours. 

HI, yes I think that a behavioural psychologist/specialist is exactly what we need. Someone who can help teach my son appropriate ways of dealing with anger and behaving in certain situations which he struggles with.

His school are very good with him and have many things in place to help him already. Unfortunately we're not having much success with the social side of things, which he is always going to struggle with. and that's causing much of his upset there. 

I appreciate that you feel we shouldn't have to go private, but we get DLA for our son and we're happy to use that to get him the care he needs. Sadly CAMHS, as well as the paediatricians, are woefully stretched in our area and even emergency cases are having to wait weeks to be seen. I don't think that's going to change soon and quite frankly I'd rather pay for the right treatment NOW, than wait months and get a short-term service from the NHS. 

It sucks, but that's just the way it is. A lawyer isn't going to help, the paeds and CAMHS I guess just don't have the resources for the number of children who need them sadly. 

Clairey, will a behavioural psychologist be any help ? probably better off with an one to one autism mentor/teacher so can be a friend to yourself and support you and your child.

quote "previously he has been "a delight" to teach!!"... I was called the golden child at school, which translates into me sitting on the teachers lap, hidding in the cloakroom and being emotional frozen all day,, but it came across as being the ideal quiet pupil who was delightful to teach. These behaviours you talk about maybe expressional and coping strategies.

quote"Due to lack of interest from community paeds/CAMHS"..., you need to go back to basics and see your GP, why should you have to go private just to get care for your children, whilst the paeds/camhs do not do there proper job. You could go as far as to withdraw your child from school until there is care packet in place. Why should you stress out and stress your child out by running around the country looking for the silver bullet treatment using your own hard earned resources, whilst someone just of the boat gets a free ride.

Use your money to hire a lawyer, claim against PAEDS./CAHMS.