refused referral for autism

Hi all, i am new to all this and im just wondering if there is any parents out there that are having problems trying to get their child seen for a autisic referral?

my 13yr old daughter has moderate cognative learning disabilities but she also has some weired and wonderful traits!!

however even through primary school she never liked change and had real anxiety issues about leaving me at the school gates especially after half term holidays etc.

she couldnt cope with other children falling out and would get very overwhelmed at loud noises, the constant meeting with the school led me to a brick wall and although i kept raising my concerns the teacher (senco ) said there was nothing wrong with her and that i should exept thats just how she learns!!

so we are now in mainstream school and my daughter is finding it harder and harder to go to school. pleading to be home tutored, i went in and yet again raised my concerns and the senco said she has autistic traits ... finally someone is listening to me!!

after endless visits to my gp we finally got a referral back in 2016. obviously the doctor had contacted the school and they go on points score... and it went down hill fast from there. because my daugher is so quiet once she is in school the teacher had said that although my daugher has low self esteem there were no other concerns so we were told my the paeds doctor that they would not put her through any assesments!!

one year on and things are getting worse. my daughter says her head hurts in class because the kids are talking!! she is like a pressure cooker about to go either before going to school or after. she will kick off if we are doing something different to the degree we end up not going and then a hour or so later she comes and apologies but she isnt sure what she has done wrong!!

i have begged my gp to help and twice he has sent referrals off and twice they have cancelled our appointments saying they wont see my daughter and she is how she is because of her learning disabilities!!

sorry to go on but do i push to see a doc or accept what the doctor is saying?

Parents
  • Former Member
    Former Member

    Hi Louabelle, keep persisting. It sucks but trust your instincts not a GP who probably has no experience of ASD. 

    SD16 got confirmation of ASD on 1 June. Her Dad my SO has been expressing concern for 10 years, but was being told she would get better with more time. Once he was separated from his ex, it was "mother says there is no problems, so what would father know?"

    When SD was 14 she started questioning why she was different and came up off her own research with ADHD inattentive subtype (without knowing her Dad has it and her sister would get diagnosed age 20). Mother has blocked efforts and eventually family court ruled SD being 16 could consent. Still took us 6 months to find a psychologist who would agree to assess.

    We are currently now wondering what mother will do to prevent SD16 accessing proper support (other than her usual not reinforcing age appropriate social behaviour).

    I'm a health professional and I know how to use the system. It's been/still will be a total nightmare to get things moving, hence my finding a forum to rant on (even if it is 1/2 a world away.

    IMHO, SD16 is probably both ADHD/ASD and may also have antisocial personality disorder...but I will keep fighting for access as long as she wants me to, because if I don't I'm certain my old age will be haunted by having to deal with an adult who can't cope with the outside world.

Reply
  • Former Member
    Former Member

    Hi Louabelle, keep persisting. It sucks but trust your instincts not a GP who probably has no experience of ASD. 

    SD16 got confirmation of ASD on 1 June. Her Dad my SO has been expressing concern for 10 years, but was being told she would get better with more time. Once he was separated from his ex, it was "mother says there is no problems, so what would father know?"

    When SD was 14 she started questioning why she was different and came up off her own research with ADHD inattentive subtype (without knowing her Dad has it and her sister would get diagnosed age 20). Mother has blocked efforts and eventually family court ruled SD being 16 could consent. Still took us 6 months to find a psychologist who would agree to assess.

    We are currently now wondering what mother will do to prevent SD16 accessing proper support (other than her usual not reinforcing age appropriate social behaviour).

    I'm a health professional and I know how to use the system. It's been/still will be a total nightmare to get things moving, hence my finding a forum to rant on (even if it is 1/2 a world away.

    IMHO, SD16 is probably both ADHD/ASD and may also have antisocial personality disorder...but I will keep fighting for access as long as she wants me to, because if I don't I'm certain my old age will be haunted by having to deal with an adult who can't cope with the outside world.

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