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Second opinion?

Lorri642

Hi

My 11 year old son went for an ADOS test through CAMHS just over a month ago and I seriously think we need a second opinion. 

The reasons I think we need a second opinion are as follows. Please tell me what you think.

1. Got there expecting a psychologist, but just a Doctor who spent around 45 mins with us, didn't observe him doing anything as I had researched, no watching him read, play, do a puzzle, nothing. He asked a few random questions like if you had 3 wishes what would they be?

2. I had got to see CAMHS after going private and getting a 5 page report asking GP to reffer. He had been turned down before that. This report suggested/recommeded various things including an academic test. The doc we saw said he's not going to bother with that but gave no explanation. But with another breath said he thought he was probably dyslexic (which I don't agree with, I think it's his motor skills and SPD). My son struggles with writting, it causes melt downs. He has trouble leaving finger spaces, writes too big, writes some letters and numbers back to front. Looks very uncomfortable holding a pen or pencil and trying to write to the point that he just now refuses (he's now home schooled).

This doc went on to say he does not like to give diagnosis of autism and why did I want one anyway?

He agreed my son has severe anxiety, but wouldnt believe he had SPD (he defo has SPD) and said it may be anxiety that looks like SPD LOL!!

He told my son that he can "get over" anxious situations by being brave LOL again!!!

It is now well over a month since seeing this doc and he has not even written his report.

Firstly, am I justified in thinking I need a second opinion? and secondly, who do I need to ask for the second opinion? Do I go back to the initial CAMHS person or do I ask at the clinic I saw this doc?

Parents
  • Former Member
    Former Member

    In my opinion, anxiety in autism is mainly caused by living in a world that makes little sense to the individual. If one does not understand how social interaction works then one will have a series of misunderstanding, disagreements and tellings off that reduce the individual to an anxious state because no matter what they do it seems that nobody appreciates what one is doing.

    In addition to that, the autistic world is a state of isolation that does not learn what normal thinking patterns are. The thinking patterns that develop in this isolation might be similar to being "stir crazy".

    The autistic person needs to be coaxed (gently) out of that state by people with some understanding of what the problems are and what needs to be taught to the person to enable them to do things in a more socially acceptable manner. We have to be taught things that most people do intuitively, we can't be natural communicators but we can learn and be trained to get some skills that bring us into a better balance with the world at large.

    So, you do not try and reason with the anxiety itself but you do try and reason with the underlying problems that lead to that anxiety.

    All of the above is only the opinion of an adult with autism who has had to deal with anxiety and depression that arose prior to and since my diagnosis.

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  • Former Member
    Former Member

    In my opinion, anxiety in autism is mainly caused by living in a world that makes little sense to the individual. If one does not understand how social interaction works then one will have a series of misunderstanding, disagreements and tellings off that reduce the individual to an anxious state because no matter what they do it seems that nobody appreciates what one is doing.

    In addition to that, the autistic world is a state of isolation that does not learn what normal thinking patterns are. The thinking patterns that develop in this isolation might be similar to being "stir crazy".

    The autistic person needs to be coaxed (gently) out of that state by people with some understanding of what the problems are and what needs to be taught to the person to enable them to do things in a more socially acceptable manner. We have to be taught things that most people do intuitively, we can't be natural communicators but we can learn and be trained to get some skills that bring us into a better balance with the world at large.

    So, you do not try and reason with the anxiety itself but you do try and reason with the underlying problems that lead to that anxiety.

    All of the above is only the opinion of an adult with autism who has had to deal with anxiety and depression that arose prior to and since my diagnosis.

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