Anxious wait for diagnosis for a child with autism symptoms

i must be in a very good area, i live in north devon, and i have everybody helping my son who is nearly three. I noticed he wasn't speaking any words when he was about eighteen months, took him to the heatlh visitor and was referred to a peadtrician (not sure how to spell that) and nearly available person that works with austistic children has been involved very quickly.   I would get back in touch with your children centre and ask them what is happening and when can you see them.

Good for you writing to your MP I hope you get a positive, helpful response.

A few practical suggestions that helped my son were:

Being allowed to go into school 10 minutes after everyone else had gone in and leaving 10 minutes before everyone else, that helped avoid the noise and rushing about around him that always happens in a school.

Does she sit in the same seat/place in class, this helps things to remain constant and settled. Is she getting support in class?

How are playtimes and lunchtimes? The school should be able to arrange a quiet area where she could go with perhaps one friend to play quietly and 'chill out', even be allowed to eat her lunch there peacefully, the noise and food smells used to overwhelm my son and he would want to run for home.

hi moonraker

thanks for your reply, yes the ed psyc is also involved aswell as the o.t team well im waiting for them to do there assesements still,

 to be honest i have had a complete nightmare with the whole system due to my daughter being under a paed in a hospital that isnt our nearest so as a result she isnt able to use the sevices they provide its been alot of backwards and forwarding regualr phone calls, iv now written a letter to my local m.p as its starting to take it toll,

i have the deputy head who is also the senco involved and a support worker who is working on social stories with her, after a speech and language assesment it revieled that my daughter has poor social understanding as well as other things which does cause alot of problems with other children and alot of sensory issues im 100% certain she is autistic just wish i knew how to make this situation with the school better for her.

Anxiety has been the most upsetting aspect of my son's ASD for me to deal with, he's now 14 and only able to go to school on a part time basis after running battles with his school, they don't like it but tough his health and overall wellbeing are as, if not more important than the academics.

There seems to be very little help and support available during the diagnostic process. Do you get any help from CAMHS? I really wouldn't 'make' your child go to school if she's unable to without great distress. Is there something at school she's afraid of - sensory things, bullying? I would make an appointment to see the SENCO or Head about this, it's never just because they don't want to go to school and never allow them to make you feel that way, you know your child best. Is the Educational Psychologist getting involved with the assessment? they should be advising the school and I was always told that during the assessment school should be treating the child 'as if they had a diagnosis' and putting things in place to help them. I would also keep a written record for yourself of discussions with the school, things agreed.

After two years in the diagnosis process I think you should start making a nuisance of yourself with these people to get the assessments done. I learnt that you have to fight for everything your child needs.

Lots of luck

Has anyone got any advice or tips on getting there child, who is showing anxiety problems with going to school, 

my daughter is 9 and is being assesed for high functioning autism she go's to main stream school and has been missing days due to this anxiety and stress problem,

 this morning she was sobbing and begging me not to make her go in through the doors once in she was then begging me not to leave her there..............which was heart breaking!

i would love to hear from anyone who has been through this problem as desperate to help he get over it.

thanks

Hi smilingboy,

 i am also waiting for my  9yr old daughters diagnosis, unfortunetly its been 2yrs since her initial referral from the gp she has seen a speech and language therapist and now waiting to see the occupational therapy team so they can carryout there assesment, once this has been done its back to the paediatrician for the result.

i dont know if its just us but we have have had so many problems and long waiting lists maybe thats just my area and may be different where you are.

fingers crossed for you

Sam