Private Diagnosis for Toddler

Personally i have had a bad experience with a private diagnosis, but that was over eight years ago. i don't know if my local authority have changed its attitude to private diagnosis, but they did not accept it as evidence of autism spectrum disorder when i was at school and college. it was expensive after costing my parents at the time over a thousand pound. it wasn't until i got a National Health Service diagnosis as an adult that entitled me the evidence to claim benefit and access to support. If i had the support earlier through out school i know i would of done better in school and would of had the support at college that would enabled me succeed. 

I believe i am not the only one who have experienced this but i would recommend you go through the general practitioner to be put on the waiting list for a National health Service Diagnostic Service while seeking private diagnosis as you might hit a barrier where local authority may refuse to accept it as evidence that may affect funding for you child's support at school and college.

If you go the public route their is a waiting list period of around six months to three years for children and it depends on your location and each Diagnostic Service public or private operates differently so beware that their may be some inconsistency and failings in both, follow you instincts and if you require a seconded opinion you request second opinion. its not uncommon for them to fail to recognize it in the initial assessment to be diagnosed at a later age. It's also very common for children to be lost in the system so you might have to keep pestering them once a month to see the referral has gone through.  

Personally i have had a bad experience with a private diagnosis, but that was over eight years ago. i don't know if my local authority have changed its attitude to private diagnosis, but they did not accept it as evidence of autism spectrum disorder when i was at school and college. it was expensive after costing my parents at the time over a thousand pound. it wasn't until i got a National Health Service diagnosis as an adult that entitled me the evidence to claim benefit and access to support. If i had the support earlier through out school i know i would of done better in school and would of had the support at college that would enabled me succeed. 

I believe i am not the only one who have experienced this but i would recommend you go through the general practitioner to be put on the waiting list for a National health Service Diagnostic Service while seeking private diagnosis as you might hit a barrier where local authority may refuse to accept it as evidence that may affect funding for you child's support at school and college.

If you go the public route their is a waiting list period of around six months to three years for children and it depends on your location and each Diagnostic Service public or private operates differently so beware that their may be some inconsistency and failings in both, follow you instincts and if you require a seconded opinion you request second opinion. its not uncommon for them to fail to recognize it in the initial assessment to be diagnosed at a later age. It's also very common for children to be lost in the system so you might have to keep pestering them once a month to see the referral has gone through.