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ASD assessment via CAMHs

NAS75430

My daughter (almost 14) has been struggling with functional neurological disorder, including tics, for about a year. We got the diagnosis privately and have been seeing a private psychologist while we waited for point one for anxiety and then CAMHs. We asked for NHS help last December and finally saw CAMHS last week. The suggestion from the private CP and CAMHS is that she is showing autistic traits and that probably CAMHS won’t see her until she has a diagnosis or it is confirmed not to be ASD. They feel that her being overwhelmed and masking all the time is the reason for her anxiety and subsequent FND.

I am a teacher and know children locally are waiting between 2 and 4 years here for diagnosis. Her FND means she is struggling massively at school, has episodes of paralysis, muscle locking and sometimes constant violent and loud tics. Regardless of whether she is on the ASD spectrum, she needs help. There is no way she can wait another 2+ years for an ASD diagnosis only to then wait another year to see CAMHS again. 

Does anyone know, if CAMHS refer, is the wait as long as the wait via GP referral? If so, does anyone know if CAMHs would have to accept a private ASD diagnosis (or confirmation that ASD isn’t the issue)? She needs the multidisciplinary team of CAMHs, but there is no help it seems until we know if she has ASD or not. 

I am so lost and so desperately worried for her mental health.

can anyone help please? 

  • in reply to NAS75430

    As you are in norfolk, I would like to inform you that that from my experience with CAMHS that operates at 80 st Stephens in norwich from age sixteen to twenty four was awful. As an autistic individual with ADHD who has above average intelligence i was frequently assaulted & verbally abused by multiple practitioners and mental health nurses at this establishment, the last time i saw them was in 2020. (DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CHILD WITH THEM UNSUPERVISED !) 

    Originally they refused to get me diagnosed and at age 19 i requested going to the aspergers unit at the community hospital in norwich to be diagnosed. A lot of administrator errors occurred which has still affecting me at age 25 waiting for and ADHD assessment which has taken 9 years and i'm still waiting. 

    If yours unfortunate to live in the breckland area i highly recommended avoiding East harling and Kenninghall surgery and Watton Surgery as they actively lie and do not look at the outcomes of the referrals and loose patients records   

  • in reply to Blue

    This is massively helpful. Thank you. This time last week I hadn’t even considered ASD may be at the root of it, but now some things are falling into place in my mine. 

    I am in Norfolk, so will check out family voice. 

  • You actually have multiple options these include private diagnosis, NHS right to choose scheme & request another organisation to assess your daughter.

    Private diagnosis are expensive but are often quicker to being seen, they often have professionals who can diagnosis multiple conditions at once unlike the broken NHS system where you are refered and have to wait another two years after the first diagnosis to get assessed for multiple or other conditions because the code of practice often only allows one referral at a time. Private diagnosis can be denied as proof by local authorities for additional support however their has been a change in law and this should no longer be such an issue with the amended disability laws.

    NHS Right to choose is a scheme where certain private organisations can diagnosis you, the NHS pay for the service however this is often reserved to adults but some have started to taken children. This is a great choice as it only requires you to fill out a letter to your Gp to then send off as a referral.

    Doctors are really deceptive, most do not take the time to look into other options but often their are multiple diagnostic services in your catchments area, i suggest you find them using google and bring it up to you Gp. 

    Look for an organisation that can advocate for you and your daughter, in my area they are called family voice : https://www.familyvoice.org.uk/ but they only operate in norfolk. 

    Best place to start would be looking into weather your county has a autism partnership, they should have your local version of family voice where their contact details should be.