Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi all! My son very likely has autism. He is 16 and has severe mental health difficulties which includes suicide ideation and attempted suicide. Because of this and the limited support we have received, we decided to get him diagnosed privately rather than wait the 9 years on the waiting list so we can get support put in place as soon as possible. He still is on the NHS waiting list though currently.
He has had a very comprehensive report (ados assessment and observation etc) done by a private psychologist who specialises in autism. This includes observations from me and his teachers, pastoral support, senco etc. In summary, the report said that the ados assessment exceeded the threshold for an autism diagnosis and that it is her clinical opinion that his difficulties are explained by a diagnosis of autism. It included much more obviously but this was the breakdown really.
My question is what now? The school and GP surgery have a copy of the report. Do I now need to take it somewhere else to get an actual diagnosis or will this do? I want support put in place especially as he is revising for his GCSE's and just unsure of next steps.
I appreciate any advice you can offer, thank you.
The work capability assessments are rigged to be unfair. A very high number of their rejections are overturned on appeal, but they're okay with that because some vulnerable people can't deal with the stress and so won't be willing to fight all the way to a tribunal (or maybe they'll commit suicide and so won't be claiming at all). Thankfully I've only been denied once, and that was reversed when we pointed out that the assessment report listed the assessor for whether my anxiety is too extreme for work was a physiotherapist who knew nothing about mental health.
Thank you for your reply. I will talk to the school next week after Easter holidays and see if we can get support in place as soon as possible. He already has had the formal assessment privately, I guess I am wondering if this is enough to have the diagnosis accepted by everyone. It is mainly my son who wants/needs the diagnosis. He is very 'stuck' on having a diagnosis of autism and I want to either reassure him that because of this report, he is autistic or take the report somewhere to be told he is autistic. I know it is just a label to some but to him he really needs it, because he feels something is wrong and wants to be able to explain it.
Thank you again for your reply.
I was recently diagnosed privately too. You CANNOT win with the NHS, if you ask them for help you are made to feel bad. If you get a private assessment they try to ignore it! The service is shocking. The disability assessment for benefits is shocking too. A nurse and not a neuroscientist or a psychiatrist assessed me over the phone and from that one phone call somehow assessed that I am fit for work! I have Asperger's, 8 different types of synaesthesia, anxiety and depression! This condition is horrible. No one cares about us, all this talk about embracing neurodiversity is bullshit! All anyone cares about is whether you work or not, in the sensory hell the NT's have created. I seriously think that we should take a leaf out of The Netherlands' book and just allow voluntary euthanasia for this condition, I really do, it would be a whole lot kinder, it really would.
NAS93002 said:y question is what now? The school and GP surgery have a copy of the report.
I would speak to the school and ask for a meeting with the SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator) and make sure you are read up on the SEND code of practice that they are supposed to follow.
There is an article covering this here:
https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/education/extra-help-at-school/england
I would imagine this is more than enough to make them accept that support is needed.
As for a formal assessment, I would ask your GP to use the "right to choose" which will give you access to a private assessment and be much faster than the NHS.
What is it that you actually want from this though? If it is support at school then the SENCO is the one to help, but if it is something else it would be good to give details so we can give clearer advice.