Feather

Hi there, sorry to hear about your difficulties with CAMS. We had the same problems, and in the end I contacted the NAS and found out where the nearest diagnostician team was to me. I then got my GP to refer my son for a second opinion, and the paediatrician he was under at the time had to refer him as well. You are quite within your rights to do this. My son was seen within a few months by the autism specialist, and diagnosed straight away as being ASD. We had been backwards and forwards to CAMS and the paediatrician for about 4 years before I realised I could ask for a second opinion. We are so appalled at the way our son and ourselves have been treated by CAMS and the paediatrician, that I have now got my local MP to help me put in a complaint and have the matter investigated. Has your child got a statement at school, if not, you can also request for your son to be assesed n school by the psychologist, you don't have to wait for school to do it. I wish I had known all this information years ago, and I would have got my son diagnosed straight away. The NAS should also be able to give you advice about asking for an assesment for statementing as well. Good Luck Poll xx

Hi there, sorry to hear about your difficulties with CAMS. We had the same problems, and in the end I contacted the NAS and found out where the nearest diagnostician team was to me. I then got my GP to refer my son for a second opinion, and the paediatrician he was under at the time had to refer him as well. You are quite within your rights to do this. My son was seen within a few months by the autism specialist, and diagnosed straight away as being ASD. We had been backwards and forwards to CAMS and the paediatrician for about 4 years before I realised I could ask for a second opinion. We are so appalled at the way our son and ourselves have been treated by CAMS and the paediatrician, that I have now got my local MP to help me put in a complaint and have the matter investigated. Has your child got a statement at school, if not, you can also request for your son to be assesed n school by the psychologist, you don't have to wait for school to do it. I wish I had known all this information years ago, and I would have got my son diagnosed straight away. The NAS should also be able to give you advice about asking for an assesment for statementing as well. Good Luck Poll xx

Thankyou so much for your reply, it means alot to me at this time. I am so glad that you have come out the other side of the school system as such a strong person. I am also really pleased that you are working, and what a good job in child care. What you have described is exactly what we are going through right now, especially my son. I sometimes think he hates us for getting him diagnosed, but know that he will come to terms with it all eventually. It is nice to hear your side of it, and that you did appreciate what your Mum did for you, and the battles she had to go through, as well as yourself. Take care xx

HI, thanks for your advice. We have got a review meeting for January. This is because we are going back to see the specialist again for some more strategies and advice. I do have someone from parent in partnership who is very good, but can only do so much. School have had two people from the LEIS service into school, one recommended social stories last year and nothing has been done. The second one only looked at his behaviour, not strategies for his ASD. I have been told that his funding only pays for two visits, which he has now had. The LEIS is now on their third new person, and school is now on it's third psychologist. It is ridiculous they come in and know nothing about your child, and don't look at what was recommended before. Probably like everyone else with their child, it all looks good on paper, but not much of it is actually carried out. He goes to speech and language and a programme has been sent into school, and I know they are not doing it with him. I would love to have changed his school, but it is too late as he is now in year 11 and well into his GCSE's. I do also have advice from the NAS, and do suggest things in school, but again it goes in one ear and out the other. As I said before it is easier for school to blame my child. From Poll

Hi, I am new to the forum and have a recently diagnosed 15 year old son, on the Autistic spectrum. He has a statement in school for ASD, and has 12 hours support. The SENCO is not much help at all and is constantly on the phone to me complaining about his behavior, which is from our point of view down to his autism, and school not meeting his needs. She was constantly using the word suspension as well! She is new to the job and doesn't seem to know what she is doing, and would rather blame my son than her own incompetence. He is out of school and in a centre at the moment for sick children, and only does 2 hours a day in the afternoon. They are very good and help him with work, but why should he have had to have gone there because he wasn't coping very well in school and was allowed to get to the point of losing it regularly. The SENCO is not bothered that he has only just been diagnosed and has had no intervention until now, and the Head teacher seems to have the same opinion. Has anyone else had these problems and could give me some advice? Poll

Hi there, I am new to the forum. I have a 15 year old son who has just been diagnosed as being on the Autistic spectrum, in May of this year. It has been a long and hard battle to get to the point of diagnosis. My heart goes out to you and your son. I hope this information is of some help, there is a branch of the National Autistic Society recently been set up in Preston. You can contact them by email preston@nas.org.uk I am now a member of the National Autistic society and their support and help has been invaluable to us as a family. At least it would be a starting point for you, to find out about services in your area. x