CAMHS - ANYONE KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT?

[cmuir]

Hi

 

CAMHS have previously refused 2 referrals from my son's (who is nearly 5) consultant, however, on 3rd referral have finally decided to see my son.

 

I haven't a clue what to expect. I'm not hoping for great things in honesty, because I'm mightly miffed (to say the least!) that they have previously refused to see him despite me pleading with them and not getting a satisfactory reason for not seeing my son. Despite the fact that they've now agreed to see my son, seems we have a 5-6 month wait!

 

Anyhow, can anyone advise what to expect? I live in Edinburgh, so I guess that CAMHS may vary from place to place.

 

Many thanks.

 

Caroline.

[kirstie]

Hi Caroline,

Yes expect very little and you won't be disappointed!!

Sorry but it's true.

We have been to CAHMS and they say very little, play their cards close to their chests and really made me feel a lot of the time i was a neurotic idiot.

It depends what you're seeing them for. If it'd behaviours theres really very little. They might ask you "Do you play with your child?" and all that cr*p . There are programmes but i suspect they will say Robert is too young and won't benefit from them, as they did to me.

I'm not sure why we get referred to them as there doesn't seem much for them to provide interms of support and strategies. Again i found Spectrum to be the ones who gave me the behavioural therapies, play therapy sessions etc.

Good luck, and keep onto them!

[curra]

Hi Caroline,

I agree with Kirstie, don't expect too much. In my area they are very patronising and their attitude to AS is quite simplistic. After waiting months for the appointment they gave my son 6 sessions with a psychologist who said from the start that there was not much that he could do because AS is for life. He explained many things about AS that you can find in Tony Attwood's books. DS was then referred to the psychiatrist who agreed to prescribe medication for his aggressive behaviour because I asked for it. From there we were seen by another person who tried for a whole year to convince DS that he's just a naughty boy who doesn't want to grow up and me that I'm not a good parent. I have refused to accept this, so now my son goes to counselling at a charity where they just build up his self-image and not make him feel that he's worthless. I am glad about the medication though, it has made an enourmous difference.

Hope they give you the support that your son needs. Keep asking for it if they refuse.

 

Kirstie, what is Spectrum? Is it a private organisation?

 

Take care <'> <'> Curra

[carrieq]

I went on a parenting course run by CAHMS. It wasn't aimed at parents of kids on the spectrum just 'behavioural' issues. It was the most patronising unhelpful thing I have done! Apparently positive behaviour is developed by playing non competitive games! At the end the CAHMS nurse did admit that really the course wasn't really suitable for helping with ds but she didn't offer any extra help!

 

By the way, am I right in thinking Robert has alot of 1-1 support time. Could I pm you as we have a Stage 2 meeting next week with everybody and at the moment ds only has his SLT time which is just not on

Thanks

Carrie

[rainbow queen]

well id waited so long i really thought that camhs would help get my son dx---well it hasnt

 

been going a while now -had few sessions going through it all..........in fact its mostly me that dose the talking -feed back is very poor

now me and my son are doing a course thing--hence id already been on one before........so i know all about the positive play stuff ect.....

they actually reckon im the best parent theyve had and because im doing all the right things with my son in that time slot .....i will be finished soon....i did ask well what happens after this...............infact i made a point of saying i better not be left to it after this course as thats what keeps happening ect......

 

 

it seems alot of talk but not really going anywhere

 

by the way do any of you know if you are actually allowed to find out what they are writing down on your childrens file-out of interest id love to know whats written down about us.......

[julieann]

Hi Caroline,

Our experience with CAHMS was quite different. It was 3 years ago though. We did wait 12 weeks for an appointment that was cancelled 10 minutes before we were due to leave to get there. Staff sickness apparently. We then had to wait another 12 weeks for the next appointment.I might add that by this time my son was on self distruct mode in school.The consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist that we saw admitted straight away that ASD wasn't his area of expertise and gave us a referal to Harper House childrens services which is a residential and day school for children with ASD's who also do dx's for children on the spectrum. He also wrote to the school to ask them to stop all the detentions and punishments that my son was getting for inappropriate behaviour until he received his dx. I might add that the school ignored this letter and when I removed him from school after a suicide attempt phoned me up to ask when he would be coming back to school as he had eight detentions outstanding.I deregistered him the following day.

[Flora]

When my sons were assessed and dx my experience with CAMHS was very positive. I wasn't made to feel like a neuoritc mother, in fact the consultant did everything to reassure me that I was a good mother!

 

Cmuir, if I were in your position I'd be furious with them before I even got there, for the reason that they refused to see your son twice! Why would they do that? I'd be asking them that if they try to suggest your son's problems are due to parenting. Go 'armed' with as much evidence and information as you can muster.

 

Good luck hun <'>

 

Flora