camhs experiences

[justine1]

Hi

I wanted to ask anyone who has used to CAMHS what was your experience with them and do they give a dx?If they do dx how long can it take?

My four year old has an appt on Tues 18th May.My six year old Sam didnt go through CAMHS we were referred to a specialist paediatritian and he got his dx after two appts(total of nearly 3hours)

 

I have waited for 6weeks for this appt and dont know what to expect.They say the like all family to be present but wont this make it hard for them to focus on him?Also do I need to take any info from his school?Thank you.

[Suze]

We had an urgent referral to camhs due to a breakdown when my son was 7.We had 3 appts, first with pysch nurse, then 2 with psychiatrist, who dx,d my son.Appts took about an hour.He talked to us ,he had ed psych report, OT report, pead report, and school notes etc.He showed my son lots of theory of mind type stuff and subsequently we had a letter that stated he had many developmental probs, sensory probs and learning difficulties which brought him under the autism umbrella.He felt he could have dx damp, add, and some other syndrome aswell which I can,t remember .Any hows we also saw a family therapist twice aswell.My son was statemented soon after dx and we have never seen camhs since .

[baddad]

Hi Justine -

 

I think it vary's depending on location - the usual 'postcode lottery'.

In my region CAMHS is generally accessed from 12 + while primary age kids meet with paediatric specialists. Being cynical about it, CAMHS is generally much harder to access because it is more over-subscribed and has a 'tiered' system (I've made an appointment for my son last month which has come through for August - and that's on one of the better tiers!), but it sounds as though in your neck of the wood it's all CAMHS and so there's probably a 'primary' tier that effectively achieves the same end. Not sure if that would make any difference at all, but i guess if it all comes under the same service you at least haven't got to worry about paperwork not getting transferred over etc!

 

Good luck for the 18th.

 

L&P

 

BD

[justine1]

Thank you for that!The dietician paediatrition who saw Dan for his eating problems said she would try get him an appt with the specialist paed who Sam was assesed by,but she went on holiday and havent even got his blood test results and that was 6 weeks ago!She did say there was no hard in going to both CAMHS and the specialist paed.I would have preferred the latter just cause I know her and know what to expect.

 

It does say in the CAMHS letter that I should bring the whole family and we will go to the play therapist??That it should take up to 1 1/2 hours.

I will go speak to the school tomorrow,I havent heard anything from them since he started in January.There has been two incidence where he has played with the water for two hours straight and got soaked in the process,even though to me this is odd they just said "he seemed to have fun so we didnt change him so as to not upset him"????? The HT is the SENCO and has seen his issues with food,she knows me well now cause of Sam,so might ask if she can spend 1 hour observing him and give me some more feedback.

[darky]

We didn't have any experience of CAMHS until the diagnosis. Down here we have a multi disaplinary team, with consultant Paed that makes the dx. We then got refered to CAMHS for advice, but in all honesty it was rubbish! It varies so much!

[smiley1590]

CAMHS assessed and gave me an of dx of AS when assessed they knew by things we answering to their questions and things we describing through education experiences and situation etc gave them big flag signs to what it was immediately!!! which finally we knew was a name we always guessed ( me and my family) something going on behind the scene /background other than just dyspraxia but similiar kind of condition maybe linked and connected in some way! i always felt 'different' to my peers i 'stood out' in a crowd something didn't quite add up we knew missing parts of jigsaw where still out there floating around in the air! i was assessed and diagnosed at 14 years old i have MH probs too i been link referred alot pillar to post! ( G.P, counsellor, CAMHS/ADMHT, T.L.T , to NAS)

 

i had CBT for clincal pyschologist who assessed me at beginning which found cruelling hard work and effort struggle to get through as too soon after dx and didn't have much of option as pyschtrist and pyschologist put me in for the therapy due to my AS and depression anx i find it hard to think positively i always on negative side no matter how hard i try work at it such a battle with myself! inner voice! i had family therapy referred by clinical pyschologist to family social worker had sessions woth parents discussing past issues from themselves may have affected and troubled me later on to be angry etc , my last pyschtrist i had at AMHT he rude belittled me and put me down made me feel tiny and made me feel so bad worse ( more triggered self harm and suicide wise) lowered my self-esteem alot critised everything i said i never felt like i have 'loud voice' being heard there i feel only real positive benefit was my of dx that's only way they've helped and supported that where it ends i'm afraid to say it's services need improving!

 

don't feel like they care they cold .... and just seen as a number on their client list i was put on endless meds for MH probs none of which helped me! in the end felt had no other option but to discharge myself as going to appointments i was dreading making anx and dp worse not improved they just wanted put me in therapies or on meds all time drove me mad crazy it's really frustrating feel betrayed and let down i'm angry way they have treated me appauling disgusting makes you feel you deserve nothing better and to them you're life means nothing your probs as JUST a JOB they go back to their happy 'normal' lives and homes when behind close doors you want someone listen be there understand and not be judgemental ......

 

i feel me and my famoly done better job without them being there! i feel waste of space time and energy! they made me feel more lost and confused ..... the service got a long way to go i feel to reach meeting individual needs of clients and families so stressful without them adding it to i know they low on money time resources but that give them true real reason to treat people like peice of meat nothing more! i so bitter and twisted!

 

i still suffer with anx,panic attacks dp self harm sucidal thoughts i know they can make it 'better' find a cure but i was there for years from 14 - 19 (5 years) and i feel nothing in my personal MH situation has improved greatly since going having varied treatments i maanged control anger violent outbursts on my own! should be that way!? i wish i could go back and find it changed for better and good am i wishing too little too late thanks to cutbacks on public H & S C services only spiral the wildfire out of control!

 

XKLX

 

i really wish i could complaint but takes time and energy something i havn't got!

[smiley1590]

feel like they truly failured me find it hard to trust any professionals now due to how they left me insecure paranoid scarred emotionally vulnerable/weak they don't see reality of the negative chain effect they are leaving behind a trail of paun hurt misery broken promises misleaded trust/guidance i know they only humans that make mistakesi feel like ginea pig in a cage when there not let to breathe suffocated but in same instance not checked up on regularly enough as would have liked to be honest! my last pyschtrist didn't get my AS linked with depression,self harm etc didn't even know what AS was! and always running late behind on appointments which good when AS client getting anx ,stressed waiting awful . my clinical pyschologist and LD nurse interviewed my mum asked her certain questions about how i go on with social ,communication skills and difficulties i had/experienced before my medical /family history ,school life/experiences ,home life,life independence skills behaviour patterns at home and school etc

 

i was assessed through WISC test and later on added up and scored in a official report stating findings they have gathered speaking to me my mum and my teacher was all concluded in this official diagnosis report underlying my weak areas due to AS i tested in different areas AS affects and all mine came out low i think one came out extremely low that was my I.Q which noted at time as 70! broken down split in certain areas it then works out why been struggles/battles/difficulties everyday! makes sense when looking at report in black and white in words .... nothing goes unasked or unturned which umasks most of hidden probs going on leads to frustration and confusion! the report took few weeks to be worked on as pyschologist wrote notes she had type up them up send through post! anxious wait they already pretty sure of my outcome conclusion result before official diagnosis was confirmed in report just gave us extra reassurance!

 

i feel like i always had to do chasing after CAMHS even when MH playing up at it's worse and last thing want to do last pyschtrist i was only in there 5-10 mins if that feel being pushed out the door ready for next client always clock counting every one of them always late make you feel bad guilty for going though like you're waste time and resources of their service! never felt good enough or wanted! i will mever evr forgive CAMHS service mentally/emotionally destroyed damaged me i had put peices back together with family support nothing else! didn't feel like they wanted to support you or your family felt like a burden!

 

XKX

[yorks]

Well all I've experienced with them has been total chaos and in fact have in many ways made the whole situation worse. I think it does really depend on location, but I've felt I'm having to do the job for them!!

Yorks

[justine1]

Thank you for all your replies <'>

Doesnt sound very positive I will go to the appointment on tuesday and see what happens.I have been referred to a specialist paed at a specialist centre,the same one who saw Sam,so hope that wont take to long.She was great very understanding and did a very thorough assesment.

Thanks again.