CAMHS-Beware!

[Stephen]

Is this your experience of the assessment and diagnosis process of Asperger's Syndrome?

In a video I was watching produced by the Royal Children’s Hospital and University of Melbourne in Australia, Tony Attwoods neck of the woods, they state one requires to be assessed by a minimum of a Psychologist, Paediatrician and Speech Pathologist in order to make a diagnoses. I counted a total of 6 in the team for the assessment and diagnoses process.

Note the following important information:

In the DVD - Asperger Syndrome A Different Mind - Dr Fiona Scott (Autism Research Centre in Cambridge) is a specialist in Asperger's Syndrome and is on her way to assess a ten year old boy.

Her words on the DVD "The diagnosis typically takes a day."

1). She interviews the mother then a separate interview with the child at home which takes about half a day.

2). She then spends another half a day observing the child at their school, she is then able to make a diagnosis.

There is no need for the Assessment and Diagnosis process to take more than a day with it being extremely important to have a Specialist in Asperger's and not just any old Psychologist from CAMHS.

I was diagnosed with Asperger’s only two years ago, well into my adulthood. My assessment was carried-out by a Psychologist who specialises in Asperger’s Syndrome with the whole process taking only 2 hours. This diagnosis has been reconfirmed since on two further occasions.

Dr Fiona Scott - "The diagnosis is ultimately down to clinical experience because there is no easy test for Asperger's Syndrome."

CAMHS makes the whole process much, much more complicated than it need be.

I have spoken with CAMHS – I thought they just didn’t get it. Every thing to do with CAMHS is so complicated and long-winded. They were unable to see that and therefore did not like it becoming extremely angry at me when I suggested that CAMHS needs to be drastically streamlined. The people in CAMHS seemed to be happy and comfortable with their cozy long-winded way of doing things and therefore could not see the need for change.

“I know the system is not that quick” I would go as far as to say the system is almost in reverse. In most cases if some thing is made complicated, then that person or the system does not know what they are doing.

Also important to note that CAMHS is not there to help adults with Asperger's only children - the reply CAMHS gave me to the question of help for adults ("there is nothing available under CAMHS for adults at the moment".)

Under the NHS, Asperger's Syndrome is not counted as a mental illness, like Clasic Autism is, therefore my advice is not to rely on CAMHS too heavily for support and to help.

Stephen

Diagnosis of an Asperger Child:

“One can spot such children instantly. They are recognizable from the small details, for instant, the way they enter the consulting room at their first visit, their behaviour in the first few moments and the first words they utter.”

- Hans Asperger (1944)

[Carey2]

Sorry but this is utter drivel Stephen.

The CAHMS service is clearly something that you have no knowledge of at all. It has been in place for many years and offers a wide range of services to young people . It is highly successful and in my experience provides a very careful caring service. They work with the education services ,GP's and families to provide vital help for a huge range of conditions seen in young people.

It is also abundantly clear that you do not understand the diagnosis process and the reasons behind it.There are very good reasons for the approach taken.

Quote:Also important to note that CAMHS is not there to help adults with Asperger's only children - the reply CAMHS gave me to the question of help for adults ("there is nothing available under CAMHS for adults at the moment".)

Hardly suprising Stephen, CAHMS ..... CHILD AND ADOLECSENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

Asperger's syndrome is diagnosed very carefully and there is s set criteria to be met. The requirement is for a mulltidisciplinary team to make the assesment alongside parental observation and the input from school staff and education psychologists.The process can take weeks as appointments are made with different professionals and the information gathered is collated and discussed prior to a formal diagnosis being given.

The last thing anyone wants is a hasty and inaccurate diagnosis leading to wrong treatment/therapy/medication which leads to further stress, trauma and psychological damage being inflicted.

I know many people that have been through the process with CAMHS, my own son was assessed,diagnosed and had very successful therapy with a psychotherapist provided by them, I have yet to meet any of those referred to the CAHMS teams that was not successfully helped by them.

[Stephen]

I'm sorry to say Carey2 you haven't a clue.

"Hardly suprising Stephen, CAHMS ..... CHILD AND ADOLECSENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES" - what I was trying to say was that as soon as a young person becomes an adult any help they were getting from CAHMS suddenly and abruptly stops and that there is virtually no futher help available on the NHS.

"Asperger's syndrome is diagnosed very carefully and there is s set criteria to be met. The requirement is for a mulltidisciplinary team to make the assesment alongside parental observation and the input from school staff and education psychologists.The process can take weeks as appointments are made with different professionals and the information gathered is collated and discussed prior to a formal diagnosis being given." - And is why so many people are being wrongly diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome.

I have been diagnosed 3 times and each time was by a single assessor who is a specialist in the field of assessing Asperger's Syndrome the same way as Dr Fiona Scott does from the Aspergers Research Centre in Cambridge - Professor Simon Baron-Cohen's neck of the woods.

Dr Fiona Scott - "The diagnosis is ultimately down to clinical experience because there is no easy test for Asperger's Syndrome." - That is is exactly what my last assessor said to me that it is down to her experience rather than any test. She said to me that it is the SYSTEM that requires these long-winded ways of going about the testing for Asperger's Syndrome and it is because on the whole Neuro Typical's require a system to operate by is why we have a multi-task team operating with in a system.

I have learnt from previous experience that with any thing, if there is a long winded way of doing things then the person or people concerned do not understand what they are doing or talking about. Just ask Warren Buffet when it comes to financial investing, if one can not explain some thing or what is going on in 2 minutes then you do not understand what is going on. I must say that I'm one of those who are definately in that camp.

Interstingly when the CAHMS nurse came down to my local Autistic society meeting that not one parent said they thought the system (CAHMS) was doing a good or even satisfactory job most were dam right irrate and extremely unhappy at what was going on and how CAHMS were conducting themselves. The parents who had a little brains and money decided to go and pay for a private assessment which was carried out quickly, correctly with the Asperger child gaining the help they required at the earliest possible opportunity.

[Concious]

I am having difficulty understanding the topic in this forum but I think it is interesting so I did a little research and found out that Asperger syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder. The signs and symptoms are people generally show significant difficulties in social interaction, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. I think the bottom line here is that, we need more study about Asperger and how can it be cured.

_________________
International Travel Insurance

[beth1976]

(03-08-2009 03:26 PM)Stephen Wrote:  Is this your experience of the assessment and diagnosis process of Asperger's Syndrome?

In a video I was watching produced by the Royal Children’s Hospital and University of Melbourne in Australia, Tony Attwoods neck of the woods, they state one requires to be assessed by a minimum of a Psychologist, Paediatrician and Speech Pathologist in order to make a diagnoses. I counted a total of 6 in the team for the assessment and diagnoses process.

Note the following important information:

In the DVD - Asperger Syndrome A Different Mind - Dr Fiona Scott (Autism Research Centre in Cambridge) is a specialist in Asperger's Syndrome and is on her way to assess a ten year old boy.

Her words on the DVD "The diagnosis typically takes a day."

1). She interviews the mother then a separate interview with the child at home which takes about half a day.

2). She then spends another half a day observing the child at their school, she is then able to make a diagnosis.

There is no need for the Assessment and Diagnosis process to take more than a day with it being extremely important to have a Specialist in Asperger's and not just any old Psychologist from CAMHS.

I was diagnosed with Asperger’s only two years ago, well into my adulthood. My assessment was carried-out by a Psychologist who specialises in Asperger’s Syndrome with the whole process taking only 2 hours. This diagnosis has been reconfirmed since on two further occasions.

Dr Fiona Scott - "The diagnosis is ultimately down to clinical experience because there is no easy test for Asperger's Syndrome."

CAMHS makes the whole process much, much more complicated than it need be.

I have spoken with CAMHS – I thought they just didn’t get it. Every thing to do with CAMHS is so complicated and long-winded. They were unable to see that and therefore did not like it becoming extremely angry at me when I suggested that CAMHS needs to be drastically streamlined. The people in CAMHS seemed to be happy and comfortable with their cozy long-winded way of doing things and therefore could not see the need for change.

“I know the system is not that quick” I would go as far as to say the system is almost in reverse. In most cases if some thing is made complicated, then that person or the system does not know what they are doing.

Also important to note that CAMHS is not there to help adults with Asperger's only children - the reply CAMHS gave me to the question of help for adults ("there is nothing available under CAMHS for adults at the moment".)

Under the NHS, Asperger's Syndrome is not counted as a mental illness, like Clasic Autism is, therefore my advice is not to rely on CAMHS too heavily for support and to help.

Stephen

Diagnosis of an Asperger Child:

“One can spot such children instantly. They are recognizable from the small details, for instant, the way they enter the consulting room at their first visit, their behaviour in the first few moments and the first words they utter.”

- Hans Asperger (1944)

Hi stephen i totally 101% agree with you about CAMHS i am posative as are my friends and family that my son has aspergers but camhs have streatched it out over 4 years and done nothing. my son is now suicidal because he feels he is different and has attempted suicide 8 times because of them. the problem also came when i went for a second opinion they did not like this and have now put my son on the at risk register and accused me of mbp to tie my hands so i cant go any where for help as i am apparently mentally ill no one will take me serious!!! i find them very sneaky under handed and back stabbing. the woman that works with my son told me ' if you dont do as camhs say we have power and influence to MAKE you do. ' i now know thats how i have been accused of being mbp i have never been tested or assessed for this they just wanted a scatpe goat to take the blame for there mess as they clearly have it wrong. i am in the process of fighting my sons cause befor he does eventually manage to kill himself because they havent listend to me. i would not ever recommend camhs to anyone i would detere them at all cost when it comes to as and asp and when i win my case which i will as they are useless, i will make sure every one knows what they are!!! i am also intouch with four other families stuck with the camhs rubbish where the parents are supposably mbp also its beyond rediculous so yes there are more out here who feel how you do about them. Beth

[beth1976]

(08-06-2009 02:48 PM)Carey2 Wrote:  Sorry but this is utter drivel Stephen.

The CAHMS service is clearly something that you have no knowledge of at all. It has been in place for many years and offers a wide range of services to young people . It is highly successful and in my experience provides a very careful caring service. They work with the education services ,GP's and families to provide vital help for a huge range of conditions seen in young people.

It is also abundantly clear that you do not understand the diagnosis process and the reasons behind it.There are very good reasons for the approach taken.

Quote:Also important to note that CAMHS is not there to help adults with Asperger's only children - the reply CAMHS gave me to the question of help for adults ("there is nothing available under CAMHS for adults at the moment".)

Hardly suprising Stephen, CAHMS ..... CHILD AND ADOLECSENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

Asperger's syndrome is diagnosed very carefully and there is s set criteria to be met. The requirement is for a mulltidisciplinary team to make the assesment alongside parental observation and the input from school staff and education psychologists.The process can take weeks as appointments are made with different professionals and the information gathered is collated and discussed prior to a formal diagnosis being given.

The last thing anyone wants is a hasty and inaccurate diagnosis leading to wrong treatment/therapy/medication which leads to further stress, trauma and psychological damage being inflicted.

I know many people that have been through the process with CAMHS, my own son was assessed,diagnosed and had very successful therapy with a psychotherapist provided by them, I have yet to meet any of those referred to the CAHMS teams that was not successfully helped by them.

I would like to point out to you that you were very lucky in the way your son recieved help and has been diagnosed but camhs in other areas are obviously not as help ful as yours are? as i wrote further down i am intouch with four other sets of parents who like me are struggling with our camhs they are utter useless here and when they get it wrong they blame the parents i have spoken to a specialist whom i have been emailing bk and forth and she is horrified at how i have been treated so before you tell people they are wrong we all have different experiences you were lucky others are not so???