let down by professionals!

[finleysmaid]

I am fuming!

New child started today. He is exhibiting an array of symptom which might suggest ASD. His parents have been worried and so took him to the doctors who announced within 5 minutes that as he made eye contact with her, he did not have ASD and was perfectly fine! When he went to his 2 year old check he refused to be weighed or measured (plus other issues) the health visitor said...'oh it's ok...he doesn't want to do it that's fine' signed him off as having no problems!

This little chap does not speak discernable language, apart from some echolalia. Shouts to gain attention, not toilet trained, aggressive behaviour if stopped doing things, throws toys etc etc (this was within an afternoon) I am NOT qualified to diagnose....but neither is the Doctor. The health professionals have now put me in a very difficult position and I have already had to lay the foundations to explore this little ones issues further.

How can we get over to the professionals the consequence of quick and ill judged 'diagnoses'' ...how dare they fudge the issue so that we have to pick up the pieces further down the line.

<_< :angry:

[Brunel]

Hi Finleysmaid,

 

Parents or your setting could make a speech and language therapy referral - this is sometimes a way in !!

[finleysmaid]

Hi Finleysmaid,

 

Parents or your setting could make a speech and language therapy referral - this is sometimes a way in !!

hello stranger...haven't spoken to you for a while! Yep I've already chatted about this BUT our SALT team have said they will no longer be referring to assessment centre...so that will come back to us again. I don't have a problem as to what to do next just really cross a doctor and HV could be so stupid!

[Upsy Daisy]

This make me so cross!

The GP needs to look at the NICE guidelines which clearly state

Do not rule out autism because of:

• good eye contact, smiling and showing affection to family members

• reported pretend play or normal language milestones

• difficulties appearing to resolve after a needs-based intervention (such as a supportive structured learning environment)

• a previous assessment that concluded that there was no autism, if new information becomes available.

This is the link to the page

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg128/chapter/1-Guidance

It also says

Always take parents' or carers' concerns and, if appropriate, the child's or young person's concerns, about behaviour or development seriously, even if these are not shared by others.

When considering the possibility of autism and whether to refer a child or young person to the autism team, be critical about your professional competence and seek advice from a colleague if in doubt about the next step.

and

Refer children younger than 3 years to the autism team if there is regression in language or social skills.

 

The GP is clearly disregarding this guidance.

[sunnyday]

oh fm I feel your pain - how frustrating - wish I had some words of wisdom

[finleysmaid]

oh fm I feel your pain - how frustrating - wish I had some words of wisdom

those thoughts are words enough :wub:

[Guest]

Hi

Sounds exactly the same as my little chap. My chap was not taken on by the lea sen teaching team as not bad enough??!!@ but he has had some sal. I completed an all about me form, which along with sal report, HV report the parents visited their Dr. He didn't see our little chap but having read all our paperwork has done a paediatric referral. The HV said it was my form that really made the Dr see exactly what was happening with him. Parents were expecting a fight but there was none.

Has your area not got this form? Could the parents seek a second opinion from another Dr?

I find all this frustrating. We gave no additional support for him as he has not got a diagnosis and school say there isn't the money at the moment. That's my next issue!!

[Guest]

Sorry it's not an all about me form but called a getting to know me form. .I think!

[Mouseketeer]

We could have written this finleysmaid ! All about early intervention until you raise a concern and everyone that you expect to support you seem to find every excuse for the behaviour, I know we can't be labelling young chn but at least take our concerns seriously and if we've made the wrong call so be it but that has to be better than not making the call at all and it being left to late :-(

[Scarlettangel]

We had a child start at nursery in September aged 37months.

 

Whilst I am not qualified to diagnose I have been doing this job (in various formats) for over 30 years.

I know this child is autistic. Severely autistic

 

Apparently the HV took mum at her word when she did his two year check, and didn't see him because he was asleep.... and signed him off as all ok....... consequently these parents with their first born son (and only child) had no idea when he hit nursery that his behaviour was not normal.

 

I think there are many children being let down by professionals.

 

I know time is precious but in the day and age we live in, and the things we hear on the news, not to even see this child, but to sign forms to say all was ok, strikes me as unprofessional

 

I talked to these parents for well over an hour after nursery this week and I did not mention the "A" word because I know I'm not qualified to, but I tried hard to stop mom making up reasons for his behaviour and I was firm about what we were seeing and this not being developmentally appropriate. They are now awaiting a referral via a different HV.

Edited November 25, 2016 by Scarlettangel