Edited 17/02/2021
autistic traits / insecure attachment ?
Finkykun
February 15, 2018 17:35
Hi all.. We adopted our DD nearly 2 years ago.. We flagged a few sensory things up when she came and these were just waved off by SW and said to be 'settling in' things... Things have been getting tougher and tougher and between house move and school starting. Our LO has always liked structure - routine etc and we always assumed this was because of her past... However more and more things keep adding up.. school states she has no friendship groups / shes not keen on contact unless on her terms / routine / textures or foods etc make a difference / personal space is an issue / doesnt play with toys just builds 'towers' basically stacking things / stickers is pretty much the same / dont have 2 way convosations / eye contact isnt great / touches things onto her chin / basically very sensory.... Im not an expert and our LA is being useless (the nicest way to state on here may i add) The list above is literally ehat comes to mind while im typing - unsure on best options.. do i just go to our doctor and bypass SS or push for this ASF thats been going on since October!? Anyone have any help / ideas / thoughts .... Anything....? x Thanks
Blueberry1
February 15, 2018 17:57
Definitely start by going to your GP. You can request post adoption support/ASF at the same time but you need to see a paediatrician to get an assessment for autism x
Edited 17/02/2021
Blueberry1
February 15, 2018 18:02
https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/diagnosis/dsm-5-diagnostic-criteria I find this quite useful as it shows the specific diagnostic criteria for autism. Girls do present very differently to boys though and it can be harder to diagnose as they often mask symptoms. I would keep notes of your concerns and see what your GP thinks. Have to say as well that autism and attachment problems present with similar symptoms so it's a good idea to contact social services too so both can be explored at the same time.
Edited 17/02/2021
Finkykun
February 15, 2018 18:50
Thank you. Iâll have a look at it.. I wasnât sure if I could / should contact gp too but weâre having so many problems with ASF that itâs taking forever... thank you x
Edited 17/02/2021
Blueberry1
February 15, 2018 19:18
We asked post adoption support to apply for ASF in November 2016 and it's still not sorted!! I ended up paying privately for some of the treatment and LO's school offered to fund the rest with her pupil premium. Hopefully you'll have more luck than us x
Edited 17/02/2021
Finkykun
February 15, 2018 20:32
We have been asked to self Fund till they get it sorted and I said no way... sessions are priced around £90 a session... why should we have to pay, all credit to you for doing it... absolutely furious at just being palmed off over that last nearly 2 years and itâs still getting worse... the effect itâs havinf on my damily is awful.. itâs tearing us apart... Iâve told SS that and they still really donât care.... x
Edited 17/02/2021
daffin
February 15, 2018 21:52
An application to the ASF takes 5 working days to process. Your PASW team are being ridiculous/ pathetic/ incompetent/ idle. I found in a very similar situation that a letter to the Head of Childrenâs Services ccâd to our local MP and the Head of AUK worked wonders. Sometimes you have to focus their minds. âWonât care was made to careâ.
Edited 17/02/2021
Finkykun
February 15, 2018 22:08
Thank you Daffin.. we were told â10 daysâ so after 3 weeks I raised this with the manager in a complaint and apparently âitâs not a fixed timescaleâ whatâs the point in sayin 10 days then?! Furious.. locally we have lots of radio adverts / posters and things about âhow much support is out there for adoptersâ itâs crazy.... itâs all lies.... makes me so angry that giving new adopters hope theyâll have support when they need it and they wonât!!!!
Edited 17/02/2021
freddie2
February 15, 2018 22:17
I think you need to see your gp and ask for a referral to a community paediatrician for an assessment. Alternatively school can make a direct referral themselves to community paediatrics. In the meantime maybe have a look at the Coventry grid which compares autistic behaviours and attachment behaviours. I scored my ad against the grid as did the senco at her school, and she fell into the attachment camp despite having being adopted as a baby. Autism presents quite differently in girls than boys. Autistic girls tend to be more sociable and mimic appropriate behaviour more. They are therefore often diagnosed later than boys. Have a look at the website for the school limpsfield grange which is a specialist asd school for girls. It has helpful info and videos on how asd presents in girls. Hope that helps. Take care xx
Edited 17/02/2021
Scafell
February 16, 2018 05:10
Applications to the ASF are definitely taking a lot longer now than they used to. About 18 months ago our first application took a week or two. We've been waiting since September for our second. Our LA seems understaffed to complete basic admin (provider regularly provides similar services under ASF but is in different LA so not set up as a provider on our son's LA's system). And I've heard the amount of admin has increased. You mentioned sensory issues, possible autism. Do you know what you are applying to the ASF for? "Assessment of needs" sounds a bit like they might assess the child to see what they need. In my experience this is not at all the case. It's more whether the child needs help. You have to be clear what that help is. Or at least clear what assessment you want done. So in your position I would definitely go to the doctor and take whatever help you can get outside of the ASF to narrow down what to ask for.
Edited 17/02/2021
Finkykun
February 16, 2018 06:25
The request has gone in based off her mim assessment that has been done previously... they want a sensory assessment and then theraplay sessions incorporating the findings of that.. she has attachment issues and thatâs all theyâve found so far with her being young, however I donât think it matches up and she does have many other issues that I donât think are just linked to attachment and do appear to be some kind of sensory processing disorder or autistic traits... Iâve spoken with school and her after school club, sheâs just turned 5 and they all agree / state they have concerns.. which I suppose is good we are all on the same page...
Edited 17/02/2021
safia
February 16, 2018 11:17
When I applied to the asf they insisted we had gone through all the stages in the local mental health process first - which is not how its supposed to work - its supposed to be a quicker route to therapy - but I think SS find it hard to get rid of their "avoiding anything we have to pay for" hat - also I think when I applied it was quite new to them - at least the more complex cases - and they didn't know what to do / how it worked - I knew more than them. As is happened the local MH services agreed to pay for the therapy but it took ages and lots of stress to get to that point. Anyway I think you should ask for a referral through your GP too - for an assessment for ASD - and if school can write to the GP too to back you up all the better - that takes a while anyway so best to get the ball rolling for both. Also bear in mind it isn't necessarily either / or - it could be both
Edited 17/02/2021
Finkykun
February 16, 2018 11:26
Thanks for that safia.... what I donât want is to just be brushed aside as âattachmentâ because sheâs adopted.... I donât think itâs true or fair... I will book at appointment with GP and speak to school after half term. Thank you x
Edited 17/02/2021
Flosskirk
February 16, 2018 19:38
Often attachment specialists will insist it's attachment while medical staff are saying developmental conditions like ASD. Neither will back down. And you can't get a categorical answer as they are all stuck in their own little silos. So you have to go down both routes and see what they come up with and thenot just use the relevant diagnoses as and when. That's what I have done. There is no one who can tear another diagnosis up!!!
Edited 17/02/2021
pluto
February 17, 2018 07:59
Go down the asd route, there is the support. All asd children have strange attachments anyway, that's a symptome of asd.
Edited 17/02/2021
kiwi kid HB
June 22, 2018 00:04
it could be both of course..
Edited 17/02/2021
Archived
This topic is archived. New posts are not allowed.
