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In January at the Queen's 5 year check-up the Pediatrician referred us to a Psychiatrist. It has taken 4 months to find one & I had to drop the Queen's primary insurance in order for this appointment to take place. A 3 and a half hour wait & we were granted a whopping 15 minutes with the Psych. Yes, 15 minutes for an evaluation. The Queen was diagnosed with anxiety. She was diagnosed with SPD at 2. So, this was not a surprise since they go together. The Psychiatrist put her on Atarax for sleep but that had the opposite effect. So, she changed her to Risperdal which has no effect. I called the Psychiatrist over 3 days ago & have yet to receive a return call.
Meanwhile, my sister works with a Psychiatrist. He said, "I would not put a child under the age of 7 on an anti-psychotic. There are no long-term studies on the effects these drugs will have on her. In order to get a proper diagnoses, she needs to see a Pediatric NeuroPsychologist."
I have asked the Pediatrician repeatedly if we can go to a NeuroPsych, Developmental Ped, or a Psychologist. The answer has always been " No, go to a Psychiatrist first & then we will see." I have a call into the Pediatrician for a referral to a NeuroPsych but how do I get her to listen this time?
By the way, this is like our 6th Pediatrician. Apparently they all suck around here. So, I can fire this Ped but I don't know who to take her too that takes Medicaid.
Thank you in advance for your help.
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Do you have anything that shows thats she has problems at school or anywhere else? I don't understand why a refereal to a NeuroPsychologist would be that big of a deal. I had much better luck when we got our son on our Blue Cross insurance because most neuropsych's don't take the medical card. I didn't even need to have a referal. I just called and they got us in.
I am sorry that you haven't had any luck with the respiral. We saw awesome results with it but they told us to start on a tiny amount and increased it until we find the dosage that works.
My son would not let us hold him, touch him, esp. hair, was afraid of everything, and severely obsessive. We were able to stop using the respirdal in Dec and he still lets us touch him and doesn't obsess as much. You have to do what is right for her and keep on your doctor until they give you the referral.
Are you sure that you have to have a referral?
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Go to your ped and tell him/her exactly what you've written here. Seriously, your ped should be advocating for your DD, not hung up on which specialist to see first, particularly since it isn't as though you need to see a psych before a develp. ped, or a neuro-psych. I don't get that. Do you have to have a referral for a neuro-psych? Can you call and ask? Ask the ped for more information on that if he/she isn't willing to give a referral even after the discussion re: what the psych hasn't done. After that...maybe look for ped #7? Or even a general family practitioner who is more willing to consider solutions outside the box.
Do you have a local adoption group, or special needs parenting? Maybe they have suggestions about peds and other dr's.
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Thank you LadyinRed & Barksum. The pediatrician called me & I explained as I did above. She agreed to refer us to a NeuroPsych. Her office has to get the referral over to the NeuroPsych & then we can schedule an appointment. Her office is slow. So, I must stay on top of them.
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Glad you got the referral. I don't care of L's Pediatrician, however, to her credit if I say I'm concerned with this that or the other thing, she has no problem running labs, or referring her somewhere. That's the way it should be. Good luck friend!
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Happy to report we have a NeuroPsychology appointment set for August 19th. An 8 hour eval. That has got to be better than that 15 minute visit with the Psychiatrist we had a few weeks ago. First visit to a Psychiatrist & she gave my 5 year old an anti-psychotic. Um, we aren't going back to the psychiatrist.
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That is good. It really stinks that you have to wait for so long. I can't believe that she will have an 8 hr evaluation. That will be great.
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parenting-over-40
Happy to report we have a NeuroPsychology appointment set for August 19th. An 8 hour eval. That has got to be better than that 15 minute visit with the Psychiatrist we had a few weeks ago. First visit to a Psychiatrist & she gave my 5 year old an anti-psychotic. Um, we aren't going back to the psychiatrist.
Great!! I'm also sorry that you have to wait so long, but thrilled that you FINALLY got that referral and appointment. We learned so much from that 8 hour evaluation. Things are really different in our home since then. I hope it's equally helpful for you!
I wouldn't go back to that psychiatrist either. :grr: I'm not strictly anti-medication - some kids truly need them - but after 15 minutes?! We tried to take DJ to a therapist through our insurance instead of the private (very good but very expensive) therapist we've been seeing. He looked at the neuropsych report and spent a 50 minute session telling us that DJ has ADHD, despite the Neuropsych who observed him at school and spent 8 hours with him being very clear that he doesn't. (No one thinks DJ is hyperactive, including us.) He was all set to medicate my child before he'd even met him. It's scary how quick some professionals are to start handing out powerful drugs to children before they are SURE it's necessary!
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Original appointment was for December 12, '13. So waiting until August is not so bad. We are being sent to a large Children's Hospital for the December date. However, they have a hospital in the burbs that can see us sooner.
Oak - like you, I am not completely anti-meds. I do think the Queen needs something to get her to sleep because even with Melatonin it takes 3 hours. However, I was not asking for an anti-psychotic. I was also not asking for the "You must have a routine" response that I got from the pediatrician. Yes, we have a routine & we don't move away from it.
A 50 minute evaluation & even with the NeuroPsych information the Psych still misdiagnosed DJ? That's just crazy.
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