Calling REASONABLE PRICED diagnosticians AS California?

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Help, does anyone know of any diagnosticians in California, Los Angeles area that are reasonably priced and good? I am told it is about $4000 - $8000 for a Dx over there? I am in the UK so would really value some advice!

Where does someone on a low income go for a diagnosis. I am looking for a 16yr old boy who is struggling in his final years at school and about to drop out if we don't get him a Dx. He is a very bright boy.

THANKS EVERYONE, in advance.



www.jelibean.com

Are you looking for simply a diagnosis? I can recommend a very good specialist who can probably give a diagnosis with a short, face to face interview for a few hundred. If you are looking for a full evaluation with several standardized tests, levels, etc it would be more. His office is in Orange County, about 25 miles south of Los Angeles.

Well, we are in the SF Bay Area, which may as well be a totally different country than L.A., as far as distance goes. But costs tend to be about the same, and it only cost us $800 to get my son diagnosed about five years ago. That was several sessions with testing and observation, as well as talking to us, the parents for a while. It was done over the course of several meetings by a developmental pediatrician.

If you go to http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-pspddnos/, I know there are some regulars there who are closer to the L.A. area, who might have some info.

San Diego/Del Mar we were given an estimate for a full evaluation (tests, etc.) of about $2,000.

Low income - probably unlikely to get this at the boy's age, sorry. The waiting lists are extraordinarily long. Unless the local school district would have him evaluated. (I believe I responded to another of your posts. I will try to find the professional's name and contact info and will PM you with it.) A trip to San Diego for mom and son might be done "on the cheap" and combined with a vacation....

Children's Hospital Clinic in San Diego (I'm told) could see them for $150 per hour, estimated to need from 8 to 12 hours for a proper evaluation. I have no idea of the wait time, but the $150 per hour was the "cash pay" rate about a year ago.

You might also check UCSD's new autism center - http://www.autismsandiego.org/

Best of luck (I'm still looking for the name of the private practice doctor....)

You might want to consider checking out your local mental health department (I can't speak for where you live, but Shasta County has one, so I'm assuming other California counties have one). When I lived up there and was receiving services through the county, my last psychiatrist had me placed on a waiting list for an assessment. It was a long list, however, and I would end up moving out-of-state just months after being placed on it. The cost, from what I understood, would be based on my income.

However, this was nearly six years ago. Given Cali's current financial state, something like this may not even be an option now. It would still be worth looking into, I think, even if it's just to see if that option is there.

Thank you so much for all your advice. Nan if you do find someone, please let me know, I would be so grateful. If we didn't have a volcanic layer of ash above us, I would fly him over here to the UK for a diagnosis....but then again...money is an issue!

Thanks so much everyone, keep em coming! And if there are any kind diagnosticians over there please do get in contact.

Cheers



www.jelibean.com

Jelibean, you have a PM.