Schools wanting to diagnose autistic teen with mental illnes

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Yesterday my sons school counselor called me to insist that I take my 17 year old son to psychiatric hospital because he told her that sometimes he feels like god. She insists he shows manic behavior (he has panic attacks/anxiety). My son was diagnosed with aspergers and add along with many learning disabilities 5 years ago by a psychologist who specializes in autism and has been under his care ever since. When I called the dr. He said that I should not take him to hospital, that all his behaviors are explained by his autism and that the school counselor (social worker) does not understand autism. I am so torn because I am being pulled in 2 directions. I want to trust his dr. But I am afraid that if he is mentally ill, I am not helping him. Any advice??

It makes a huge difference when you have a therapist who knows autism. I agree with your autism dr--sounds like the school counselor does not understand autism. If he is a danger to himself or others, then he needs more urgent attention. And i would go through the autism dr for that opinion too. But if he is not a danger to himself or others, i would not get too worried about the school counselor. Maybe your autism dr could give you some materials to educate your school counselor?

I have had fairly unhelpful experiences dealing with providers who did not understand autism. They considered some of my anxiety symptoms to be far more serious than they actually turned out to be. Once i found out about aspergers and how the brain works in aspergers, i could decode some of the baffling things and diffuse some of the anxiety--or at least work with it-- once i knew where it was coming from. i also think that some of the diagnoses first pinned on me were unnecessary once autism was in the picture, such as OCD. i am not classic OCD, but due to perseverations and fixations, i got awarded with that one needlessly.

Once i found a behavioral therapist who did understand, she was far more helpful than some of the doctors with more letters after their names, who did not recognize HFA in me.

It's within your rights to get a second opinion from another Doctor, which might be beneficial. If you can get something in written form from your doctor and/or school counsellor, it might be a good way for them to create contact with each other. Rather than you going back and forth with he/said she/said, etc.

Either way, if your child could receive extra help, or might have another psychological condition going undiagnosed, then it could be for the greater good. Or failing that, your school counsellor might learn something from an actual professional.

Sorry to hear of the position you are in though. Please post updates as you find out more, because I'll be interested to hear how it unfolds.

Go with the known expert, and ignore the false diagnosis of the inexperienced teacher ... who likely just wants to get your son out of her classroom.

You may also benefit from the services of a lawyer.

Thank you all for your opinions. His dr said that being a danger to himself or others would be the only reason to take an autistic teen to a psych ward. He is neither and he told me that he was having an anxiety attack so he went to the nurses office to call me to come get him. Then he heard the school counselor telling the nurse that he has a psychological problem and needs to be taken to the hospital. Overhearing that turned his anxiety attack into a meltdown, feeding into her opinion that he is mentally ill because he was getting paranoid and nervous and jerky. The doctor is going to call the school counselor on Monday to explain why I did not follow her advice to take him to hospital. I will update ya'll on Monday, thanks

Good luck, Riley!

And don't forget the lawyer.

Under Australian law only a "medically trained" person can recommend a person be put in involuntary care in a psych ward. A school counselor or a psychologist does not have that authority.

While sometimes thinking he's God might warrent some further evaluation, there's no reason to take any person to A&E/ER unless they are a danger to themselves or others. They likely wouldn't even be admitted if they weren't.

I had a manic episode with delusional thinking as a teenager (most likely) relating to a bad reaction to antidepressants and my psychiatrist and psychologist were confident that I would be much better off as an outpatient.

(My phone won't let me edit, but I meant "no reason" for mental health issues. Obviously there are other accidents and emergencies.)

If it were my son, not only would I not take him to a psychiatric hospital, but I wouldn't want that counselor anywhere near him anymore.

I agree with this. This counselor person seems dangerous and trouble-making.

It depends on the context. I used to make twist tye people and tell stories with them. At one point, I told my teacher I was 'the God of the twist tye people' and she freaked out. I wasn't delusional, I was just saying that I created and controlled the twist tye people the way they portrayed God as doing.