A FAMILY is seeking help to get their autistic son diagnosed with a behavioural condition so that he can be treated properly.

Sophie Middleton believes her son Albert has ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), but says the wait to get the five-year-old diagnosed on the NHS is almost five years – leaving him without appropriate medication and care.

The family is hoping a fundraiser will allow them to get a private diagnosis much quicker.

This is what Oxford Mail readers thought about the story:

Kayleigh Rush: “We are all in the same boat here, we have been waiting since my oldest was three, he is eight this year.

“Going to the papers is not going to push it through any quicker when there are a lot more children out there waiting to be diagnosed with only one local facility in Oxford that does it. They should allow more doctors and paediatricians to diagnose to help the strain on CAHMS itself.”

Helen White: “Even before coronavirus the waiting list for CAMHS was 18 months to two years.

"They are shockingly underfunded and short-staffed and meanwhile,children and adolescents go without the diagnosis and support that they and their families need.”

Kelly Denham: “Sadly most of us were in the same boat.

"It took years for my daughter to be even referred, then two years waiting for an appointment. She finally got diagnosed at 12 with autism, ADHD, cognitive learning disability and a sleeping disorder.”

Ellen Brennan: “I had to fight from when my son was aged three. By the time he was 11 and was not able to go to school due to his anxiety, they finally assessed him. ADHD and autism, with server anxiety.

“He is 13 now and can only cope with three hours twice a week of what is called outside learning. It’s a long slow road.”

Stephanie Wright: “This is not isolated. The services are hugely over subscribed and under funded.”

Christian Hodgkinson: “We have been on the waiting list for a long time in Oxfordshire and have been told the wait could be another three years.

“We are unfortunately having to consider going private and dipping into savings as we can’t wait this long.”

Kim Hornsby: “My 15-year-old has been on the waiting list for NDC pathway for three years, she ended up being sectioned last year and in a mental health hospital for three month with no diagnosis at all still.”

Cally Hill: “Eight years for my son's diagnosis of ASD. There is just not enough funding for CAMHS. When he got diagnosed, I was told that he showed clear traits from two years old, yet did not get diagnosed until nearly 16 years. They said he must have ‘slipped through the net’ .

“It is all too little too late. He needed the support when he was being bullied at primary school.”

Lydia Claire: “I can't believe the struggles or what I’m reading. My son is 23. Back then he was given a paediatrician, psychologist and a pre-school teacher counsellor. He had good NHS support network for much of his life.

"It is adult services that I find the difficulties with now. It was hard enough even then without all this extra red tape. It seems such a fight for people.”

Marie Browning: “We went on the waiting list and was told it was at least a four year wait. So we decided to pay private at the Oxford autism centre. Best thing we ever did - they are great.”

Kelly Conder: “I have been waiting for 16 years for someone to listen and finally diagnose my son with autism and have now to wait even longer for him to be tested for ADHD.”

Alexandrine Kántor: “I got diagnosed at 32 years old.”

Laura Marie Pullin : “My 12-year-old daughter was diagnosed two years ago after a long fight. No EHCP because the school mentioned its hard to get funding for a girl. We were discharged from CAMHS as we decided not to medicate.”

Kerry Fielding: “I have been waiting nearly three years for my daughter to seen and assessed.”