Aspergers/ASD support thread

blue_monkey_2

What wonderful new SDW.

seven-day-weekend

We have every confidence in his ability to do the fresh foods job. He may however, come unstuck on the supervisor bit as he will have to do rotas and suchlike and these are the sort of things (ordering and sequencing) that he finds difficult.

However, he can but try, we will ask him to make sure that if it all goes pear-shaped that he will be able to return to checkouts. At least he will have learned a new supermarket skill in the fresh foods dept.

UPDATE::

My son starts his new job on Monday 6th June, it is 39 hours per week. Delighted!!

starnight_2

Thanks for sharing SDW, it's always great to hear.

DS's therapist (one of them) came out to the house yesterday with most of his visulas, I was hoping they would help, at least a bit.

Well THEY DO, I knew they would help, but I'm really surprised by just how much, normally to get out of the house in the morning I need almost an hour so I can get myself ready and constantly prompt DS into what he has to do next. It took 20 mins this morning, I came downstairs expecting to have to remind him to put his shoes on and get his schoolbag, yet there he was standing ready waiting for me!! And even this morning dropping him to school, I notcied how much calmer he was and ready for the day ahead of him.

Here is hoping when we get the social stories they are making for him next week we can take another step in helping DS have a bit of independance.

seven-day-weekend

That's wonderful, starnight!

Absolutely

I'm exhausted.

My son (6), who has other problems anyway, is autistic. He's always been the last to go to sleep and the first to wake up. Most of the time he sleeps for 4 hours. His Paediatrician prescribed Melatonin but it didn't help. He's relentless.

He's been this way since he was born. Any help/advice/tips? Can anyone sympathise? It's like a rollercoaster and I want to get off!

Bean_Counter

To be honest, my autistic son son follows a relatively normal sleep pattern and will go to sleep at 10pm and sleep through till 7.30ish, and has really done so since birth.

I know that's no help or comfort to you, though - sorry.

Absolutely

Bean_Counter wrote: »

To be honest, my autistic son son follows a relatively normal sleep pattern and will go to sleep at 10pm and sleep through till 7.30ish, and has really done so since birth.

I know that's no help or comfort to you, though - sorry.

Thanks for replying to my pretty pointless post anyway.

I guess the reality is my son just doesn't need to sleep as much as other children and I'm looking for something to "blame" it on.

I just don't know how he keeps going! It can get to 9pm and I'm going to bed and asking him to turn his light out and keep quiet. It's like role-reversal.

Guess I'll just have to put up with it until he turns into a teenager who I'll be asking to get out of bed :rotfl:

Bean_Counter

I wouldn't say it's a pointless post - you don't know until you ask the question. It might be worth mentioning next time you see the doctor to see what they suggest.

flippin36

Whenever we see the paeditrician they always ask about our sons sleeping habits (so it must be a common problem). We have recently had a few problems where we would hear him playing late at night so we took all distractions out of his room (he gets obsessive). We kept finding him sitting on the window sill too, so we have closed off the window using a wood frame and voile. We are also very careful about what he eats and drinks before bedtime (healthy only, no sugar). Music calms him down too, he sits and listens to music and takes his mind off his little obessions.

Wish I could help you more - keep searching for a solution because there is always a way.

JC9297

Yes it is very common for autistic children to have sleep problems, particularly those more severely autistic. I'm sure if you google it you will find lots of information. There can be two problems; settling in the first place and staying asleep. Our son had problems with both, not settling until really late and then waking an hour later and that was it! He went through phases of sleeping more or less, an hour or so at the worst but never what you would call a normal night's sleep. He never seemed to suffer from lack of sleep.
He is now 18 and although he still does not sleep normally all of the time, he is much better.