Aspergers/ASD support thread

bedpotato_2

Brenny wrote: »

I haven't been on the forum for a long time but amazed to find how long this thread has become - I am the OP who started it about my grandaughter not wearing underwear. And she still doesn't.

I am 31 years old and have Asperger's, and I don't wear underwear either. Quite normal for Aspies.

Savvy_Sue

lallysmum wrote: »

I got a letter this morning from his consultant with the results of the genetic tests that they did back in June and it has completely freaked me out.

The result is (from what I understand which is basically nil) that there was a "significant abnormality detected" and it then says
arr 3p26 (1,830,662-2,768,383)x3 and that further testing needs to be carried out. I'd have thought that the consultant would have added a little info to explain to me what it all means, but I have to wait a couple of months for a genetics appointment and I know that I'm not going to be able to stop thinking about it.

Go and see your GP and see if they can shed any light on it. But also remember what jackie said: your son hasn't changed, just what you know about him, and hopefully that information will prove helpful in the longer term.

Big_Alf

Wow long thread, may take me a while to work through it :eek:

Ill try and keep this as short as poss, ask for any further info if you can offer help PLEASE!!!

Have a 3 1/2 yr old in my kindergarten class who is showing all the signs of ASD. Unable to communicate, does not respond to name being called or understand simple commands. Not able to interact with other kids and constant clawing, pinching, headbutting, biting etc...

If dealing with the problem itself isnt difficult enough with the proper professional support in place, the poor kid is going to have slightly less than !!!!!! all help.

Without going into to much detail initially, the mother is refusing to acknowledge there is any sort of problem and is suffering from depression because of what is happening. She refuses to allow professional help to be sought outside of school. Her and the father are fighting constantly over the matter.

I asked my TA about going along the route of having people come to school and taking a 'what mother doesnt know' approach but then I was informed that the principle either isnt being informed of the problem, doesnt care, or is for political reasons just sticking her head in the sand. Either way......:mad:

But anyway, things are what they are and I just have to somehow try and do something for the poor little thing.

There is only myself, my TA and the father involved in this. I have a small amount of education in the special needs area, though this was broadly based on all inclusivity rather than anything approaching the knowledge needed to properly approach this problem.

I believe I will be able to calm his behaviour down and integrate him more into class activities. (In 2 months we have managed to go from him sitting on the floor in the corner being spoon fed, to him collecting his food, sitting with the other kids and feeding himself, so there is a glimmer of hope!)

The commuication problem however is well outside my skill and knowledge area, but im trying not to worry about it at the moment and focus on regulating his antisocial behaviour.

I am first starting off by building a sensory den for him. I trialed whether he would react well to being in a smallish darkened area by cutting one side of a very large box, then putting some stimulants in there - baloons, baubals etc... He was hesitent at first about venturing inside, but curiosity soon got the better of him, so will proceed with the full project asap!

Oh and to make matters a tiny bit harder, I can only talk to my TA using Google translate

Sorry for waffling on, will stop now :rotfl:

PS. This trailer for a documentary might give you an idea of the stigma of mental illness here. Very sad indeed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmXnwyuPqfw

lallysmum

Savvy Sue and Jackie B... thank you so much for your replies and sorry for my delay in responding.
You are both completely right. I think it was just the seeing it in black and white with absolutely no explanation. Yesterday I got his ILP from the school and it is brilliant. They seem to know him so well already (after 7 weeks) and have fantastic help and plans to help him set up. That made me feel so much better about it all.
However, today, and for the rest of ever... he's just my little boy, same as he always was, as adored as ever, and pretty much all round wonderful (Apart from when he pee'd on my sky+ box.. wasn't as happy with him then, lol)

Savvy_Sue

Big Alf, couple of questions, do you not have a SENCO who can be asked for advice? and if Dad is on-side, do you HAVE to have Mum's cooperation?

As for your principal, sometimes there is a problem there, in that if you acknowledge a difficulty you have to do something about it, and that costs money, and presumably they're responsible for the budget and know how long it can take to get the financial package which comes from statementing, which can be tricky in pre-school anyway.

ah, just realised you're not in the UK ...

However, if Mum's been seriously depressed it may well be that socialisation has been delayed, you've already made some progress and it may not be as bad as you fear.

BTW, you're clearly working as a foreign national, what sort of setting is this? ie is this a 'normal' school within that country, or an international school? Are mum and dad natives, or internationals? I don't know if that will make a difference, but it might. I'm not naming the country where you are, as you didn't, and it might be sensitive.

Flyboy152

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Big Alf, couple of questions, do you not have a SENCO who can be asked for advice? and if Dad is on-side, do you HAVE to have Mum's cooperation?

As for your principal, sometimes there is a problem there, in that if you acknowledge a difficulty you have to do something about it, and that costs money, and presumably they're responsible for the budget and know how long it can take to get the financial package which comes from statementing, which can be tricky in pre-school anyway.

ah, just realised you're not in the UK ...

However, if Mum's been seriously depressed it may well be that socialisation has been delayed, you've already made some progress and it may not be as bad as you fear.

BTW, you're clearly working as a foreign national, what sort of setting is this? ie is this a 'normal' school within that country, or an international school? Are mum and dad natives, or internationals? I don't know if that will make a difference, but it might. I'm not naming the country where you are, as you didn't, and it might be sensitive.

I think it might be China.

magenta22

The trouble with AS is that - what we have found as a family member has it - that not many people know how to deal with it and many people think it's just that they are attention seeking.

starnight_2

Big Alf - I would also say, the mother may be blaming herself for the son's behaviour. I myself am bipolar and I remember always having a niggling doubt that DS's difficulties were caused by me and my illness, and when I did ask for help all I got was "he'll grow out of it" or "he's been through a lot, let's wait and see", making me feel quite inadequate and very reluctant to ask for help again. I would also question whether having just the co-operation of father will be enough? If mother's plate is full could you not get approval from father?

Savvy_Sue

Flyboy152 wrote: »

I think it might be ......

:rotfl: yes, I did work that out, BUT if the poster doesn't explicitly say where they are in their post, they may have a reason for that, so I left it out of my post.

concerned43

My DS is 13 and has had difficulties all his life - he stopped eating when he was 1 yr old and was deaf for about a year (think he had glue ear) so he did not start speaking properly until he was 10. Akward in social situations, showed no empathy, 90% of what he says comes from films/TV shows that he has seen - he remembers every line!
He has never had a full night sleep in his life - he is never tired! He was diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia when he was 10 and was referred to CAMHS in October 2011 due to suffering from extreme anxiety and sleep disorder.
He was at CAMHS last week and I was allowed to sit in for the first time and he was given a series of pictures of people and asked to say what the person might be feeling - he only managed to get one right. He was also shown another series of pictures which had 'think bubbles' in them and asked to say what he thought the people were thinking - he did not even attempt to answer. He was given a series of scenarios e.g. "paul and stuart went into the library, stuart wanted some books and paul said he would put them on his library card as Stuart did not have a library card but stuart said no and put the books inside his jacket and walked out of the library with the books. Do you think what stuart did was the right thing?" my DS said yes! out of the five scenarios he only got one correct.
I was really shocked at this and I was also shocked that CAMHS were doing these assessments as I was not told. I met the physcologist on Tuesday and she told me my DS has autism but there will be further tests in January to determine the level but so far the test suggest ASP! she said we have to be very careful about formally diagnosing my son as the diagnosis will be with him forever and do we want that?
Due to my DS's severe anxiety I don't think he is in a position to handle another 'label'. Could anyone tell me the positives of having a formal diagnosis?