Autism

fiona wares, 5 months

We have a 12 year old boy with complex needs cerebral palsy, epilepsy, blind,speech and communication delay and autisum.His austium is very structured he can not cope with any change unless he is told before hand if he's not told about any change he will have a benny self harm and lash out at who ever is near enough to grap he even throws his arms rest from his wheelchair away. We were told in 2000 that he was showing austic fetures but we had to wait till 2008 before our peadatric docter would do any thing and by that time he was 11 and we had sorterd out how to deal with his out bursts by ourselves we find if you ignore him he will calm down quicker and if we talk that seems to make him worse, i keep telling him i'm going to put him to the local police station and the police can put him in a cell it may sound cruel but my son would cope better with that than being out in a street. Every child with autisum has their own way of coping with things and it may take you as the parents to work it out better than the docters they are not their when you have not slept for 3 days running as I say they are the proffisonals in the jobs but we as parents and carers are the experts doing the job there is a big differance. My son understands every thing you tell him and he can work things out very quicklythe wheelchair department has tried every kind of fastener for his wheelchair and he has worked out how to open them all we have found one that he cann't open unless he uses a pen which he can find at times.Children with Autisum can be very hard work but at the end of the daywhen they give you a hug and do some thing that you don't expect them to do i have learned to enjoy the special moments with your child and yes we know it is hard work i felt it really hard when my son took off on a benny in the town but at the end of the day it is the people that are staring at him that has the biggist problem at least our kids have a reason they are just rude and not willing to accept people are going to be differrant to them.

amanda wells, about 1 year

hi i have a 10 yr old boy he has just been diagnosed with asd ,i am pretty upset at the moment ,he has been out of school fornearly a year and im still not sure how much longer we have got to wait. i am a single mum and have not got any support,i feel so alone and helpless mandy

sarah, about 1 year

My son is 6 yrs and has Aspergers diagnosed 1 yr ago-it too is very challenging.The biggest thing any parent can do with a child on the spaectrum is to educate yourself on it (I spent mths every night once he finally asleep on the internet searching ,read books-Tony Attwood books are good and I attended cognitive therapy sessions ,6 in all with a therapist specialising in it for my sanity as she was able to explain why he did things..etc and finally i could understand my son.That was step 1.The next step was to get help for him,every health authority has camhs or a child developmental service ;i turned up there after originally getting him privately diagnosed with the evidence and then they all saw him ;paed,speech and language..etcThey can offer links to support groups then. The next battle is school;getting teachers to understand -im still in the midst of the battle;never give up ever,i requested statementing myself enclosing all the evidence from drs etc and am now awaiting the educational psychologists decision. Sanity wise ;people leace you;its hard to go places life becomes restricted but these chances to share with one another are vital and you feel less lonely.Its so continually worrying and hard..I know.Good luck out therexxx

bashar, about 1 year

I am amedical persone i have a 4 year old son his name taha ,he is still not reach commuincation with me and his mums ,he repeat tv speakers only also makes strange noises his mother depress all the time .I would love to know any persone guid us to help him,realy he makes me and his mums cry..........thanks

victoria Bodenham, about 1 year

Unlike most of you i consider myself lucky my daughter is 18 and talks very well to well sometimes she has Aspergers and ADHD and my son has ADHD and they think possably Aspergers as well I have writen a little about them on the ADHD link.Your children are incredably special and so are you.It would seem as with all things what help you get depends on where you live in my case nothing .I have found the charities will talk on the phone for awhile and send leflets but not alot else.I continue to fight to keep my marriage and my sanity and make sure my children are loved.Focus on what your child can do and don't beat youself up over who's fault and why .It is hard and any small improvement is huge in our house don't worry about other people it's there problem not yours we get the looks the tuts .Don't get me wrong I cry I get sad but I focus on the joy they bring me in the little things that realy matter.I wish all of you the best and the strength to keep going.

DEBBIE DAFFIN, about 1 year

I have a three year old son called ben who has autism he dosent speak at all so it is really hard to know what he wants he makes alot of screeching noises and he hums alot he is still in nappies . he has just started going to a special nursery which he loves but it can be quite hard at times . I didnt realise so many people are going through what we are is there any groups that i can join as my husband works all day and i am at home with him and his little sister

lorna, about 1 year

Hi there i have a 5 year old son with ASD who is now in mainstream school after a fight with the local athorities, In stead of the CSP taken 12 weeks it took a whole year drove me to depression and made my familys life hell. I had been intouch with some groups but at the end of the day i had to face the reality of life with asd in it, There is hope though as now we can look to the future and hopefull have some kind of life so to other mums out here keep hope inyour heart as you are not alone and yes we all have bad days but there is some good ones to take care

s smith, about 1 year

I have a 4 year son with Autism, who starts special school in September this year, this I found really difficult, because I think this was the first time I really had to face up to the fact, he was not going to be a mainstream child. I am a single mum and find the whole thing exhausting and have many times been in tears over his condition. I would love to know of any groups of mums in similar postions, but have no idea if there is even such a thing. Thanks for listening.

donna calderbank, about 1 year

i have a 3 year old son called jack he has just started pre school, they have noticed a few problems, he is still in nappys but has just started smearing his poo every where and on him self. he has speech and language therpy, also tip toe walker also makes very strange humming noises and bangs his head with the palms of his hands he is very ruf when he shows affection also repeats what you say to him over and over. he also bangs his head into us when he makes humming noises would like some advice

ij, about 1 year

Please I would like to know treament for autism. my son was 4yrs last month and has autism. He understands almost everything you tell him but he hums and doesnt speak. It makes me cry.

Pamela Boswell, over 2 years

I am going to start work in a special school and some of the children have different abilities/disabilities such as Autism. I was unsure of what Autisum is. This has given me a greater insight and understand of what Autism is and i now feel i can understand the children's different needs............. Thank You.