Help!!

[jaynebeal]

My son is seven years old and suffers from behavioural problems, I have just read the diagnostic criteria for autism and he fits six of them. Before he could talk he used to headbut the floor if you didn't understand him, his speech development was slow and he was extremely clingy toward me, scared of crowds....we could'nt even visit the fair because he would cry and cling to me. If we abruptly change his routine he has a full blown tantrum and is a nightmare to get ready for school even if he gets up at 6.30 and doesn't have to be in till 8.45. His interest in toys is narrow and he is serially obsessed with one topic...it was thomas when younger, now it's sonic the hedgehog games. He can't seem to entertain himself at all and cannot indulge in make believe games alone unles they are sonic related. His food had to be presented in a certain way and if it wasn't then he wouldn't eat it and create merry hell. tonight I changed a bath for a shower and it took two hours of tantrums to get him in it, then he had a tantrum because he had to go to bed. Does any of this sound familiar to anyone? If so what do I do to help him and where do I go to get that help? Any replys would be gratefully recieved.

[graeme]

Hi,

Yes, this sounds familiar but there may be many reasons why your son behaves in the way he does.

However, the behaviours you describe are certainly in line with some of the traits shown by people with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder but to reach a reliable diagnosis, specific assessments would need to be conducted.

Have you spoken to your GP about this? He or she should be able to make a referral to an appropriate specialist/team. Is your son presenting the same behaviours at school? If so, have they formed any opinions?

Please feel free to phone Studio 3 if you would like to discuss your situation further. 01225 334111

Regards,

Graeme

[dave]

Hiya

Sounds like a really tough time for you, not just your son. You should definitely start with a trip to the GP if only to see what help they can offer. Getting a psychologist who specialises in autism would also be very helpful. The NAS have got lots of really good leaflets about autism which you can download off their site www.nas.org.uk (http://www.nas.org.uk) I'd also look around your home and see what things you can do to reduce levels of stress for your son as there is a link between stressors, autism and challenging behaviour. I've worked with many children with autism and noticed that some children find it almost impossible to control their responses to some things that we would find quite easy to deal with. It's not that they want to respond how they do it's just that they can't control their level of response. Sometimes the things that stress them out may seem a bit bizarre - I worked with a boy who used to get really upset when he could hear lawnmowers (even when I couldn't hear it) and a girl who wouldn't walk in some shadows. We took the lawnmower away and got a quieter one and got some bright lights to cancel out the shadows and the problems stopped. Look for areas of over (and under) sensitivity.

Good luck

[jaynebeal]

hello there, thank you for your reply. It's funny....I feel a bit weird being on here....I guess you get used to a certain way of living and you don't quite see it as abnormal anymore but I'm sick of close friends telling me that he gets away with murder. He is not badly behaved at all but his rigidity is seen as being spoilt sometimes.....maybe they are right and I'm wrong. I've taken your advice and made an appointment for him in the morning with the gp. wish us luck!!

thanks once again.

Bealie