Maaaaaardy
Member
Life experiences are irrelevant, take him to the doctor and have a conversation. Disregard what everyone here says, without being watched and seeing first hand we couldn't possibly say.
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Autism - Welcome to the Spectrum
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Life experiences are irrelevant, take him to the doctor and have a conversation. Disregard what everyone here says, without being watched and seeing first hand we couldn't possibly say.
Eye for an Eye
Member
The first says maybe and the second point says maybe not. The other stuff just seems sort of irrelevant to a spectrum disorder.
Does he understand social cues in public? Does he have an obsession of something particular? And not just mind numbingly watching netflix, we all do that. Does he neglect or push aside things that aren't relevant to his favorite things? Like, I like math in school. I can do math homework all day long, but it's like pulling teeth to get me to do any other homework except at the last minute if ever. Did he struggle with learning to have phone conversations? Like calling a place of business.
A lot of it is about focus, social interactions, and understanding the bigger world. Autism is more like the mind being locked in a box away from everything and struggling to understand how the world works.
Aett, our son started taking meds for ADHD and that's helped him tremendously in school and at home.
Last night he was banging his head into his pillow because he was severely upset over the lack of Star Wars cards at the store. He did really good transitioning from leaving the store without what he wanted. Then about 5 minutes before bed, his world came crashing in on him due to the lack of Star Wars cards. I had to do some bargaining and talking him through stuff. But he went to bed and had a great day today. I hooked him up with a pack of Star Wars cards as a reward. Then after he got the cards he was trying to make deals with me to get more cards.
Last night he was banging his head into his pillow because he was severely upset over the lack of Star Wars cards at the store. He did really good transitioning from leaving the store without what he wanted. Then about 5 minutes before bed, his world came crashing in on him due to the lack of Star Wars cards. I had to do some bargaining and talking him through stuff. But he went to bed and had a great day today. I hooked him up with a pack of Star Wars cards as a reward. Then after he got the cards he was trying to make deals with me to get more cards.
This is my experience. My stepson internalizes any form of criticism, no matter how constructive or mundane, as an invalidation of him as a person. To him there's no greater insult than reminding him to do or not to do something. It's extremely difficult to work around. You have to find a way of explaining the situation without letting on that he's wrong, otherwise you're talking to a wall having a rapidly escalating and angry pity party.
Sounds a little bit like me. I've got ADHD, mild social anxiety, and I'm a bit of an introvert. (A terrible combination.)
I can read social cues no problem, but sometimes I'll be too spaced out or on a run to notice them. I also like socializing, but once I hit an internal quota I need to withdraw for a bit. Things like job interviews, or even clicking submit on a job application, are the most stressful and anxiety-ridden things I can go through.
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
In that case, I'd ask the kid what he is hearing when told information.
Are we the same person? :O
I'm a bit similar with socializing but I only like talking to strangers in short "controlled" situations, that's why don't do well at parties or hanging out for hours. Still happy that I have ADHD, legit brings me joy when I overwhelm others with my energy.
I'm been gives myself excuses the last month in regards to applying for jobs, my least favorite activity. I feel like I missed my chance for a summer job because I 'm applying so late now at the end of May.
poppabk
Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
That sucks, how was he doing in kindergarten before this?
My son finishes kindergarten this week also, and my main problem is going to be how to stop him playing Wii 24/7. I don't expect any major outbursts from him, but I know he will slink off from any activity as soon as he can to go play his games. I don't mind him playing for an hour on a night after dinner or a bit longer on the weekends, but he is going to treat every day like the weekend if we are not careful.
Ahhhh the Wii. My son is hooked on our Wii U. In fact, we keep the Wii in a separate room with our second tv and my PC, with a lock on the door for days when my son has lost that privilege.
One of the first things that he started misbehaving with (related to the school stuff), a couple weeks ago, was turning on my PC for no good reason. We've lived here for three years and he's never cared about it. Fortunately, I have it password protected, but it's frustrating that he keeps turning it on and ignoring our rule. Second, we also keep the home security system in that room, and for some reason he became obsessed with the various buttons and icons around this same time and started touching stuff and really wanting to turn on the alarm at all times. This is especially bad as we have a toddler napping for a few hours each day.
So, after multiple times touching this stuff he wasn't supposed to, he has lost all access to that room for the foreseeable future. Since he started misbehaving at school around this time because of the end of year stuff, and carrying that behavior home, we don't even want to think about giving him access until he can go AT LEAST one day without screaming/hitting/etc.
Re: overall kindergarten behavior: more good than bad. His teacher gave him a pink note if he was good and a red note if he was bad, and he loved earning the pink notes. He had occasional slipups, but the worst times were when his teacher went on maternity leave in November- he had horrible behavior and attitude for at least a week - and then again over these past two weeks or so.
poppabk
Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
Its funny that school ending is hitting your son so hard, my son had his 'graduation' yesterday and he got up super early today and was going to watch TV first and then play his games. He was crestfallen when we explained that he still had school for two more days. My son is definitely a fiddler, I had the Wii modded with wiiflow set-up so that we wouldn't have to use the actual disks after his little sister scratched up one. He went and deleted the homebrew channel and transferred the Wiiflow channel to the SD card which broke it.
iPad for my kid. Thank God for the summer and the pool is open. Hard to keep him busy in winter. He starts 5th grade next year. Proud of the kid.
Empyrean Heaven
Member
So I found this topic, and I hope this isn't a bad thing to post but here goes.
I'm socially awkward, and I always have been. I genuinely have great difficulty in social situations, often saying the wrong thing, and have found myself unable to "fix" my many social problems. While I have never been tested for autism, I do think I'm on the spectrum in some way. Do my symptoms make sense?
I'm socially awkward, and I always have been. I genuinely have great difficulty in social situations, often saying the wrong thing, and have found myself unable to "fix" my many social problems. While I have never been tested for autism, I do think I'm on the spectrum in some way. Do my symptoms make sense?
Hard to know if you aren't tested. Get tested.
Maaaaaardy
Member
You're socially awkward. I mean, go and get tested, but it's highly unlikely.
People need to stop asking autistic people if they sound autistic man. Jeez.
Eye for an Eye
Member
No, but seeing people that are actually diagnosed with autism helps other people piece things together. It's especially difficult for women because girls were highly under-diagnosed. The 80's and 90's had an explosion of boys being diagnosed and only severe cases of girls got it diagnosed. It doesn't mean girls were any less affected, but had to struggle through life to mimic other's behavior just to fit in.
WiseguyMVP
Member
Very interesting reading about other people's experiences with autism both personal and anecdotal. God bless those of us that have to go through this and deal with the day-to-day challenges.
My son was diagnosed at two and a half and he was lucky enough to have early intervention for 6 months which definitely helped him. He started preschool on his third birthday and now he's five.
He went from being in a special-ed class to a blended class and has made tremendous progress. Besides therapy at school we have tried different therapy techniques at home, diets, etc.
We try to keep him mostly gluten free, very little dairy and we give him Kids Calm vitamins, MSM and Vitamin C Sodium Abscorbate mixed with juice everyday. We wanted to try and lessen oxidative stress and heavy metal load in his body and mind to see if it could help him. Seemed to have a positive effect though we can't be 100% sure. As many of you know there are so many factors and they don't really have all the answers as to why autism exists and how to help "heal" them.
We also tried video modeling and a few other well-known techniques but I think the main thing is to try your best to be patient, stay focused on doing the best you can and don't beat yourself up as a parent. Being a parent of an autistic child has many challenges and it's also important to take care of yourself so that you can hopefully find the happiness that is sometimes lost when we have to struggle with the daily grind.
Having said all that, I feel the most important thing to give your child is love and affection. Even if you don't feel like playing with the toys, watching the same TV shows, etc.. take time to hold your child give them lots of hugs and kisses and talk with them in a way that shows them you're there for them no matter what and that they're not alone in this world.
Because as a parent of an autistic child, we sometimes feel very alone for many unfortunate reasons. Some people don't understand what it means to have autism and even family can be distant when they think you don't have a child that can behave or act accordingly when you are out and about. I'm still trying to find the people whom I can connect with who may be able to help me cope better with some of the challenges. God willing, we'll have a happy life.
My son was diagnosed at two and a half and he was lucky enough to have early intervention for 6 months which definitely helped him. He started preschool on his third birthday and now he's five.
He went from being in a special-ed class to a blended class and has made tremendous progress. Besides therapy at school we have tried different therapy techniques at home, diets, etc.
We try to keep him mostly gluten free, very little dairy and we give him Kids Calm vitamins, MSM and Vitamin C Sodium Abscorbate mixed with juice everyday. We wanted to try and lessen oxidative stress and heavy metal load in his body and mind to see if it could help him. Seemed to have a positive effect though we can't be 100% sure. As many of you know there are so many factors and they don't really have all the answers as to why autism exists and how to help "heal" them.
We also tried video modeling and a few other well-known techniques but I think the main thing is to try your best to be patient, stay focused on doing the best you can and don't beat yourself up as a parent. Being a parent of an autistic child has many challenges and it's also important to take care of yourself so that you can hopefully find the happiness that is sometimes lost when we have to struggle with the daily grind.
Having said all that, I feel the most important thing to give your child is love and affection. Even if you don't feel like playing with the toys, watching the same TV shows, etc.. take time to hold your child give them lots of hugs and kisses and talk with them in a way that shows them you're there for them no matter what and that they're not alone in this world.
Because as a parent of an autistic child, we sometimes feel very alone for many unfortunate reasons. Some people don't understand what it means to have autism and even family can be distant when they think you don't have a child that can behave or act accordingly when you are out and about. I'm still trying to find the people whom I can connect with who may be able to help me cope better with some of the challenges. God willing, we'll have a happy life.
JonnyDBrit
Member
Regarding that dietary stuff you've mentioned, has that specifically been recommended to you by therapists and/or nutritionists, or have you picked them from online sources?
I ask because while dietary suggestions for controlling autism are popular, they're not often based in anything beyond anecdotal evidence and correlation. So it's limiting your sons food options potentially unnecessarily.
I'm a little older (28), but I was actually directed to supplements from my doctor when I was 13... I was having the notorious explosions at this age, typical solution was to try medications. Horrible side effects with no improvement until this doctor steered me in a different direction. I still take them today, and I do feel myself slipping into depression and less clear thinking if I stop taking them consistently for 1-2 weeks. I take P5P, Nu-Thera, TMG, and Mg. I don't do gluten free and never found any improvement from that though.
WiseguyMVP
Member
Yes, some of these recommendations were made by a pediatrician. Specifically the multivitamins. I know the dietary restrictions may seem unnecessary but gluten is OK in small doses and the same with dairy. Problem is, many foods are loaded with wheat gluten & dairy as well as sugar, monosodium glutamate, etc.
We wanted to limit the oxidative stress on the body and brain while helping to maintain good gut health and boosting the immune system. By limiting foods that cause many adults to have gut distress, then adding supplements that help to detox the body from heavy metals slowly and safety as well as helping to boost immune system response, we were hoping to help our sons body to naturally heal. So far we have seen some improvements with no side effects. I only give him smaller amounts so as not to stress the body. I also take some of the same supplements and it's helped me as well.
I think Mg (Magnesium) is a tremendous mineral that many people should take because many of us are deficient and it has so many functions. Kids Calm is the formula my son takes and even with a small dose it's helpful.
This story about a new clinical trial for a 100 year old drug is interesting. Apparently it helps on a mitochondrial level to heal cells? https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170526084543.htm
JonnyDBrit
Member
Your points on his health confuse me slightly. Are you trying to connect them implicitly to his autism, or does he just suffer from oxidative stress and the like in addition?
And actually reading the article, it's not about 'healing', at least not directly. What this is about is inhibiting a cellular state that prevents full and proper interaction by a cell with the rest of the body because it thinks there's a persistent danger even when there isn't. So too many cells become basically anti-social (ironic), and bodily function is impeded - Suramin helps to reverse that. I would also stress this point from the article:
So at most, this might possibly tie into why there are such varying severities of the disorder, with higher amounts of CDR in cells, or with particular areas of the body, greater impeding function. So the primary benefit looks to be for those most severely affected, by helping their cells function properly in a more typical state. Hence the most radical results like children gaining basic capabilities for speech within a week. Unfortunately the study also shows the effects are temporary, and would need regular topping up of suramin to maintain it, at least during early days, based on the trial thus far.
It's interesting, but I would caution about placing too much in it, or hyping up the effects without full context. Too many people think autism - and many other mental health conditions - can be 'cured', and a drug to potentially help mitigate the effects of a more fundamental flaw in our makeup is not a cure.
poppabk
Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
You have to do what you think is right, but be careful about about spreading this information too far. You are detoxing from heavy metals and then recommending a metal as a valuable mineral. You are trying to reduce oxidative stress while trying to remove heavy metals some of which are essential for antioxidant function.
The underlying causes of autism have barely if at all been elucidated, so any intervention on a chemical basis is likely to have zero, negative or positive outcomes with equal measure. If you are seeing a positive outcome then that is great, but remember that your case is probably unique to you, and the chances that what you are trying to make occur and what actually is occurring are practically zero.
So, I'm going in for an evaluation sometime soon and I've read it's much harder to diagnose Asperger's as an adult - my family has suspected it for over a decade but never really brought up the subject until I started having difficulties in my long-term relationship. Does anyone have an experience with undergoing adult diagnosis? I show most symptoms, but I'm wondering how much a psychologist can help now that I've largely adapted to normal life and set in my ways, I suppose. I have crushing anxiety which they can probably help me learn to control, but other than that my partner has sorta shown me how to behave in social situations and when we're under stressful circumstances.
I suppose the other issue is that I lean on my partner as a crutch in social situations as I can act totally normal when she's around, but as soon as I'm alone I become nervous and can't make eye contact or hold a conversation properly. It's quite frustrating.
I suppose the other issue is that I lean on my partner as a crutch in social situations as I can act totally normal when she's around, but as soon as I'm alone I become nervous and can't make eye contact or hold a conversation properly. It's quite frustrating.
Eye for an Eye
Member
Well it can take some of the burden off of her and have a professional guide you through stressful situations. She may take the lead as a normal person, but a trained psychiatrist can help you take your lead in a way to benefit you. It also opens the doors for resources with school or work, and can help protect your job if you have difficulties in communications with coworkers and supervisors.
It's hard. It really is a double edge sword to have a name to your quirks when all you want is to just be you.
Yeah, I'm largely doing this to help my partner - it's been hard on her and I'm very grateful she's been willing to tough it out with me. It was weird at first, discovering I have Asperger's, as you said - It felt like a burden initially, but I'm much more positive now. Thanks for the reply, I had no idea this could help me job-wise later, and I'm sure hoping they can help me find new resources.
Theodoricos
Member
First of all I'd like to sincerely thank everyone in this thread for their contributions. I spent the last hour or so reading through the posts and all the different experiences with autism that everyone has shared. Doing so has been both comforting and extremely helpful.
My little brother (who is 5 years and 2 months old) is most likely on the autism spectrum. He hasn't officially been diagnosed yet because the wait time to see a specialist is just so long - however, the signs are all there.
The biggest issue is that he has never, once, responded to the call of his name. He repeats things that he's heard on TV or on YouTube (he mostly seems to memorize commercials), he re-enacts scenes from various shows on Baby TV, he knows the numbers from 1 to 20 and all the letters of the alphabet, and he can identify various objects.
However, although he talks to himself nearly all the time, he never truly communicates with other people - he only makes eye contact when he wants something, and when he does, he never expresses it verbally - he just grabs the person by the hand and leads them somewhere (e.g. to the door if he wants them to open it). He's never said "mom" or "dad" or referred to anybody in any way - he just says the names of objects he sees.
The issue is compounded by the fact that when he does talk to himself, it's usually in English (because none of the baby TV programmes are dubbed) and thus it's even harder getting him to communicate with others in our mother tongue. We've tried to keep him away from English-language programmes but since he learned how to use a tablet, he just finds videos on YouTube on his own, and almost all of the stuff he finds and enjoys is in English. Taking the tablet away leads to him becoming hysterical, so that doesn't work.
His sleep schedule is also a mess. We can never get him to consistently sleep during the night. He'd sleep at different times each day and that just makes it harder on us - he falls asleep whenever he gets tired and the day-and-night cycle still makes no difference to him. No luck with potty training either.
On the plus side he's nearly always happy and energetic, but he's reached the preschool age and it's clear that he's not fit to attend a regular school. We tried sending him to kindergarten a year ago but he got sent back after about a week - the teachers said there was no point in him being there if he was always lost in his own little world and never listened to or made contact with anybody (or played with anyone else for that matter).
I hope that after the specialist sees him in September there'll be some progress in his development before it's too late. Is a major turnaround possible after the child has reached the age of 5?
My little brother (who is 5 years and 2 months old) is most likely on the autism spectrum. He hasn't officially been diagnosed yet because the wait time to see a specialist is just so long - however, the signs are all there.
The biggest issue is that he has never, once, responded to the call of his name. He repeats things that he's heard on TV or on YouTube (he mostly seems to memorize commercials), he re-enacts scenes from various shows on Baby TV, he knows the numbers from 1 to 20 and all the letters of the alphabet, and he can identify various objects.
However, although he talks to himself nearly all the time, he never truly communicates with other people - he only makes eye contact when he wants something, and when he does, he never expresses it verbally - he just grabs the person by the hand and leads them somewhere (e.g. to the door if he wants them to open it). He's never said "mom" or "dad" or referred to anybody in any way - he just says the names of objects he sees.
The issue is compounded by the fact that when he does talk to himself, it's usually in English (because none of the baby TV programmes are dubbed) and thus it's even harder getting him to communicate with others in our mother tongue. We've tried to keep him away from English-language programmes but since he learned how to use a tablet, he just finds videos on YouTube on his own, and almost all of the stuff he finds and enjoys is in English. Taking the tablet away leads to him becoming hysterical, so that doesn't work.
His sleep schedule is also a mess. We can never get him to consistently sleep during the night. He'd sleep at different times each day and that just makes it harder on us - he falls asleep whenever he gets tired and the day-and-night cycle still makes no difference to him. No luck with potty training either.
On the plus side he's nearly always happy and energetic, but he's reached the preschool age and it's clear that he's not fit to attend a regular school. We tried sending him to kindergarten a year ago but he got sent back after about a week - the teachers said there was no point in him being there if he was always lost in his own little world and never listened to or made contact with anybody (or played with anyone else for that matter).
I hope that after the specialist sees him in September there'll be some progress in his development before it's too late. Is a major turnaround possible after the child has reached the age of 5?
I'm not sure Asperger's is officially a thing anymore. I believe you're just on the autism spectrum at this point but someone more knowledgeable might have a better answer as I've got Aspergers but I don't believe that's official anymore.
Eye for an Eye
Member
It's never too late, but you have to remember that these are learned skills and not natural skills. It's going to be a while for him to adapt these skills after being in his own world for so long, but not impossible.
Have you tried sign language? Most children can adapt to it better than verbal communication. Start getting him interested in signing through youtube videos. Lots of baby sign videos, but you'll probably get mostly american sign, but you can see if there are some for your own language. It might help break the barrier until he can be seen.
Yeah basically this. Not that Asperger's itself doesn't exist but its just not a specific thing now and apart of the greater Austim spectrum.
Theodoricos
Member
We haven't, no. Thanks for the tip - we'll give it a shot. Hopefully those videos can hold his attention otherwise he'll just want to switch back to his own videos.
Communication with him is what we really want - even if it takes sign language for us to really get through to him, it'll have to do.
The One Who Knocks
Member
Has anybody any recommendations of documentaries which feature people on the autism spectrum, but isn't necessarily focused on autism? There was a documentary on Channel 4 a number of years ago about a production of a play by children on the autistic spectrum (it was not the movie "Autism the Musical") and I've been looking for documentaries of a similar style, where autism and issues faced by those on the spectrum is clearly brought into light, but the 'direct' focus of the documentary isn't necessarily autism itself but is about a group of individuals striving towards a particular goal/objective (or who are in a certain situation) who happen to have autism.
I've been interested in similar (good and interesting) documentaries for quite a long time, but only recently after watching a movie did the question of similar content come to the forefront of my mind. Any recommendations, if anybody knows of anything along these lines, would be appreciated.
I've been interested in similar (good and interesting) documentaries for quite a long time, but only recently after watching a movie did the question of similar content come to the forefront of my mind. Any recommendations, if anybody knows of anything along these lines, would be appreciated.
poppabk
Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
Is their such a thing as a pre-K inclusion program where you are? Does your brother have an IEP? My son was barely speaking at 4 years old when he went into a pre-K inclusion program and just got potty trained the month before. The change in him through the pre-K program was amazing although some of it was just him advancing naturally as well. He is now going into first grade, and is both gifted and developmentally delayed. He wasn't diagnosed as on the spectrum when he was 4, and we are currently having him evaluated again in the next couple of months.
Melchettsmoustache
Member
My 7 year old has just been referred, via speech and language teacher, to a paediatrician to potentially diagnose her onto the autism spectrum. She has never had difficulty learning to speak and she does well at school. However she has very little social skills and prefers to be on her own most of the time, mostly to play minecraft. Enjoys reading and is quite arty I suppose.
If she is on the spectrum is seems to be slight, we have been advised though she is potentially high functioning autistic and masking other symptoms well.
I worry for her simply because she seems to have no interest in making friends.
If she is on the spectrum is seems to be slight, we have been advised though she is potentially high functioning autistic and masking other symptoms well.
I worry for her simply because she seems to have no interest in making friends.
Please work with your daughter early to understand how to make friends. Explain to her what friendship means, how to know when someone is a friends, and the level between that distinguishes close friends to just have good time friends.
Having learn all this stuff at nineteen isn't fun.
[EDIT] Also teach her the importance of networking. A big reason I didn't bother to make friends is because I thought merit would carry me throughout life. It wasn't till high school I learned that wasn't how the world works.
JonnyDBrit
Member
Sounds similar to my own circumstances, though I was diagnosed a year older. Thing is prior to that, and to some degree today, autism was typically assumed as a learning disability, rather than a social one which commonly had knockon effects for learning. You do well in school, and it seems unintuitive that anything could be - for lack of better phrasing - 'holding you back'.
If she is on the spectrum, then it may be the lack of interest in making friends is down to lacking the same interests as others around her, or otherwise understanding those interests differently. Making friends can also be difficult when you're autistic, and consequently, it feels easier to not even bother. I'm immensely thankful that I have the internet for example, because it enabled me to find people who share my interests. My real world social life fell the fuck apart aftwr graduating from school.
Eye for an Eye
Member
Girls in general behave much differently than boys when it comes to autism. We're used to seeing behaviors from boys and typical boy social skills, but the same rules don't apply to girls. That's part of the reason why girls don't get diagnosed as often or as early as boys.
I know for me, it was always considered "just a phase" rather than learning how to address my problems. Friends were cery difficult. I can be a very clingy person, and constant interaction with some one I do like as a friend can drive them away. It was very hard to figure out in my 20's how my behaviors really affected other people's reaction to me.
I know for me, it was always considered "just a phase" rather than learning how to address my problems. Friends were cery difficult. I can be a very clingy person, and constant interaction with some one I do like as a friend can drive them away. It was very hard to figure out in my 20's how my behaviors really affected other people's reaction to me.
More_Badass
Member
I can attest to that. I'm 25 and got diagnosed with aspergers a few years ago. It's always been hard for me to make friends, just approaching a peer/someone my age is awkward. Much better with older people and my family.
Had a few friends on campus thanks to the spectrum social/support group, but nothing really since graduating
Feel similarly about the Internet as well. Thank god for NeoGAF, able to interact with people that share my interests
Theodoricos
Member
Not that we're aware of, no. We're hoping that after he's been officially diagnosed that we will get some recommendations as to where to send him. If there's such a thing as a pre-K inclusion program here, he might be too old for that by now. A specialized program will definitely be necessary though because his development has seriously stagnated after he reached the age of 2 - he's been behaving more or less the same for three years, and I doubt he will be advancing naturally.
poppabk
Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
If you are in the US and your brother is as described then he should definitely have an IEP. The IEP is put together by the school system and the parents to describe what services the child will be receiving and what the goals etc are. As with everything you have to push the schools to do anything, but the IEP is a federal thing and so the schools etc have to do it. As for pre-k, it's worth a shot, my son would have been 6 when he finished if we had kept him back a year, which we ultimately decided not to do.
Melchettsmoustache
Member
We have always pushed her to go and play with kids in our street, interestingly she always finds it easier to play with boys (she plays well with her two male cousins which may be the route in this... also Minecraft). I think girls can be too chatty for her.... and she isn't interested in the constant handstands that wee girls tend to do! We are looking at a different approach to getting her to go outside now. It's more of a case of explaining that when other kids talk to try and listen and respond to what is said to her. To be present in the conversation.
I do think I have made a nasty error however, I mentioned to a friend of mine that we were pushing for Kayla to be tested and my wife is going tonto. Really not happy with me, my friends wife is a little gossipy and tends to tell everything to her daughter who ages with Kayla. I'm a trusting and fairly open person and assume that when I tell another adult information that it won't get passed on to their kids. My wife is determined they will tell their daughter at some point and it will make Kaylas life a misery if it's passed round the school. Dear Lord I know how to put my foot in my mouth.
Eye for an Eye
Member
Boys are so much easier to understand. Girls have way too many social cues and standards. And they never say what they mean. Like "Sure, call me anytime" means "hey, call me when you win the lottery so you can split it with me" but don't really call for just any reason.
Don't beat yourself up over it. Kids already tend to notice differences in other kids. They may not have a name for it, but they know something is out of the ordinary. Most of my friends that were boys I remember much more fondly of, girls on the other hand I remember as backstabbers. Even today I have an easier time talking with guys than girls. I hate trying to understand girl relationships.
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
My autism forum that I've been working on for 1.5 years is about ready to go public.
We had to switch from PHPBB to WordPress.
Scared.
Hold me, ASGAF.
But of course.
Your name is More_Badass.
We had to switch from PHPBB to WordPress.
Scared.
Hold me, ASGAF.
But of course.
Your name is More_Badass.
Looking forward to this. Keep us posted.
On a side note, I was discussing post host high school options with my kids (they're still in elementary school). I said trade school and my son with autism starts laughing. He said he wants to go there and trade Pokémon. I explained what it really is, and he has latched on to the idea of vocational school as his post high school path to getting employed.
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
http://www.autism-aspergers.net/
This is where we are now. My boss is pretty keen on not letting people in unless they register. All of the subform names are TBA.
This is where we are now. My boss is pretty keen on not letting people in unless they register. All of the subform names are TBA.
Tye The Czar
Member
So, this week, I finished a year of the ECIC program in Redmond's Eaton Arrowsmith. It's done more for my brain than decades of pills and therapy ever did. The program assigns repetitive exercises to work on specific areas of the brain.
These include reading increasing numbers of hands on a clock and answering them, tracing along symbols, listening to sentences and repeating them out loud perfectly and, most importantly for people with social issues: looking at pictures of people to identify the situation, emotions and their head space.
These include reading increasing numbers of hands on a clock and answering them, tracing along symbols, listening to sentences and repeating them out loud perfectly and, most importantly for people with social issues: looking at pictures of people to identify the situation, emotions and their head space.
Captain Tuttle
Member
Is it going to be for parents of spectrum kids as well as people on the spectrum?
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
I still need to put in the rules and introductions, but yes. We want it to be an inclusive area primarily for people with autism, but also a place for resources for parents as well. Lots of people either just want to communicate with others over their tales of raising kids with autism, or having autism, as well as just plain learn and understand.
A lot of autism forums seem to have a lot of in-fighting because they either are not specific enough about the purpose of the forum or the mods all think autism is the same for everyone.
I'm by no means an expert, I'm just going by what I'd like to see from an autism forum.
For instance, I had to leave my last autism forum because there were a few White Nationalist members that, due to lax rules and moderation, were able to quickly turn the forum into a Trumpfest. Who knows, maybe it was a bunch of Nazis preying on outcasts.
Eye for an Eye
Member
As long as you clearly indicate the reason for the forum, it should go smoothly. I wouldn't have it as one big mosh pit of people, but allow people to go to their respective forum to talk about autism.
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
Right now, I'm open to suggestions. I only have these categories:
- Rules and intro category
- Science category
- Life category
- OT
- Rules and intro category
- Science category
- Life category
- OT
Eye for an Eye
Member
For OT, I would divide it into
Maybe make it Life with ASD - dealing with housing, managing money, living independently, and maybe work, and ways to find resources.
-ASD OT - talk specifically for those on the spectrum to talk with others on the spectrum about anything from work life to social life to school life.
-Parent OT - parents to talk strategies and coping skills, and also to get insight from those with ASD (for any members who want to throw their two cents in).
- maybe if you're feeling up to it, a subgroup for parents wanting to know "is my kid on the spectrum??" Because I can see this forum getting overrun with that question, or you can just blatantly state that this forum is not designed for this kind of discussion.
-Social OT - for those without ASD wanting to talk about it, learn to help a co-worker or school mate, or to just get a better understanding of what ASD is.
Bu science, do you mean new drug treatments, therapies, and research into ASD or just those with ASD that are into science?
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
Resources, methods of dealing, diagnosis, shooting down fake shit.
- Status