Experience Autism

[Colwyn]

Take 1 minute 24 seconds of your life to find out what it is like to experience life if you have autism.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3522601/Harrowing-video-shows-s-really-like-little-boy-living-autism.html

[Jim Fraser]

For anyone interested in autism there is a comedy/drama on BBC on A Tuesday 'THE A WORD'
May seem a strange subject to make a light hearted programme but IMO works well.

[Karennina]

Absolutely brilliant The A word I am loving it...This is a subject very close to my heart as my eldest son is on the lower end of the spectrum and has Aspergers, although our lives have taken a very different route to what I could have ever imagined 26 years ago i still class myself as very lucky indeed...reason for this is I worked at a special needs school for 12 years and whilst it was one of the best and most rewarding times of my life to see some children in such distress over a simple change to their routine, children that are on the high end of the spectrum, truly used to tug at my heart strings..

[echogirl1]

My son has Aspergers and unfortunately wasn't diagnosed till he was in his twenties, even though he had suffered from problems for many years.  It took a total breakdown on his part, before my concerns about his mental health were listened to.  He is now in his forties and apart from a concoction of drugs from his g.p. has no help of any sort.  He lives at home with me, is very intelligent, spends 80% of his life on his computer, and very rarely speaks to anyone else, he has no friends, only leaves the house when I insist he goes for a walk or to the shop. I despair how he will manage emotionally when I am no longer around. In practical terms he does everything for himself but he will never know the joy of his own family or relationships, which is very sad.

[Karennina]

Ah bless your son Echogirl its hard isnt it as defo not the life we wanted for our boy, however he says he is happy and thats the main thing in mine and my hubby's eyes...
I can not let my self go down the route of when we are no longer around, tho we have two sons and i have a lovely stepdaughter so i hope they would make sure he was ok...
Sadly he does not interact with his brother which breaks my heart except for on Christmas Day...
We try to have humor over it all its our best coping mechanism!  

[puma]

like echo girls son my son has experienced the exact same problems he is 36 so shy and cannot stand confrontation i worry all the time about him . my grandson also as autism but has come on leaps and bounds since the school he went to when he was 3 discovered this.

[ArtyMar]

My grandson also has autism and goes to a specialist school. I thought he could be autistic when he was aged 5 months but could not tell the parents. He was diagnosed at age 3 or so. It was very difficult in the early years when he screamed and caused havoc in the house but now that he's able to speak more and understands more, it is a lot easier (he's nearly 11 but like a younger child). The future is always a worry.

[echogirl1]

If only years ago autism had been recognised then help for my son and many others would have been available. I am at my wits end to know how to help him, its 9.30 pm and he has been asleep for 2 hours, will wake up about 10pm for a few hours, then sleep for about 10 hours.  I am in my sixties, have been to aerobics class, swimming, shopping, sorted out washing, walked the dog x2, he is missing out so much .

[ArtyMar]

I really feel for you, Echogirl1. To feel a bit better, you can keep reminding yourself that your son is probably content in the sheltered, routine-based life he is leading and that he truly doesn't know or care what he is 'missing'. All you can do is try to introduce another element of possible interest into his existing routine.

[sadler]

My beautiful granddaughter has recently been diagnosed with autism. The earlier diagnosis was severe global delay. The authorities are very cautious about diagnosing the A word as it
Opens up all sorts of extra assistance which is expensive. She will be 6 in August, attends main stream school, although was held back for a year and only started last September. She is just starting to become dry but is still not clean. Her language is very poor and only those very close to her will know what she is saying. Her problems started virtually as soon as she was born, with massive reflux and allergies to diary, eggs, etc etc. She has never had chocolate, ice cream and we have to read the ingredients on all packaging. Apparently food allergies and autism are often found together. We are expecting her to attend special school when she leaves key stage one as her needs are so great. She has a full statement, which was originally awarded to her when she started pre school. That said, she is the loveliest, happiest (most of the time) beautiful child. Not just a proud Nanny speaking, as I have got 9 grandchildren and 3 great grand children, so my emotional feet are firmly on the ground.