Thames

Thanks In my experience ive found the carers allowance people on the phone to be friendly and helpful, but I would never take spoken words over the phone as a definitive answer, Id like to find something concrete!

Hi Kathryn and thanks Theres definitely a restriction...it even mentions it on directgov website, saying that the restrictions even include OU study. Im already getting carers and deffo care for my son for more then 35 hrs! Was just wondering if any one else had done it too?

I get carers and income support [my son 8 is in receipt of DLA] I think you are allowed to study for up to 21 hrs a week while claiming carers, I have checked and am eligable with help towards course fees. Has anyone else studied with the OU? The first course I want to do suggests 8 hours of study a week and the next ones [if I manage this one!] suggests, 16 or 20 hrs a week. Has anyone done this and did they have any issues regarding their carers allowance? I have googled like mad and cant find much in the way of definitive answers out there. Thanks

Hi Maria, I've completed your questionaire.

Hi Glad to hear your son is getting help with his ears. Grommets sound like a pain but if they help a necessary one i suppose. if thats what my son ends up having it will be a shame as swimming is something he enjoys despite the issues of getting undressed/dressed at the pool! I know what you mean re the noise sensitivity though, i sometimes think my son is better off not hearing as well. but its just not something you can just ignore either. Good luck with finding a suitable secondary school place, whereabouts in the country are you? how does your son feel about his diagnosis? is he getting much [any?] support at school? I feel very lucky as my sons school are excellent with children with ASDs and he has a fab teacher who is also the parent of an autistic child, im worrying slightly about changing teacher when he goes into the next school yr in september as change is never good with him and because hes been so lucky with lovely teachers who hes got on well with, i dont want that luck to run out! Do you have any other children? Sorry for all the questions! but its good to be able to 'talk' to people who understand

Thanks Lynne Ok so i think i need to give his Paed a call.

Hi My son [8] was diagnosed with ASD at the begining of march. He doesnt sleep much, it takes him a long time to 'drop off' he is often awake until 1am not always as late but never before 10pm and on average its about 11:30pm-12am that he goes to sleep. He typically wakes up 2-3 hours later and will either start doing stuff but as i sleep light [because i have to!] i get him to come into my bed and he usually goes back to sleep for a couple of hours. I have been reading on forums about the use of Melatonin and i think it could possibly help my son sleep better? [and give me some more sleep...pleeeease give me some more sleep! ] I am used to this pattern now and cope on very little sleep, i do find the broken nights tiring but thankfully im able to function on not as much sleep as you are meant to have probably as i have no choice! I just think that maybe he will feel better if he gets a proper sleep? despite him not getting much sleep he is always on the go i just think maybe if hes getting better sleep he'll find it easier to concentrate in the daytime? So...how do i go about getting him a prescription for Melatonin? does it have to be prescribed by his paediatrician or the GP?

J Gardener Sorry its taken me so long to reply to your message, i couldnt remember my log in details so not been on here for a few months. Thanks for your post, my son also seems to have a hearing issue but in our case it was that that we didnt really notice! ive felt for a long time that he was on the autistic spectrum though, it was only when i spotted my son well his brother when standing on one side of him speaking saying something like 'sorry i forgot thats the ear you cant hear out of'!!! he then went the other side and spoke to him! i then spoke to them and it seems that he cant really hear very well on one side they were just dealing with it and no one saw fit to mention it to me! I did feel bad that i hadnt even noticed At his paed appt i mentioned it and we are awaiting an audiology referal so hopefully if it really i an issue they will find it and hopefully give him any help he needs, if its glue ear rather than actual lack of hearing i presume there are procedures they can do? i dont know much about glue ear [something else for me to google!] How are things progressing with your sons diagnosis?

Thanks for your reply Trekster Ive got a bit of info about some groups in my area from the paediatrician so im deffo gonna follow that up. Im feeling better today [prob cos the sun is shining!] My son is fabulous but i do worry about what the future holds for him, i just want to be the best parent i can be for him but also to help him be as independant as possible. Thanks Trekster

Thanks for your reply Jsmum I actually felt relieved when the paediatrician gave the diagnosis, she asked how i felt and i said relieved she said thats common too. This forum is helpful, ive been reading quite a lot on here for some time its good to get an insight from other parents. Thanks again

Hello, joined a while ago after my son [8 yrs] had an appointment with the SALT and the stat ass process was started. He was diagnosed as being on the spectrum a few weeks ago. I have suspected ASD for a few yrs and had it preliminarily confirmed by the SALT a year ago so its not a shock or anything i wasnt expecting-so why do i feel how i feel? i cant describe it really just feel a bit low. Tell me this is normal please

Hi Alaine yes a lot of what you've said about yourself rings bells with me! finding out about my son has kind of switched a light on in my head about my own life/childhood, i have contemplated it a lot over the last few weeks! My dad is very similar to me and i think he prob has it too, i dont suppose at my age i will ever get a diagnosis, the only thing i would want one for is to say to some people 'see im not lazy/stupid/wierd etc etc! THERES A REASON FOR WHY I AM WHY I AM! Im just looking forward [if thats they right way to put it] to my son getting a statement and the help he needs. Good luck with your boys

Thanks for the replies everyone. If it turned out that i too have Aspergers i dont think it would make much difference to my life...i have got through life so far, but it would possibly explain the years of feeling so very different from everyone else and not understanding why. but for now its all about my son and getting through the diagnosis process with him!

Hi mum of AS boy, what is that book called? that sounds like a good idea, i may order a copy myself.

Thanks everyone for your replies I just did this online test [are they reliable?] the results were; Your Aspie score: 148 of 200 Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 56 of 200 You are very likely an Aspie Your MBTI type: ISTJ http://www.rdos.net/eng/Aspie-quiz.php

Ive posted in 'meet and greet' about my 7 yr old son, it seems he has aspergers........im now wondering if i have it too? Looking back at my own childhood and the difficulties i had throughout the school years has really got me wondering. I grossly underachived at school despite being told how clever i was, i just found school really difficult just being there each day caused a lot of anxiety leading me to be refered to child guidance counselling. I have been accused of being cold or robot like, when to me i am just being practical rather than getting emotional, crying etc seems pointless to me. I do have friends but they are all friends i have known for years i am a little untrusting of new people. I like my own company and i tend to deal with stuff myself rather than ask for help, i hate the idea of asking for help. I have suspected my son had aspergers for about 2 yrs now and i accept that its just the way he is so im not looking for a reason why hes like that but its just kind of made something click in my head and brought up all sorts of stuff from childhood that ive put to the back of my mind. i dont know what to say really it just kinds of all makes sense now! anyone else feel the same or have any ideas??

Hi jaffacakes yes he gets very irritated by other children sometimes, if they get too close to him [invading his personal space] he says he can smell them! and hates it! he has lashed out on a few occasions but nothing too serious thankfully. im off to bed too, spk again soon

Thanks everyone. I had a bit of a chat with him today after school, just me and him without his brothers there, we just chatted about the lady he saw today [sALT] and he asked why he was having those 'stupid babyish tests' i tried to explain that some people are good at some things but find other things more difficult and those tests were to see if he was one of those people that found some things harder, he wasnt particularly impressed with that! its hard as i have to explain things in short imformative ways or else it just opens up all kinds of questions or he doesnt get it. im gonna have a look at getting a book as ive seen on the net there are some that are helpful for children, hes going to be seeing other professionals over the next few months so im just going to be as open as i can and try and focus on the positives [ie stuff hes good at] thanks again

My son is 7 yrs old, he is now awaiting formal diagnosis, the SALT says he appears to have Aspergers/HFA. What/when and how do i tell my son ?? He is aware he is different from others and that he struggles with some things that others find easy. I would be grateful for any advice as to how to go about telling him. Thanks

Hi Nicky Today went well, the SALT was really nice and explained the procedure and what will happen next etc. I spoke with her first and was also present when she assessed him, after he had gone back to class she said she thinks hes on the autistic spectrum very probably aspergers as he doesnt seem to have the communication issues that some children who are autistic would have. she obviously cant make that diagnosis so she is going to refer him to developmental [cant remember the name] dept and something else [sorry it was a lot to take in!] she is going to send me the report and give me some strategies that will help him cope and will do the same for the senco and his teachers. I feel positive now i know what the problem is, she said he was very intelligent and he will get through educationally wise because of that he just needs help with coping with the social side of things. now i just need to look into a good way of explaining to him why/how he is different, he has started to ask questions but i didnt really know what to say to him before. any suggestions of how to explain things to him?

Hi Nicky..thanks. You're deffo right re 'emotional rollercoaster' when sitting telling the senco all of the many issues hes had over the years made me realise how different he is and how much it affects our lives, ive got used to his ways and now its 'normal' but going over them with the senco showed me how not normal it all is! I just want him to get a dx so he can get the help and support he needs, a day in school is a real battle for him just dealing with the interaction with others..thats often what he finds most difficult. most social gatherings are out as he just cant cope with the noise and bustle so we do miss out..hes never had a birthday party which is quite sad. I really was expecting a 'dont be silly theres nothing wrong' reaction from people, but after the referal i told my family [grandparents etc] and they all said 'yes theres something' i think people thought i would be in denial that there was a problem! and didnt want to broach the subject..so relief all round! Thanks again and i will post again after hes seen the SALT

My son is 7 yrs old, was always 'different' from a baby he is the youngest of 3 boys. he had speech problems and was refered to SALT at 3 yrs....didnt see anyone until he was 5 though due to staff shortages/waiting lists, he had an iep in nursery for his speech difficulties spoke to his class teacher in september last yr as i was concerned at his progress [social difficulties etc], she suggested possible asd/aspergers which was what i was thinking too. The school senco promptly refered him again to SALT and she is coming into his school tmrw to see him[i will meet with her before she sees him]. I also have concerns about his literacy skills as i dont think he can read i think he just memorises the story. when i spoke to his teacher in september i was relieved that they also thought he had some difficulties, that may sound strange its not that i want there to be a problem just that i know there is and i felt glad that they agreed and were so helpful[i saw the senco at 8:30 the next morning when she filled out the referal form. dont really know what to expect now, any advice from anyone whos been through the process? Thanks