Beth_

He can still get a licence, he just needs to declare his AS. It's the same as having to declare you need glasses etc.

I've not heard when my appointment is yet but the NAS said the wait there is quite long as they've got a backlog of people to diagnose.

You have to be referred by a GP

I'm currently reading Pretending to be Normal and it's the only book on the subject that I've had trouble relating to. Aspergirls is definately the book that I've found most interesting and relavent to me so far.

Women from another planet

My real life was really beginning to suffer to the point where I'd spend all day in my head and realise I'd not eaten. I woke up one day and realised that I needed to start living in the real world and just sheer determination and will power. I kept myself busy by doing lots of suduko and other puzzles constantly to try and stay in the moment rather than shutting my eyes and disappearing into my head. It was hard though, the key was keeping busy till I could trust myself not to do it.

It's really interesting that you mention Maladaptive Daydreaming Cardamine, I was just blogging yesterday about how I lived in stories in my own head for a huge percentage of my childhood, spending hours at a time day dreaming. I've never heard that term before though. It's something that only in the last couple of years I've been able to stop doing but it used to very much interfere with my sleep. I would lie in bed just in my own world, barely sleeping at all.

My only experience of the drug is in adults rather than children but it is something I've taken and know quite a few others who have. The first week or so usually causes some rather unpleasant side effects but they do settle down. Stopping after a few days is ok if you do decide that you don't want him to take it any more but if he takes it for longer then the withdrawl should be monitored by a doctor. Withdrawl of citalopram can be very hard and it has to be done very gradually and slowly and not for the depression reasons that Chloe's mum said above but because of the physical withdrawl.

One of my favourite things to do at this time of year is feeding the squirrels. My boyfriend and I went to the park this afternoon. When we got there, police helecopters were loudly flying around because lots of students were protesting nearby but we did find a quiet corner of the park and the squirrels soon appeared when they realised we had nuts!

Not being a parent myself I can't offer much advice. What I can say is that I think you are right in asking for help and going to see someone about this. I think it's better for you to try and find out than possibly leave a child undiagnosed when there is a problem. Once you know what is going on with your son, the better equiped you will be to deal with his problems. I'm sure many of the parents on here will have much better advice for you

Good Luck!

Hope it goes ok

Hi There is a chapter on mutism in the Aspergirls book by Rudy Simone http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1849058261?ie=UTF8&tag=dooaday-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1849058261 which I found really interesting. I refused to talk to a lot of people as a child, especially friends of my parents. It was made worse by my parents continuously telling me off for not talking. It wasn't something I had a choice over though, I just couldn't. It's something I grew out of (mostly) and I think that a lot of people do grow out of it.

I've ordered the Prentending to be Normal book so I'll let you know if I feel the same about it as you have. I had to do a presentation at university today and it's something I struggle with so much. At school I failed all the modules that involved a presentation as I just couldn't even try, I felt sick thinking about it. I'm ok sat round the table in a small tutor group but as soon as I stand up infront of everyone with a powerpoint presentation I crumble. I even wrote myself a script today and once I was up there I lost the ability to read it. I wasn't coping well anyway as the lights seemed to be resonating with the big screen which made the whole room flicker with light. I think that shut down my brain. I think it's easy to focus on all the bad stuff and I know that it's something I do a lot. I've got bad depression and have had for as long as I can remember. I really wish someone had noticed as a child as it's really scarred me. I don't want to let that ruin my life and I think it's important to look at the good things too.

I don't think they make you a false person. I see them as more of crutch. I don't honestly think I would be alive without them so for some people they are the only option.

I know it's been mentioned in the thread about adult diagnosis but the book by Rudy Simone is a really good place to start for reading on the subject. It had me in tears several times just because she might as well have been writing about me, 100%. I've written about that book and few others on my blog http://www.aspergirl.co.uk/ It does seem that Aspergers in women does go undiagnosed a lot, and it happens a lot more in adulthood rather than childhood, when the woman is able to look back and see it in themselves. Saying that, my parents took me to see people about my behaviour as a child and it was said then that I probably had Aspergers so I obviously showed some of the traits even as a young girl. I didn't get diagnosed then as my dad decided it was all a load of hogwash (thanks dad!) I was always called a tom-boy as a child and I've never been into make up, dresses and all the other things seen as girly. I've always just worn what is comfortable. I hate the feeling of make up on my face, products in my hair and all the frilly odd fashions that are out there. I never had a best friend like all the other girls seemed to have. I spent most of my childhood with my head in a book so I think I just got thought of as a bit of a nerd (which I'm happy to admit I am) and left to it. I had a lot of behavioural problems (well, more so, I reacted badly to my environment) but more so at home than school so teachers may have not really thought much of it, to them I was just one of those 'could do better, has so much potential' kids. I was moved up a year as I found school boringly easy which meant that I was even more out of place by being a different age to everyone else. I never had friends and I was never able to do school work in lessons as I couldn't concentrate with all the noise and lights and smells (I swear I have the senses of a cat when it comes to smell!) I got really bullied but half the time the teachers seemed in on it as everyone thought I was odd and enjoyed telling me so. Looking back, there were so many signs but I guess if you don't know about something like Aspergers then you won't see the signs?

I feel the same about driving after some woman drove into me back in the spring. I get Daz to drive me as much as possible as I just can't cope with it so I can understand why you'd want a job somewhere closer. Good luck with finding somethign.

I reacted very badly to Prozac, it is known for making some people worse. Like others say, talk to another psych, hopefully they can help

I'm on Amytriptyline. Lots of people struggle with it as it can make you quite drowsy. I try and take as little as possible depending on how I feel. It is a miracle drug for me, I honestly can't live without it.

I have had sleep trouble for as long as I can remember. My brain doesn't want to switch off. Thankfully the meds I'm on for my Fibromyalgia help me sleep there are other things that help. I've got a CD of nature sounds like rain and waves. I put one track on loop and the noise helps push all the busy thoughts out and lets me shut down and go to sleep. I think white noise would work well too but I prefer the rhythmic lapping of waves or falling rain. It's also good for shutting out noises when you're trying to concentrate on other things.

Oh no I'm sure you'll find something else

I emailed the NAS who gave me an email address for someone local. They've just got back to me with details about the place that does it all so I can get in touch. When I go to my parents at Christmas I'm going to get my old school reports and other stuff my mum had kept as I expect they'd be good information about how I was as a kid.

He's phoned! He left a message saying there is an Adult Asperger Diagnostic Service in Bristol and he has referred me I'm not sure how long I'll have to wait but atleast it's a start.

I'm 28 and just starting the process too. I hope it goes ok for you, sounds like it's happening quicker than it is for me!

Good luck!