jax

Hi, Both my kids have suffered from croup and yes it does sound really frightening - once you have heard that barking cough you never forget it! My son stopped getting it when he was 5 and my daughter still gets it and she's 6. Not much can help apart from steam and cold air (midnight walks in the garden). The last time my daughter had it h/e she woke up very distressed saying she couldn't breathe and her crying made it worse - once she had calmed down a bit she sounded a bit better but as she also gets asthma, I took her to the local A&E. I felt that I was being a bit overprotective, but with breathing I didn't want to take any chances. She had some oral hydrocortisone (think that was what it was?) and a few days off school to get over the cold and tiredness she felt after. The doctor was really nice and said that if in any doubt about going to hospital to trust your instincts and go - it was the right choice. I think it is quite unusual for older children to get it - as their windpipe grows they are less suseptible to it getting inflamed, it is not a virus in itself, rather a reaction to certain cold viruses. Jax

Hi Joanne, I can really relate to this one. My little lad is 7 and has had a bit of a cat obsession for the last year or two. It's quite harmless enough most of the time - lots of meaowing, rubbing his head against me, and lots of cat games with his little sis and school friends (mostly the girls). It did become a bit of a problem when he used to meaow in assembly and in class and got into trouble for it. I also got annoyed sometimes when I asked him a question or wanted to talk to him and just got a meaow back. After a while I realised he was using the meaowing at home as an aviodance technique for when he didn't want to talk or answer (very effective). Thankfully it's starting to wear off a bit now and his teacher says that he doesn't meaow much in class anymore, he just plays a few cat games now and then with lit sis. Trouble is, we've just got 2 gerbils and he came up to me in bed this morning and said "Mum, pretend I'm your pet gerbil and started burrowing under the duvet..... Jax

Thanks so much for all the replies, I only found this website last night and I think I will become a regular user now. It's such a relief to be able to talk to you and read about all the various experiences you have had. Mind seem quite minor compared to some heart breaking threads I've read. At the end of the day, my son will always be my son, whatever the specialists, cahms, teachers say and he will always be unique - like all of us really. At the moment I don't think he realises he is any differnt from his friends (he is lucky enough to have a good group of firends who just see him as a bit naughty in class and quite cool because of it). I think the next year will be crunch time as their social skills develop and his maybe won't (I mean, lots of 6 and 7yr old boys make weird nosies, speak in funny voices and meaow a lot anyway). When do you talk to a child about their differences? do you wait until they broach the subject? I'm not sure how to tackle this one and also none of his friends parents know that he may be aspie. Do you think a 'need to know basis' is ok? oh joy! Jax

Hi all, First time I've been to this site and first post so feeling a bit nervous. 7yr old son is currently being assessed for HFA. As most people have mentioned here, I've always known he was a bit different, a bit tricky and quirky. But the hardest thing at the moment is that I wish I'd known years ago that he couldn't help some of his behaviours then I wouldn't have been so damn hard on him at times. Even now that he is being assessed I find it really difficult to know what is his AS and what is just sheer naughtiness, I find myself saying the most horrible things like 'Just try to be normal' and 'Stop doing the touching' (he likes to touch things in a repeated manner). As he seems to be quite able and coping well I sometimes can't help but think that if he just tried a bit harder he would be alright. I know I sound like a right cow, and this rant is a result of my guilt at being a cr*p mum at times, but I just wondered if there was anyone else who has a beautiful son who sometimes copes brilliantly and at others times they don't get at all. Thanks