openyoureyes

Wow Mrs Hapton you certainly did not get much sleep did you?????????? as I said this is a great site and lots of other parents have gone through the same things so you can get advise on a more personal level. How are you feeling today, has the anger turned more into "lets fight the ######!!!" See you monday

don't get down hearted about your friend, hes probably only seen The Rain Man. This film obviously was excellent but to the man on the street every child with Autism must be like him and if not then they must only have very mild ASD!!!!!!!!!! mild, my bum.

smilers of the world unite, we must all be excellent at hiding how we feel, even to our closest family and friends. I too always say "fine", but the other day I thought NO i'm not fine. I am so stressed out at home, at work I am the perfect pupil, always smiling, joining in, offering advise, saying yes to everything, but at home I am a completely different person. So much so I went along to see my doctor about my stomach bloating all the time and feeling really "stressie" as my AS sons says. He was brilliant, I didn't want a load of pills to make me better, I just wanted someone to talk too who could really understand. He told me about a councillor that he knows who knows all about ASD and the stresses it can cause, so in August I am going for my 1st session. Never really thought I was a person who needed councilling, always got on with the job in hand and never let anyone (apart from my hubbie) know how I really feel. But I am going to be brave and give it a go, its got to be better than pills. Oh, the stomach bloating is IBS, thought as much, brought on by stress probably. bye for now keep smiling

well i am off to my 6yr old sons sports day this afternoon, wish me luck, last year he was in the running race and no one had explained that when you reach the ribbon you stop running - forest gump eat your heart out, i had to get up and chase after him to come back. He won by the way. This year he has said he is in the potato and spoon race and they have sellotaped the potato on for him. I have told him about the finish line this year so hears hoping will let you know later how we got on

my son aged 6 goes to a special school and they too have a sensory room, or quite room as they call it. its great for them to go and chill, they have off white paint on the walls, 2 beds, a few scatter cushions, the bubble lights and other lights high up that show pictures on the wall of moons and stars which move and change colour. They play very calming music like whales and sea noices. My son absolutely loves it. I wish more schools, not just special schools have more of a vision of putting in sensory rooms, my older AS son is in mainstream high school and there quite rooms consists of jigsaw puzzles, computers a few chairs and tables and thats it, not very calming at all, especially when the windows face out onto a noisy playground. (my younger sons room has no windows by the way, only one which is one way into the classroom).

great its in the news again, but they still have not said where it has come from, interveiwees are just saying that they have no known cause confirmed!!!!!!!! why oh why arn't the government waking up and investigating the rise, the usual words from them are "its just that kids are being diagnosed now" ha ha ###### ha it really p.......s me off that they won't even fund professional organisations to found out. it really makes my blood boil oh well, had my rant, now I will go and sit in the garden and watch my guinea pigs , sad life really!!!

HI ALL A BIT CHEEKY AND I HOPE I DON'T GET TOLD OFF, BUT ONE OF OUR SPACE MEMBERS IS DOING A SOLO 7 DAY MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDE, COAST TO COAST, IN AID OF THE NATIONAL AUTISTIC SOCIETY. I JUST WONDERED IF ANY OF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND AS SO SPONSOR HIM IF SO GO TO www.justgiving.com/RVB RICHARD HIMSELF HAS AN ASD SON AND HE FEELS THAT HE REALLY WANTS TO DO THIS NOT ONLY FOR HIS SON BUT FOR ALL CHILDREN OUT THERE ON THE SPECTRUM. WHAT A GREAT GUY, HOPE HE DOESN'T GET TOO SADDLE SORE - OUCH !!! THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND DONATE IF YOU CAN

cheers guys, some good info there

oh poor you, I can really feel for you. My youngest son 6yrs goes to an ASD unit within a mainstream school and I have to say they have been brilliant, but I do worry when he can no longer attend there. The school is not in our catchment area and with the new LEA inclusion they are looking at putting units in a lot of mainstream schools, but I am not sure how this would work. The unit he is in at the moment is run with 6 pupils to 3 teachers, all of whom are fully trained in ASD's and understand the children totally. Don't think the new LEA inclusions will be quite the same, but I will worry about that once it happens, which looks like it won't be at least for another 12 months in my area as no school wants a unit as it will bring there results down (what are they trying to say, that ASD children are thick!!!!). anyway, I am sure given time your son will settle down, sounds like he needs more one to one in the classroom, maybe he just carn't concentrate on the task in hand, I know my son has a real problem when he does not have his one to one teacher when he attends mainstream in the mornings, but once shes there his anxiety levels faid out and he gets on with the job. Try not to worry yourself to sleep as that won't help anyone, talk to as many people as you can for help and if needs be keep pushing the school to get him more help in the classroom good luck <'>

Oh I don't know, at least we don't have the battle of having get up, dressed and out on time!!! If weather is ok I will be hanging around most park benches with butty box in hand. If wet then the swimming pool will be where I will be found. Ten pin bowling seems to be a good one with my kids, I don't play but they really enjoy it, and if you go on a Sunday morning its usually cheaper. Both children not going to any summer clubs this year, last year was a bit of a disaster as they didn't really understand what was going on, so its down to Mum and Dad being most of the entertainment this time. Horseriding is another thing they like to do and again I can just sit and watch whilst someone else has the joy of taking them out. The older son likes golf so he can go and play at the driving range, this is quite cheap for a basket of balls and he realy enjoys it, he can do it on his own and no one bothers him. When I can I will ringing other mums who are stuck in with ASD children driving them stur crazy and arranging long walks over the fields, picnics and generally just letting the kids run off steam. Actually I am quite looking forward to the holidays this year, but I will let you know once they are over if I am looking forward to the next ones. keep smiling

thanks to you all for replying, you have made me feel a lot better. I have another son who has an ASD but hes only 6 and he got his DLA straight away 3 years ago with no doctor assessment at the house, so I was a little worried why this time a doctor came out. Maybe its because of B's age. keep fingers crossed and I will let you know what happens next

HI all Just a quick question, we have just applied for DLA for our 11yr old AS son (taken me ages to get round to it) Sent all the info off then a doctor came round yesterday to assess him!!! Not sure whether we will get it or not as the Doctor seemed to have little or no idea what affects AS has (typical). Anyway the question is, can you get DLA for a child who has no statement but only a diagnosis, our son is just on School Action + ?? any help would be appreciated, we do feel after yesterday that we will be turned down on the 1st occassion but we are willing to take it further thanks

Oh.....................David, Sean any would do

You just made me laugh as our sons was a good joke as well 1/ To answer more questions 2/ listen 1st time 3/ get books ready the night before (well thats an idea!!!!!!!!!) where are they coming from they may as well just write "make him normal" cheers www.openyoureyes.me.uk

HI all very interesting reading and lots of different opinions, I have to say I have 2 children 11yr & 6yr, eldest with AS and the youngest at the moment just ASD!! Both preg were great no problems with high blood pressure, nothing. 1st birth was a nightmare, ended in C section, not baby distress but me, had loads of pain relief etc, 2nd birth a dream, opted for planned C section no problems wonderful. Eldest was a nightmare baby, cried a lot, screamed more, slept little, ate loads, few hours after MMR had a fit, temperature not a well child, did not notice anything untowards as he was an adgetated child anyway but then seemed to slow down in making words, trying to walk etc, could say a few words before MMR ie Milk, dog, dad but then it stopped and took lots of speech therapy to get him talking again. Youngest was a dream baby, hardly ever cried, liked to be on his own in his moses basket had MMR, no fit this time!! was a completely different child to the eldest. Upon diagnosis was not surprised at all as we always thought the eldest was different. I must admit I think that it is hereditary but there is something that stimulates it to make it more pronounce and in our case with the eldest defo MMR. My elder brother has always a different and he thinks he probably has ASD and my uncle is the same, so yes, hereditary would be my main thought but something along the way made there brain "wire differently" and I can only put this down to vacinnation. More should be done (as in the States) to look at this and prove it once and for all, but our government just sweep it under the carpet (as usual) - getting political now so I better do thanks for reading

Advice please my 11yr old aspergers son is in yr 7 at high school mainstream, coping not too bad but he absolutely hates French. By the sound of it he came bottom in the exam (which by the way the teacher read out all the results in front of the class!!!!). Does anyone know if it is possible for him to be excluded from French to to maybe more maths or English? We have excluded him doing a 2nd language next year and he will be doing social studies instead, but not sure if he has to take the language or not, don;t want to go into school just yet about this as seems we are always complaining to them. let me know your thoughts thanks

I would never stop both my boys stimming, to be honest we never really notice them doing it now as they do it so much. Other people obviously notice and friends always comment "there at it again" to which I just laugh and ignore it. As a lot of other members have said how else can these children release there anxieties and excitement, surely its better flapping than screaming!!!! As my eldest has got older (now 11) he obviously notices that he does flap and spin around and he gets quite embarressed when he is with his friends at school about this, he has learnt to control it by putting his hands in his pockets to stop the flapping and this has also helped with the spinning, but when he gets home he can jump, spin, flap to his hearts content. Anyway as Suze says as parents if we do it as well (especially when a helicopter arrives!!!!! - our joke) then people focus on the adult and not the child then it just looks as though we are having a good time with our kids. lets all stim together I say and don't worry about what other people think, there the ones loosing out.

Hi Bagpuss SPACE stands for East Cheshire ASD Parents Support

HI Jomica I totally agree about the other language thing, out son who is ASD is doing French but after parents evening next year he will not be doing another language apart from English as he has problems understanding this let alone even trying to learn another. our son who is now 11 has known he has Aspergers from a very early age and he totally understands his strengths and weaknesses, but I do agree that sometimes he can use this to his advantage, when he wants his own way he will say that its because of his ASD that he needs it!!! oh well, I prefer he knows and he seems happy about it, as Luke Jackson says "its cool to be different" well done for telling him

Hi all Just to say we have just had a fantastic day out at Tatton Park, with Suze and family and others from our SPACE group. All it took to get 8 familes out together for the day was a few emails and what a brilliant day out we had. Picnics and the odd glass of Wine (that was me!!!) bats, balls, rockets, etc etc the kids had a great time. Thanks to all who attended. So go on, email your mates and get out there together, who said ASD children don't mix!! PS Hi Suze see you tomorrow night

HI again Viper well done in finding the info, however, again it does say about soft comfortable stools, why don;t you try getting a prescriptin for Laxoberyl as this does make the stools a lot softer and helps the bowel. I know if your like me I don;'t really like giving my kids medication but in this instance its certainly helped Tom along. Hopefully soon he can stop taking it. He only has half a teaspoon each day so its very minimal but he no longer has to push which he was very scared of.

Well Done Stephanie I have also had a article printed today in our local newspaper The Macclesfield Express, the more of us that can get any article, story, picture or anything related has got to be a good thing. keep up the good work

HI Viper Sorry to hear your news, but I was reading how old your son is, Tom has just turned 6 and he too had the same problems, not poohing on the toilet but only in a nappy, he would wee but even when sat on the toilet and read too for ages still nothing. However, I went to see my GP who put me in contact with Toms speacilist at the hospital. He put Tom on some medication - Movocol and some senna which made him more loose, from there we have now started him on Laxoberal, again this is another stimulant for the bowel. He has now been on medication for probably 6 months, at first we did not even contemplate trying the toilet till he felt happy in himself, as his stools were a lot softer and happening every day, even twice some days. We then borrowed a bit potty from a friend whos son was the same. It was a slow start but we put the potty in Toms bedroom (where he feels safe), at first he just sat on it with his nappy on and did a pooh then after a few weeks we sat him on it with no nappy to see if he would do anything. We left him on his own with his books and magazines and yipee he actually did a pooh, not much just a spot but it was a start. From there he has gone from strength to strength, we do not mention him wanting a pooh anymore, he just goes upstairs does what he has to do then shouts us. We are still using a chart for him to move Thomas up the tracks if he does a pooh, we started with 30 sections of track now he only has 5 more to go, then he gets his reward (Another train for his set). I could not believe that at last we seem to have cracked it. The incontinence nurse has been visiting us, we got her from the hospital but to be honest she only told us to do what we already had tried. The thing that seems to have worked the best is the little magic toilet in his room, I know its not that hygienic but what the hell. Tom knows now that he cannot have a nappy on anymore, unless at night but he still does say if he has an accident that it doesn't matter. He still soils his pants quite alot but I think that is to be expected at this early stage. My parents also said once he never poohed in his nappy again they would take him to see the big steam engines in the Isle of Man so again that was another boost for him to get going. Hope this helps, I know what your going through and it seems never ending, wiping and disposing. Good luck

thanks guys for all your help, at least I know what I can fight for now

thanks for that Bid, I will go and see his SENCO this week. Wish me luck