Mihaela

Thanks for the update. If they'd have acted intelligently from the beginning none of that would have been necessary, and a lot of public money would have been saved. What good do all the heavy-handed tactics do? None at all, just more harm. They can be pretty incompetent when it comes to autistic people - they haven't got a clue.

Congratulations! - for him, and for you for having a son who volunteers to help others.

Congratulations! They often get it wrong, and you have to push and push for a diagnosis. After all, you know your son best. Better now than much later as it was with me.

Hi Dreamboat. I've been through all this too, but now at last, I'm resigned to the fact that I must make the most of my life (and my talents) to make up for lost time and too much worry. There's no point in chasing chimaeras and we need to look out for potential signs of burnout before it hits us. Not easy. The effort of 'trying to be normal' for so long just isn't worth it - it's too stressful for me and it takes its toll. You don't recognise yourself as fitting the AS stereotype because you're female, and most of us don't fit it. Read up on the female traits, and you'll probably find you fit them very well, as I do. This little lot should keep you busy! http://www.help4aspergers.com/pb/wp_a58d4f6a/wp_a58d4f6a.html http://www.tonyattwood.com.au/index.php/about-aspergers/girls-and-women-who-have-aspergers http://www.willowhope.com/pages/aspergers-traits-in-girls https://www.aane.org/about_asperger_syndrome/asperger_syndrome_females.html https://taniaannmarshall.wordpress.com/2013/03/26/moving-towards-a-female-profile-the-unique-characteristics-abilities-and-talents-of-asperwomen-adult-women-with-asperger-syndrome/ http://thoughtcatalog.com/penelope-trunk/2013/07/4-clues-you-are-a-woman-with-aspergers/

Welcome to the forum, Bluedog. I don't have children but I do have autism (and signs of OCD and ADD) and I've met quite a few children with these conditions. Have you looked into any local autism/carers groups. That would probably be the best way to get help and advice. I wish I'd had an early diagnosis - it would have helped me so much. The main advantage of getting a diagnosis is that you should be able to receive support for your daughter. Also in years to come, she won't need to go through all the trouble that I did to get support. Getting a diagnosis late in life is also not as easy, for we learn to camouflage our symptoms.

Congratulations! My diagnosis explained a lot for me too, but I've been getting precious little support afterwards. The waiting seems to last forever. I hope you soon get the support you need.

Yes, it's quite common to be diagnosed with both. It's possible that you may have been misdiagnosed the first time with ADHD, and that they're not prepared to admit it. That can happen too. If you think you have ADHD,then you probably have. I think I have slight ADD (undiagnosed) along with my autism.

No it's not a bad thing at all. The better we know ourselves the more content we'll be. Discovering that I was on the autism spectrum was a great relief for me too, for everything made sense about my life and my difficulties - as well as my talents. It was like the final piece of the jigsaw slotting into place. I had to look up tangle hairy. I love things like that, and can't stop fiddling with them! Very relaxing. I stroke my cats a lot maybe for the same reason. I don't think I have ADHD but I do think I have ADD. My brain's hyperactive, and my body less so, although I've always liked quite energetic activity. I don't have dyslexia but I do have dyscalculia. You said in a way it was a bad thing - but equally it's a good thing! It's the way NT people treat us that's bad.

Happy new year, Abagley! ...and everyone else here!

I laughed at both posts! I have a very childlike sense of humour. I often just don't get adult type jokes.

Confused, EF is a big problem with me too, and I agree the best thing for all of us is to be ourselves, and stop acting neurotypical. It causes no end of problems. Just because some of us are so good at 'passing for normal', more and more demands are put upon us that we simply can't cope any more, and we end up having 'burnout' - a breakdown. Abagley - depression and anxiety are so very common among Aspies, and I find they're entirely due to the way the world treats us - unfairly and without even trying to understand. You're not alone. There are so many of us having the same difficulties, and we need to support one another. I'm fast losing faith in the 'professionals'.