Noetic

I've always pushed myself and abhor the idea of making excuses. Like yourself, I would rather smash my head on the wall over and over again trying to get something done that I "can't" do than give up or try and communicate to someone so they do it for me. I wouldn't know how to - at least when it comes to hard graft, I know how to do that myself!

So sweet - there is obviously the real Steve and then there is what his issues/epileptic problems turn him into/make him say or do. You know your lovely wonderful and charming/clever/intelligent boy is still well and alive in there

Could you give me the URL/address of your friend's Ebay shop please? �75 is still very cheap... compared to the American prices (and shipping)

Fluent speech doesn't always mean it makes a whole lot of sense. "Well-spoken" can easily mean "copied from books" or "rehearsed/stilted". Sounds a bit like the guy who made that comment only thought "Autism = doesn't speak" and was surprised your son did speak?

It doesn't work on Serotonin though, but on norepinephrine.

Most gum is sugar free nowadays, I guess it's one of these tooth health things.

To be honest a week "with no stresses" doesn't sound like "a normal week"...

Can you try this: http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=522 It is a card that briefly explains what autism is etc. and you can hand them out if people moan and complain. And hey sadly people are narrow-minded and intolerant quite often - as long as those people you care about know what is going on, does it really matter so much what total strangers think?

I recently saw a girl who surely wasn't yet anywhere near a year old do the same, we were having lunch at a sculpture park and my Mum went "Gosh I can't believe that baby there is walking!".

I can understand why you feel upset but look at it this way - if they have such an attitude aren't you glad you didn't have to find out after something went wrong or your son was exposed to their attitude for any length of time? OTOH they may well just have been honest with you - the other AS kid might have been very demanding of their attention and they didn't want to stretch themselves further than they can cope.

With some kids, especially where they almost "blank out" and don't always remember what they did, there amy be some degree of seizure activity involved as well...

Try health shops - they do lots of different "cordials" and concentrated juices (pear is nice) that are not sweetened and usually have no additives. If it's not "cool" enough you can always put it in an old bottle of squash... http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/...et/sect/DS.html

I'd keep an eye on it, it's often the case that sibs of auties/Aspies have some traits too (esp. sensory things, could be that he has sensory issues/sensory integration disorder) but not necessarily anything diagnosable. But at least you have the experience, you know?

ROFL thanks for that

She was restrained as punishment for not going outside during breaks? That is horrendous!!!