bid

The question of ASD completly aside, I'm a bit surprised at the school's attitude towards the principle of a medic-alert bracelet. One of my daughters has a life-threatening medical condition, and she wore a medic-alert sports bracelet at primary school, and the school were perfectly happy about this. It may be down to the individual primary school, because hers was happy to carry her E-kit with her as she moved around the school, whereas I have heard of schools who insist on keeping them locked in the office. Bid

Oh Kathyrn, don't know how I missed this!! Just the best ever news! Well done to all of you Bidx <'>

Hi Matzoball, I had a bad time with workplace bullying last year...below is the link to my thread, there may be things there that you might find helpful: http://www.asd-forum.org.uk/forum/Index.php?/topic/26593-workplace-bullying/ It really is a very horrible experience, and I hope you can get things sorted out soon <'> Bid

Hmmm, responding to Tally and Kathryn... It's a difficult one. I have read about a few cases where teenagers have been so badly cyber-bullied that they have killed themselves. I guess you could look at it and say that if the police can be involved in physical bullying in the real world, and people charged accordingly, then the same should be try of cyber-space? With regard to the AS angle. I'm sorry, but while I think that people with autism can be 'rude' or 'hurtful' by blurting out a thoughtless comment, I do not accept that calculated, offensive comments are the same thing at all. So I agree with those who have said that in while a dx needs to be common knowledge to explain lack of eye contact, etc, it shouldn't be used as a defense. Bid

I think anyone who chooses to use the phrase 'to flash the terminal illness card so often' knows very well what they are doing. Bid

To be honest, I think it would be wrong to claim DLA in this instance. DLA is meant to provide extra help for extra needs. My son who is autistic got DLA from the age of 6, but when he was 18 we both decided that he had made so much progress he no longer fulfilled the criteria and didn't renew his claim. My younger daughter was left with a disabled hand after being knocked down by a car. She gets the lowest rate of the care element, because for the past two years she has only had the use of one hand (it has basically paid for the petrol/train fares to her endless hospital and OT appointments and some specialised OT equipment). However, she had major surgery a few months ago, and has got almost all the use back in her hand. When her hand is fully recovered and she no longer needs OT, etc, I shall cancel her claim. Bid

Can it sparkle too, please? Bid

Tsky tsky...you know we don't 'get' humour!! And apologies for my pesky theory of mind assuming you would know I meant you too! Bid

Well, I had included you in my earlier post as 'one of the adults with AS I know personally' It seems to me that it is a very basic of psychology that a positive, outward-looking approach to life and it's various challenges and problems is the most successful way to create a happy, positive life... This approach has certainly worked for me, it was the parenting approach we took with my autistic son (and the other 3 too)...and of the other AS adults I know it appears to have worked for them too. Possibly worth considering... Bid

YES!! Bid

I remember you too, Jo! Bid

I'm sorry, Darkshine, but I think you are being a little bit disingenuous here...I think you had a pretty good understanding of the impact of your comments to me about cancer further up this thread. The frustrating thing is that I don't see much of the understanding, improving and addressing. A good example is the whole question of employment. I've lost count of the number of threads where those of us who give constructive advice are shouted down by people who believe certain jobs (invariably in retail for some reason) are 'beneath them'. I feel that there are many adults posting here who say they want certain things out of life...but then shout down those of us who have actually achieved many of those things, as though we have no idea what we are talking about Bid

Very well put. I never, ever thought I would say this, but increasingly I feel embarassed that I have a dx of AS when I read some of the opinions and attitudes expressed on this forum in recent months. I don't want people who know little about HFA thinking that this is what I, and the other adults who I personally know, are like My idea of the positives of autism? People like my adult son, Pearl's adult son, Suze's lad with his tractors and his brilliant post a few days ago...these are all people with autism who are busy forging happy, independent, productive lives because they look outwards. Bid

Just to clarify Darkshine, to the best of my knowledge, I posted in Off Topic to say my mum had been diagnosed with breast cancer (at least one other member here has actually met my mum), and then in my thread about a London Meet I said I would be disappearing for a while a couple of days after her mastectomy as I was extremely busy at work plus making 50 mile round trips to see her... This is 'flashing the terminal illness card so often'?? Hence my sarcastic 'thank you' in my next post. Bid

My 'thank you' was sarcastic, Darkshine. Bid

Thank you for that comment Darkshine. I have been a member here for over 7 years. There are now more adult members with a 'dx' of AS than ever before (I put that in inverted commas because these dxs range from formal through to home). Yet I find I can only identify with three other diagnosed adults here, who have all overcome various personal difficulties to do their best to live productive, positive lives (and one is my adult son). It angers me because I see self-indulgent naval gazing instead of a 'can do-will do' attitude to autism.

This is a very personal response. Over the last few months there has been a lot of self-analysis here by people who are at the high-functioning end of the spectrum. How about you all look at the very many positives in your lives? I have a dx of AS. I have also got 4 children. My mum is currently being treated for breast cancer...and today I have been referred for an urgent mammogram as my GP has certain concerns about me. I wish all I had to worry about was having AS or over-analysing every tiny aspect of my personality and life. Apologies if this offends, but I think people need to get some realism and perspective. Bid

What a lovely post Suze!! Well done to your lad, and to you for supporting and helping him all the way <'> Hope there's lots of celebrations for all of you out there who have lived through this summer Bid

Ah well, acid 74... I guess all those people doing 'menial' jobs, like my son, actually have the last laugh, don't they...seeing as how they are living independently in the real world, earning their own money, doing their own thing. My son, through his 'menial' job, has just moved out of the little studio flat he started in last year and into a lovely 2 bed flat (with dishwasher!! ). Not bad for someone of 22 who left home at 21, and has always worked since leaving education Bid

Well, I guess the Batcave analogy popped into my head because it was Suze who commented about you possibly being offended, and I was replying to her rather than you, if that makes sense... Bid

Oh dear, thought that bit of joshing was actually far tamer than the Batcave days Apologies if I offended BD then Bid

Have a lovely day, all of you! Bid

Reception class teacher, then the school referred him to the school doctor who referred to a paediatric neurologist, who diagnosed Dyspraxia (rising 6). At the same time, also seen by the community paed. who then referred at 7 to a specialist diagnostic centre for childhood disability, where he was given the primary diagnosis of AS, with ADHD and Dyspraxia as co-morbids. This was 15 odd years ago, before CDCs. Bid

A social story using picture symbols to explain to him what is going to happen might be helpful too. Bid

My son, who has AS, ADHD and Dyspraxia had a GA when he had to have an MRI scan when he was 6 to see if he had a tumour on his spine or brain. More recently, in June, my NT daughter had complex major surgery on her hand that had been left disabled after a car accident. It is hard to see them drift off to sleep, but the nursing and surgical team are always lovely and will let you stay with him until he is asleep. The main thing is to keep your tears for afterwards, so that you are as reassuring as possible for your son. Both mine were allowed to take a favourite cuddly toy into the anaesthetic room with them too. Good luck, Bid <'>