kirstie

Lewis loves to give us cuddles, when he decides but he is always telling us he loves us and his eye contact is getting better all the time. My Dad, the best (apart from an old woman on the bus "Just needs a clip round the ear, wouldn't have happened in my day.." type ) " Send him up to me, i'll sort him out, he just needs taking in hand..." so we did mwah mwah mwaaaah. We went on holiday and my Dad was on his knees when we got back! ha! The one i hate the most, "Well he looks alright to me..." AAAARGGGGGH, who ARE these people??!

Decaff coffee for me please with 2 sugars. Love a big mug of tea after a fry up or a supper from the chippie!! (So healthy in our house, i don't think! ) Welcome, You can 'grunt' or ,like me be a 'lurker' all you like. More often than not i end up posting though because theres always really good discussions going on! Kirstie.

Aw Paul !!! Now i feel like a right git! I know i sounded harsh and i'm sorry for that. Maybe when i have a little time........ Having a teenager an AS son and a newborn is very time consuming! (But excellent too ! ) Good luck with it anyway. Kirstie

<'> Aw Teetree you've had a really crappy time! I'm sorry! Love Kirstie.

Actually i find it a little bit off and overbearing. sorry, just being honest.

I am finding this thread very interesting!! The lack of response to it i mean. Maybe us ASD parents, grandparents and carers don't like change either..........

The social stories can be done by a speech nd language therapist or most professionals working with your daughter. It's worth atry, but also knowing that our kids don't display certain behaviours for no reason. It might seem like it to us but there is always a reason. I wish that more of Lewis's teachers at nursery had remembered that at times. Although we got the diagnosis process up and running pretty quickly they were sometimes very out of their depth with my boy. As hard as his Occupational therapist would try and tell them he has sensory integration dysfunction (hated bright light loud noises clothes messy arts and crafts) and wearing his coat to go outside to play was only causing him distress and discomfort so they shouldn't force the issue (unless it was pouring down in which case they'd be inside....) but they still would saying " It can't be one rule for one... blah blah" and they would say he was trying to flaunt the nursery rules by having a total freakout. He really wasn't just being naughty. Do you see what i mean? The more you come to understand what is going on with your daughter the more you'll see there is always a reason for her behaviours (even if it is headbutting you in the middle of Asda!! it could be its too loud or the lights are too bright. Believe me i've been there!!!! ) Anyway thats what we're here for, to help each other out. Take care, Love Kirstie.

It just shows you how different they all are. My son has relativley good eye contact, and a good sense of humour (although can be very literal too) and he has a dx of Aspergers. When he started nursery i had been trying desperatley in vain to tell my Health visitor and anyone else who would listen that he was 'different' but i got the "It's just his age dear," followed by a condescending smile! It wasn't untill he did go to Nursery that they rather tentativley came to me and asked would i mind if they referred Lewis to the community paed! Mind??! I could've kissed them! He was showing signs of poor interaction with his peers and having the most horrendous temper tantrums where he'd lash out or he would have to be first in line to leave and get out the gate. He would lie on the floor and watch the motion of the car/trains wheels endlessley, and would never entertain the arts and crafts area. Altogether a challenging and complex little boy, but thanks to the staff there we were on to a diagnosis pretty quickly and from there all of the relevant supports were put into place. Good luck, i hope this was helpful to you! Take care, love Kirstie.

I had a chuckle at this thread! We had a teacher in primary school call Miss Vickers, so of coarse we'd go around saying "Miss Vickers has stickers on her knickers!" well, i was only 11!!

Brilliant i'm going to try and order some stickers!

Hi Lynne, I can only agree with what everyone else is saying in that us Mums do need our own time out too, whether you're child is NT or like ours have an ASD, i would say probably even more so. Easier said than done sometimes i know.... It does seem to be that all our appointments come along all at the same time and its hard so i know how you're feeling. When Lewis was in Nursery he was having people come to the house and nursery nearly every day be it speech therapy to intensive behavioural therapy phew it was hard going (even just trying to keep the house in a relativley respectable state for our 'visitors' coming round!) But i do know that if they hadn't been around i'd be having visits every day froma phsyciatric nurse instead!!!! You are doing brilliantly and we all have our days when we feel down so you are definatley not alone in that! And good news about the medical pead though! you see, you're a star! <'> Take it easy and don't be hard on yourself Love Kirstie.

hope you were spoiled rotten yesterday.

Oh yeah, we've had many a meltdown if someone accidentally knocked onwe of Lewis's trains or cars out of line. He was so precise in lining them up side by side, it was painstaking 'work' that would fascinate him for hours. Doesn't do it so much anymore though. just piles up every toy animal he can find in his bed, dunno how the boy sleeps..... maybe its the melatonin!!

Hey Lufty, hows it going? welcome to the mad house!!!!

Hi teresa, I think everyone can identify with everything you've said about your little girl. I know that when Lewis was born he was hard work from the off and i hadn't even heard of Aspergers. Now i feel like an expert on it! My boy was diagnosed at 4 and it's the best thing to have happened for us. I think like in a lot of places you can't access a lot of the supports available (I.E respite, in my area we have Lothian autistic society, Occupational therapy etc etc) untill you have a diagnosis. It also helped me to understand my sons behaviours and how best help him deal with the world as he sees it. I was totally baffled and at my wits end with him, and when you said you have to come back down the stairs so you're daughter can go first or all hell breaks loose, i must admit i smiled at that. Lewis would have an absoloute meltdown if anyone got out of the nursery gates first or on the bus first or if you pressed the button for the green man firast, we would have to cross back over and start again or holy murder for at least half an hour. But the good news is that there are ways to help with such situations. Has anyone mentioned social stories to you yet? They have helped no end with loads of things, like from not having to be first and waiting your turn to going to the dentist. I was not convinced when Lewis's speech therapist suggested them and it took a while as his behaviours were so entrenched but persevere and it will pay off, or at least ease things alittle bit for you both. At the moment Lewis is learning about stranger danger via these stories as he has no sense of danger whether it's strangers or crossing the road. The good news is that it's not all doom and gloom, it will get better and i NEVER thought i'd say that!!! You're doing great and you really are doing the right thing by her. Everyone here will help you find your way as we all know how daunting it is. Oh by the way great idea taking the mother in law!!! Hope the assessments go well (sounds strange thing to say, but you know what i mean...) Let us know. Take care Love Kirstie <'>

Hi Liz, I know how embarresing this can be only too well. I used to be baffled by Lewis (pre diagnosis) and the things he did. It was every time my sister would come over he would insist on sitting right behind her and pulling up her top and staring mesmirised at her bare back, sometimes he would touch and sometimes he'd cuddle in. He HAD to do it it wasw like an obsession to him where he'd be transfixed and would scream uncontrollably if she moved or i moved him away. It was when a woman was sitting down somewhere when we were out and he tried to do it again that i really felt embarresed. At that point we had no diagnosis to attribute his behaviour to. oddly enough he never tried to do it to men or his brother ?! I wrote down all of these behaviours for his consultant it all helped toward his diagnosis (AS) He's stopped doing it now but i really had no idea how to tackle it atall, he was only 2 or 3 at the time. Have you tried social stories? They have been a godsend to us for various things. We are now trying to make Lewis aware of stranger danger via social stories as at 6 he has no sense of danger atall. Scary isn't it? Good luck, Take care, Kirstie.

Hi all, Lisa i know where you're coming from here, my son has boundless amounts of energy but when it comes to walking (and not particularly far either) he complains his knees are sore. He does have sensory integration dysfunction alongside his AS but when i mentioned it to his OT she said i should take Lewis to my GP. Does this happen more often when your boy is walking uphill or on uneven surfaces? Lewis's feet are pretty flat mind you so i'm not altogether sure yet why he gets sore, sorry, not much help to you i know, but i thought i'd let you know you're definatley not alone in this. Take care, Kirstie.

Awwww sweeeeet! I had to laugh at the thought ! Lewis was so obsessed with Thomas the Tank when he was younger and knew all of the characters! if i stood on one of those things once i did it a thousand times ! When he was really good as a treat i'd take him to princes Street gardens and stand on the bridge watching the trains go in and out of Edinburgh.The drivers would sound the horns and wave at him, he was in his element! And if he was REALLY good i'd take him the 10 minuete train journey home from town (Much better than being on a crowded bus for an hour, where we'd both get stressed) he used to love it and i have a picture of him on the train with the biggest cheesiest grin you've ever seen. Nowadays he isn't into trains so much, it's more superheroes!

Happy birthday Ian, hope it was a good 'un!

Hi all, Not been around much of late but i was reading this thread with interest. My Son Lewis (6) has just been prescribed melatonin. I thought i'd try him last night with it. There he was hogging the telly when i gave him a drink of hot chocolate, (around 7.15 pm) and within half an hour he was fast asleep. I felt like an utter witch, and that i'd tricked my son in some really underhand way by 'drugging' him so he would go to sleep. However, my guilt was short lived when at 12.15pm he was wide awake again! So last night was spent trying to get our newborn to sleep (2am) then Lewis (3am) and then propping my eyelids open with matchsticks for the 4am feed and trying not to throw my alarm clock at the wall at 7am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! maybe we tried it too early in the evening, i'll try it again tonight but if we are having more of the same, it's time for a re-think! Maybe he will need the slow release melatonin. Take care, and sleep well zzzzzzzzzz

We're in Edinburgh, and i got my free pass at the local library. All i had to take was my DLA award letter. I was getting high rate for care but hadn't yet been awarded mobility ( was waiting for decision on that as he had just turned 5) There are two passes one has a red number 1 in the bottom corner for the person with disability only to travel free or a red 2. which entitles me to travel free with him (or anyone who is with him). I think i may have needed id and a couple of photos of Lewis. The pass lasts 3 years.

Thats great news! I'm so glad for you both! Lewis started his language unit a couple of weeks ago, and the first morning i went in the taxi with him, i just had to go along and see how it all works. It makes me feel slightly uneasy for the whole day if i don't see him with my own eyes going into school. I feel better now that i did go along on the first day (theres no escape routes.... and they have an escort!) And luckily all has gone well so far bar one or two incidernts in the playground Free play has never been good for Lewis! I'm so glad your wee girl has enjoyed her first day and that you are feeling happy and more relaxed. Long may it last.

Thanks everyone for your lovely replies! He still remains nameless but Lewis has told his teacher a different one everyday! bless his cotton socks!. He is doing really well and sleeps well and eats well (The 2 things Lew didn't do!) Needless to say i haven't come down from my high and Richard and i are on cloud nine. Congratulations to those of you who are still waiting for your arrivals.Hope you're not feeling too sicky and that the heat hasn't driven you mad! Take care folks, love kirstie.

that sounds like a reallygreat day out. Did the adults have more fun than the kids??

Hello everyone! I just wanted to share with you all, my fantastic news. After a pregnancy that seemed to last forever and a l o n g labour my beautiful little boy made his entrance into the world yesterday morning weighing in at a teeny 5 lb 14 oz. Honestly he is just scrumptious! Lewis is being so very sweet with him, and Jamie too (No mean feat now that he is now officially a teenager!! groan!) Anyway i hope everyone is doing OK. Take care, Love Kirstie.