worried mum

Thank you everyone who has replied, we are sending the snapi-v questionnaire back and hopefully the school visit will be in September and we will be seen again soon after, this is probably a good time for the visit as the start of a new year is one of the hardest school times for him (although i think the end and christmas is the hardest). We will see what he says when we next see him, after he's had all this extra information and been into school. Thanks you all x

Hi i was just wondering if anybody on here has had to complete one of these before? We were given a diagnosis 3 years ago of a-typical autism but now the psychiatrist(?) who has met with us twice wants us to compete one of these forms (and also school too). He now (unofficially) thinks the original diagnosis (not made by him) was incorrect??? but he has said he needs to some more assessments including a school visit etc. From what i have read this form seems to be more for adhd? is it possible for a child to display behaviours of both? or does adhd come under the autism spectrum umberella? i'm confused!!! Thanks for your help xx

you will get more ctc as it will include a premium for the dla but you must also tell them and the tax office if you are working about the carers allowance this is a taxable benefit. ctc will take it into account just like earnings so you will still be better off as it's not �1 for �1. if you are working you need to inform your tax office and they will reduce your tax code by the amount of carers so it will probably go to about �3k then you will start to get taxed on your wages but as you can only earn up to �95 for carers after allowable expenses it shouldn/t make too much differance

Thank you cat for all your helpful advice, i went to the doctors who has said that he will refer us to the CAMHS for counselling (and i asked for family counselling too to help us understand and do the right things to help our son). although he has said this could be a while! Bizzare as it seems when he finished school he seemed to really calm down and we have only had a few really bad episodes - bedrooms trashed etc. Thank you once again for all your help it has been a comfort to know that we are not alone and that there are others going through similar things

thank you all for your advice, it is a comfort to know that we are not alone in going through this. when i said he was at the lower end i don't know if this is the right end, i mean he is definatley on the spectrum but i feel that he is not as bad as my friends little boy who is at (what i think) is the higher end (hands slapping, not understanding etc). He is in a mainstreem school and they have been very good with him, and there is a teaching assistant there who he has a good rappor with and all the staff know to go to her or the senco with any problems over him. It is his schools routine and his routine that has changed - nativities clubs stopping xmas parties etc. He does shout a lot and at times is very aggressive but it's as though he's another child. I have made an appointment with the doctor for next week, i know nothing will be done before xmas and i don't want to go down the route of medication, i'm going to ask for us to have counselling and for my child to have counselling to help them put strategies inplace to help themselves. i think the hardest thing is that we are muddling through this and i do wonder sometimes if we are handling the situations correctly or making it worse. he can be a loveable little boy and at the moment i feel that i am letting him down as a parent, once again thank you for your help comfort and advice, i will let you all know what the doctor says, although when he was diagnosed that took months, but hopefully as he has been diagnosed and it's counselling it should be quicker.

My child was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum nearly 2 years ago age 7, and from then we have been left to our own devices. He is at the lower end of the spectrum but still struggles with change etc, and at this time of year (amongst others eg end of term etc) he really struggles. His routine has totally changed and his behaviour at school has been terrible. I think apart from the autism there might be other issues. His behaviour is abismal, he hides under his desk at school (which i can understand as he is hiding and feels safe there) but it is the other issues of rudeness, a teacher gave him a card and he just threw it in the bin saying he didn't want it. he has been throwing his work in the bin and refusing to do it or not doing it to his ability (the teacher has said he is quite bright), at home he seems to try and provoke situations arguing and hitting his younger brother. It seems to have to be his way or no way, he will not do as he#s asked and if he is "that way" he will call us by our first names and saythings like we stink or we are not his mum and dad (we do not take him up on this).. More worringly he has started saying at home (and at school) that he wants to kill himself and he wants to die (he says this when he is stressed it is not a constant thing but when he is stressed he says he will kill himself with a knife or suffocate himself), again i do not take him up om this and ignore him (making sure he is safe though) and he seems to calm down and is ok. at school when they went on a walk he was a liability threatening to run into the road, giving the teacher the slip and in general being disobediant. he does not seem to have any regard for teachers or us at the moment although i don't know if that is because he feels axious/stressed with xmas coming and having lots of different things on the go. I don't know what to do and was wondering if anyone had had any form of counselling for their child (and family) to give them coping strategies and how they went about it, sorry for hte long post.

i used to work on dla at new claims and the reason the forms seem to be repeating itself is so that the decision maker has all the information to make a claim. there are loads of different types of disability and dla is all about how the disability affects you, so 2 people with the same condition (bearing in mind even with autism/aspergers etc there are many differing levels) could have different care or mobility needs. as for the appointees, i agree to a point, i think it should be at least 18, but it is the goverment saying that once a child reaches 16 they are classed as being able to look after their own affairs, the reason a visiting officer has to come out is to make sure that the person does require an appointee, again depening on the level of the condition some are able to do this with some help from their parents, this is something that can not be judged from the claim packs. hope this helps

thanks for all your useful info, i'm going to the library today as they have a few of them in (i checked online) and next time i go shopping i'm taking my book list with me to have a look through to see which best suits me. sorry i've not replied sooner my account was being a nightmare and didn't recognise me, all sorted now, thankfully

hi there, i've looked all over for more information on autism & i seem to be getting bogged down with a lot of information, i was wondering if anyone, who was in my situation, found any books interesting to read, that sort of "gently" gave you all the information you needed. my son is aged 6 and has atypical autism. i am after a book that can give me an insight into how he feels/perceives things and the best way to deal with him etc. thank you

thanks for your postings, he's doing well academically wise (apart from his handwriting which is really bad), he doesnt need anybodys help with his school work so i thought he wouldn't need statementing but i wasn't sure if because he'd had a diagnosis that he would need one. I'm lucky that the school is so good (and his class mates are quite chillled as well). it was the school who first brought it to our attention that there might be "something different", we'd always accepted his behaviour as different to that of our other child, but it was our son and we didnt think anymore of it, however after the schools concerns this prompted further queries/investigations by the doctor etc. speak to you all soon no doubt x

Hi there, i've got my sons definate diagnosis now it's atypical autism & i'm wondering if anyone could give me any advice. Do the school need to have him statemented? does this type of autism worsen as they get older? CAMHS weren't really any use after diagnosis, just got it by letter stating to read up on this. School are being brilliant with him (even prior to diagnosis) and found what worked for him, doodle books, "own table/crayons" etc explaining everything so he's prepared for any change. at home we've also been doing the same too, and even though he flares up, we can prevent a lot of these from escalating. he's only 6 now and whilst i appreciate autism does not go away, i was wondering if anyone on here has any experience if atypical autism will get worse or maybe a little better as my child gets older and can cope better. thanks for all your help on my previous posting re dla, i've sent it in now and it took a 10days to even get an acknowledgment!! so i don't know how long i'll be waiting for a decision, i did send the school report in with it though that they had filled in for CAMHS

mine too, i used to think it was just him and yet another of his quirks (pre-diagnosis) he hates having his nails cut and he doesnt bite them so they do need cutting. it's the look of fear that i cant get over and even if i do mine first he's the same, he's fine having his hair cut at the barbers though??? i use nail clippers what do others use?

thanks for all your words of advice and encouragment, i have completed it in rough and i must admit i found it hard, i kept putting what he was like on a bad day but then felt i had to put what he was like on a good day (although i have taken all what you have said on board and will not be putting the good days on the claim pack, it just made me feel better). i think the hardest bit is putting all the "bad or negative" things down as i feel my son will be labelled and ok they at dla don't know him personally it's something that is on paper about him, i hope you can understand where i am coming from in all of this. take care

thank you Tilly & Cat for your replies, i've checked out the website & it's got loads of useful info & i've just skimmed over it for now, will print it off later, as i always prefer to read from a hard copy. I think the hardest bit is comapring to another child of the same age, i have an older child but with x it's always been accepted as "just his way". It's not only the extra time things take but also the preparation before hand, does anybody else find this. with my eldest i can say/do things at the drop of a hat whereas with x i need to plan ahead, give run downs etc.

thank you, i've read that, it's just the one i'd read on here was in more detail. i think i'm going to write out the form in rough first, though i might try a few pages a day! I wish they'd make it easier. still i've got 5 weeks left to fill it in as they gave me 6 weeks from my requesting it, no wonder you get so long!!