Hello, introducing us

[winston]

Hi, I have been reading the forum for a few weeks now and thought Id better say a proper hello.

Came here looking for information really as our 8 year old son has earlier this year been referred to CAMHS for a whole number of issues, mainly anxiety and behavioual problems.

The GP made refernce to ASD asking if any family members where on the spectrum, it was not something we had thought of, although we do have a nephew who is diagnosed with aspergers.

The main issues we went to the GP with were his increasing anxiety, he is change resistant, even changing the route we take out somewhere he gets obviously upset. has awful sleep issues relating to anxiety- wont sleep alone, sits half up to go to sleep, needs lights/torch radio, others in the room. wont be in a room in the house alone, including going to the toilet.

He seems to have a lot of 'nervous engergy' and makes funny noises he says he knows nothing of, he makes them when he is in deep thought, eating, playing games, upset, and he also snaps his fingers and taps with his feet.

Then there is the agression, snaps at the slightest provocation, inflicting physical harm on siblings, us, throwing things. Has even threatened me with a knife.

He also has very low self esteem, cannot take critisism, and self harms in the form of pinching, hitting himself when told off.

He is a very bright boy, top group in maths, reading age a year ahead, but his organisation of work, tidiness, and handwritting are appalling, along with his spelling!

 

We also have a son of 6 who has speach issues, his teacher described it as immature speach, he has had speech therapy for the past 3 years, firstly from the speach and language dept at the clinic and then from the school.

He also exhibits some strange behaviours, which we have always accepted as just 'him' but after reading up Im wondering if we should perhaps consider speaking to someone about them. for example he is very animated when happy, excited or scared, jumping up and down, flapping his arms, holding his head, and more recently he will jump up and down and slap his leg.

His teacher made a point of mentioning at the last parent.teacher meeting, and we just smiled and said it was cute, not thinking that it could be anything 'different' as such. It was quite nice to hear her talking in a positive way about him as his previous teacher had called him 'contrary' as he tends to 'zone out' when he knows he has done something wrong or doesnt understand something.

He also plays very different to his twin, he doesnt play with 'toys', he is computer mad, obsessed with mario, wii and nintendo, football and solo basketball. He likes to be on his own and just lives in his own little world. He doesnt have the anger issues of our older son, but will explode in an emotional mess if he is told off and go off to talk to himself at great length through his tears. He hates labels in his clothes except 'silky' ones in his trousers or pants,which he has to have and in his pjs or they 'dont feel right'...thats because he likes to rub them and will seek them out to the point of twisting all his clothes up to get to them.

He is also a very bright boy, he has amazing maths skills for a 6 year old, can add 2 and 3 digit numbers quicker than I can, knows many of his times tables, and is generally very obsessed with numbers and lining things up, even in his game world.

 

Both boys are very pedantic, and often correct us, their siblings, or other people...much to our embarrassment sometimes.

We have always thought something wasnt quite right with our older boy, he was a very quiet baby and toddler, very nervous, he got a lot of attention due to his huge eyes and long eyelashes but never responded to other people, looked at them blank faced, even now he always looks sad.

 

anyway, this is going on a bit like a life history, so Ill end here, hopefully we will be seen by CAHMS soon, some days are really hard, and we often think how are we going to get through another day like this, but we are hoping once we get some idea of what is causing the issues, we may feel more in control, and be able to find ways of coping/dealing with them.

 

 

[smiley1590]

all the issues listed and characteristics do point towards aspergers /ASD way so good thing that getting checked out assessed and hopefully diagnosed if AS is already part of family genetics does increase the likelyhood even further anxiety and stress over keeping routine same is main part surrounding what autism/AS is!!! and the obsessional part ( eg computer games) certain types clothing cant bear find painful hurt sensory issues having an high I.Q for their age being expectionally skilled in particular subject such as maths adding up quciker than adults etc lining things up like OCD part of AS! not playing with toys another classic flapping arms jumping up down again all adds up! low self-esteem and not being able to take critism common in aspergers

 

i threatened my parents with knife caused physical harm violence aggression and i self harm too! if soun does this is he depressed or just frustrated isolated scared???!!!

 

rubbing clothes comforting seeking thing in sensory issues i explode in 'emotional mess'

 

both your sons seem to be likelyhood of having an ASD i know CAMHS professionals but in my own personal opinion one your sons sounds autism and other sounds Aspergers !!!

 

take care

good luck!

XKLX