Hello

[Bianca]

Hello all, I have a lovely 12 year old son with a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder. He is intelligent and pretty academic (he scored 95% in the Wandsworth test and was also offered a place at Emmanuel which we had to turn down as we couldn't really afford it although I am starting to regret that decision) though he is not terribly motivated. His main problems are communication skills (very poor) and social skills (even worse - he doesn't really have any friends), he's good at Maths, Science, Geography etc. I am currently grappling with the problem of secondary education and I am seriously considering homeschooling because he is finding school very stressfull and it seems to be making him worse. His primary school was fantastic and very supportive ( I would recommend it to any parent of an ASD child) but there doesn't appear to be anything like it in a secondary school! He is currently at school in Mallorca (Long story, but he was born there) where we are all spending a year basically seeing if the schools here cope better but it's not really working. His English teacher just gave him a D in english in his end of term report because "he doesn't make eye contact or speak clearly" and yes we have previously been in to talk to her and the head but she is not having any of it.

Incidently I do have a husband but we both suspect he is on the spectrum too and his input is very limited, he feels totally out of his depth.

Sometimes I think I am just being nuerotic as I receive conflicting advice from other people. I don't have much family, my mother died of cancer a few years ago and my father and she divorced when I was a child. My father has very little to do with the children and doesn't know about my sons diagnosis. I have a sister but she is not very understanding. Her children both attend private schools and she told me that schools like that "screen out" children like my son. Most of my friends don't really understand about autism or the problems involved.

Uh oh, this is turning into a rant. I gues I don't have anyone else to talk to about it... Sorry!

 

Anyway - Hello everyone!

Edited March 24, 2013 by Lyndalou
To remove identifying information.

[Lyndalou]

Hi Bianca

 

Welcome to the forum. I've just edited your post as it's best not to give to much information on an open forum that is identifiable for safety reasons.

 

Lynda

[GRP1919]

Hello all, I have a lovely 12 year old son with a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder. He is intelligent and pretty academic (he scored 95% in the Wandsworth test and was also offered a place at Emmanuel which we had to turn down as we couldn't really afford it although I am starting to regret that decision) though he is not terribly motivated. His main problems are communication skills (very poor) and social skills (even worse - he doesn't really have any friends), he's good at Maths, Science, Geography etc. I am currently grappling with the problem of secondary education and I am seriously considering homeschooling because he is finding school very stressfull and it seems to be making him worse. His primary school was fantastic and very supportive ( I would recommend it to any parent of an ASD child) but there doesn't appear to be anything like it in a secondary school! He is currently at school in Mallorca (Long story, but he was born there) where we are all spending a year basically seeing if the schools here cope better but it's not really working. His English teacher just gave him a D in english in his end of term report because "he doesn't make eye contact or speak clearly" and yes we have previously been in to talk to her and the head but she is not having any of it.

Incidently I do have a husband but we both suspect he is on the spectrum too and his input is very limited, he feels totally out of his depth.

Sometimes I think I am just being nuerotic as I receive conflicting advice from other people. I don't have much family, my mother died of cancer a few years ago and my father and she divorced when I was a child. My father has very little to do with the children and doesn't know about my sons diagnosis. I have a sister but she is not very understanding. Her children both attend private schools and she told me that schools like that "screen out" children like my son. Most of my friends don't really understand about autism or the problems involved.

Uh oh, this is turning into a rant. I gues I don't have anyone else to talk to about it... Sorry!

 

Anyway - Hello everyone!

 

 

Hello Bianca

 

 

 

I thank you for your new topic! It's so nice to hear from you

 

 

 

You share a very interesting story. I've just turned 29 and was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) at 7. My personal and social development so far has been a very long and painful process! Even today, I often feel that no matter how much information I share with other people, they only ever partially understand my true needs and emotions and so only partially manage to address them correctly. I simply can't tell you just how devastating and heartbreaking this truly is for me! I can therefore understand just how difficult things truly are for your son and just how vulnerable this can truly make him feel. What I would like to reassure you is that you and your family have nothing to be ashamed of amongst yourselves. It is more than likely that other people, including school teachers, are failing to address the true needs of your son, having not done what they should have done. It may be a good idea for you to complain about this to your local authorities if you consider such personal efforts of others unsatisfactory. You could even write to your MP if you consider the issue critical. Whatever happens, I sincerely hope your son never suffers the same misfortunes I have done. I'm sure beyond all reasonable doubt that your son has better opportunities for specialist personal and social development than I had as a child and youth. I'm sure you and the rest of your family have ever so much to offer your son You sound like a very caring and responsible person and I'm very proud of you.

 

You can contact me about whatever you like, whenever you like. It would be so nice to hear from you again. You can send me a private message if you like.

 

Best wishes,

Gareth.

[positive_about]

Hi Bianca, welcome to the forum, and I hope you can get some support from here as it sounds like you really need it. Just do what you have to do for your son, yourself, and your family - oh, and keep positive

[trekster]

Hello and welcome hope you can get some help from the Spanish authorities regarding special needs of your son.