Is this linked to Aspergers

[JessBickerstaff]

Hi everyone. I am new here.

 

Just wanted to say hello.

 

I am a mum of 2 and we are in the middle of the assessment process for my daughter who is 8. I think it's 99% certain that she has Aspergers, but she still hasn't been formally diagnosed.

 

It's been a bit of a shock as initially I didn't know much about Aspergers and what it meant long term, but I am starting to come to terms with things and just now trying to find out as much information as possible.

 

Hoping to share and learn from people who have children with Aspergers and have been in a similar position.

 

She is doing ok at school and is generally pretty sociable.

 

She is fixated on having a routine and doesn't really like change. It can get her really anxious.

 

One area we do struggle with is bedwetting. She is generally pretty good during the daytime, although she still does have accidents. Nighttime is much worse and she has never really been dry.

 

I know bedwetting is not uncommon in children so I don't know if it's just that or could it be linked to aspergers? Do Aspergers children have a tendency to have more toileting issues or am I just linking everything inappropriately.

 

We have tried all sorts of things to help her stop, from limiting drinks, to lifting, to alarms. She has had a check up by our GP to make sure there was no infection, etc. She just seems to not be able to wake herself up when she needs to go and is often extremely wet in the morning.

 

Supermarket pull-ups aren't working and my washing machine is constantly going every day washing sheets. I feel a little at my whits end with it.

 

Any advice would be gratefully received.

 

Thanks

Jess

[trekster]

Hello Jess

 

Welcome to the site, I am one of the moderators on here.

 

http://www.eric.org.uk/Parents/info_bedwetting_wetting_parents......

That's a section from the national charity supporting families of people who bed-wet and soil the bed. Some of their strategies may not work for kids affected by Aspergers though.

 

The bedwetting could be anxiety (8 is the age in which Asperger kids realise they are different from other children) or it could be that she has poor introspection (internal sensory awareness)..... some websites include

http://hplusmagazine.com/2010/10/04/autism-introspective-brain-why-we-treat-some-people-differently-others/

http://www.medicaldaily.com/people-autism-withdraw-others-because-autistic-brain-generates-42-more-information-while-rest-268405

 

Sensory issues and autism/aspergers are common in our population. The inability to cope with change is due to extremely poor short term memory. If we can control our anxiety and process the change at our own pace we are more likely to accept that change.

 

Hope this makes sense?

[JessBickerstaff]

Hello Trekster

 

Thank you very much for the reply.

 

It's great to actually have some insight into how she might be feeling which might lead to certain behaviours.

 

Thanks for the links too, they were really interesting and the Eric website had loads of good information and I notice there were some other products available that might help us deal with things.

 

She is really getting too big for size 6 nappies and the pull-ups you can get from the supermarket are expensive and leak badly.

 

I don't know if it's anxiety that's causing her bedwetting or not. It's not always easy to get her to tell us how she is feeling. She has never been dry at night so it's not a new thing. There just doesn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel. I don't know whether to try and push her to get dry or whether this could be counter productive and make her more anxious.

 

Thanks

Jess