advice please

[helenmorbey]

Hi all, ive posted before about my 4 and a half year old daughter. She had a review with a paediatrician a few weeks ago who spent ages telling me about ASD and how he felt she had it, then i get the follow up letter saying its been thought she had ASD in the past and been rejected so he felt a wait and see approach is best! Anyway just a couple of things i dont know how to handle is welcome suggestions. She is always throwing things (mostly at her dad), remote controls, hairbrushes etc., she also keeps shouting p*** off (thanks to older sis), she barely eats (at the mo only eats yogurts), at easter were going on holiday abroad and i know she wont eat anything (she didnt last year and came home thinner), nursery laugh at the suggestion of ASD as shes a delight at nursery and even interacts quite well with other kids now! I mentioned her eating to the teacher and she said oh ignore it. Theres parents evening in a couple of days and im sending hubby as im so fed up with their attitudes! Another thing is it quite common for kids with ASD to sweat at night? She sleeps without covers on then wakes freezing, any covers and she sweats. She cries if her sisters tease her (even in its mildest form), any advice Helen x Oh and she also picks! Wallpaper seams and mostly her lips which i keep trying to smooth with vaseline!

Edited March 14, 2006 by helenmorbey

[Mother in Need]

I don't think I'm the one to help you with this, I'm sure the real knowledgable lot will come along soon.

 

There are a few things I can say though.

The sweating, my youngest NT son sweats a lot at night as well, and I have no idea why.

The picking is what's called stimming, which basically is a behaviour they do when they're under stress (someone please correct me if I am saying this wrong). My son chews a lot for example, and paces up and down constantly. I know others pick, especially at scabs or at their skin which then becomes scabbed anyway.

Eating issues is a biggy I think, with my AS son I actually have the opposite problem, he wouldn't stop eating if I'd let him. There will be quite a few threads on eating problems, maybe you can have a look at them. Sorry, I don't know how to do links, maybe someone can do this?

 

Good luck!

[Paula]

My son is now 12 so im haveing to think back quiete a while to when he was youre daughters age as the behaviours do alter as they get older.They did for my son.

 

 

When he was younger he would only eat ready brek and drink milk.This went on for over a year.He hated foods that had coatings on them,foods that made his hands sticky or melted even foods that made a crunching sound.

 

Have hope though he now eats a wide variety of foods even eats a full sunday dinner.Although eating is a messy busness and he like weird food combinations.Hes just had a bowel of soup with grapes in it !!!!!!!! He was very very thin as a child but now is a normal weight.Try not to worry as my health visiter once said they wont starve themselves to death.Then againe though we are talking Autism so maybe just maybe.

 

He also used to like picking at the carpet hed find the tiniest speck on the floor and pick it up.he also had a thing for hair and would eat it at every chance wed to hide all the hairbrushes.He ate so much it came out his bottom.Oh the joys.

 

He also licked things like work tops and stuff and people.He also bites his hands picks at scabs and does alsorts of odd things.

 

I guess what im trying to say is Autism and aspergers basically all the conditions on the autism spectrum are complicated,and indivdual has to how they present in each child.

 

But dont be fobbed of by so called professionals who say they cant be AS or autistic because they speak,interact,and make eye contact because thats just a myth that they never do these things.My son also stop the press likes to be hugged.

 

Good luck with it all.

Edited March 14, 2006 by Paula

[melly]

Hi

 

Must be difficuly being left in limbo. We were for a while, but by then we knew anyway.

 

As for your daughters behaviours, I would get back to your peads secretary and ask her to get your pead to do a referal to a behavioural specialist (behavioural pshyc or something) and a dietician.

 

When we were without an official diagnosis, our pead gave us a 'provisional diagnosis' so that we could start accessing the services available to ASD children. May be worth asking the sercretary about that. I've always found that befriending the docs secretary is the best way of gettig things done, better than the peads anyhow!!!

 

As for the nursery, maybe hubby could gently (!) point out that as none of them are qualified peadiatricians perhaps they could keep their diagnosis (or lack of it) to themselves!!!!!

 

Good luck with it all. And keep reading this site, I've often found some good behavioural things to try just by reading other threads, some of the kids behav has been similar to my little one and then the answers/ suggestions we have adapted and tried.

 

Melly

[jen]

Its wrong for a professional to lead you down one path towards ASD and then remove that statement. The nursery staff do not have the experience or the knowledge to diagnoses your child.

 

Write down your concerns about your child and take the list to any appointments you have so you can mention your concerns.

 

I would ask for referal to another psychatrist. You have a right to a second opinion.

 

Jen

[justamom]

I guess what im trying to say is Autism and aspergers basically all the conditions on the autism spectrum are complicated,and indivdual has to how they present in each child.

 

But dont be fobbed of by so called professionals who say they cant be AS or autistic because they speak,interact,and make eye contact because thats just a myth that they never do these things.My son also stop the press likes to be hugged.

 

 

As Paula said each and every child presents differently and do not let them fob you off, a mothers instinct is a wonderful thing and go with your gut feeling....

 

justamom

Edited March 14, 2006 by justamom

[helenmorbey]

Thank you all very much for your comments, can you all move into my road please! Helen xx

[Guest hallyscomet]

Hi all, ive posted before about my 4 and a half year old daughter. She had a review with a paediatrician a few weeks ago who spent ages telling me about ASD and how he felt she had it, then i get the follow up letter saying its been thought she had ASD in the past and been rejected so he felt a wait and see approach is best!

 

Helen, it can be a frustrating time, many parents don't get the real picture until some early intervention is performed like Speech Therapy, Occupational therapy, get another referral if you feel the Paediatrician is giving you the run around. You need one that Specialises in this, truly..... get referrals from the Autism Association would be a good thing.

 

Anyway just a couple of things i dont know how to handle is welcome suggestions. She is always throwing things (mostly at her dad), remote controls, hairbrushes etc., she also keeps shouting p*** off (thanks to older sis), she barely eats (at the mo only eats yogurts), at easter were going on holiday abroad and i know she wont eat anything (she didnt last year and came home thinner),

 

All these things you need to write down and talk to the Paediatrician, they want to know all these things.

 

nursery laugh at the suggestion of ASD as shes a delight at nursery and even interacts quite well with other kids now!

 

Many parents here will tell you the Nursery's have had red faced moments, when a statement has come forward.

 

 

I mentioned her eating to the teacher and she said oh ignore it. Theres parents evening in a couple of days and im sending hubby as im so fed up with their attitudes!

 

This is really good to keep him involved, even with the Paediatrician.

 

 

Another thing is it quite common for kids with ASD to sweat at night? She sleeps without covers on then wakes freezing, any covers and she sweats. She cries if her sisters tease her (even in its mildest form), any advice Helen x

My NT daughter is like that, so pure wool blankets or cotton blankets work best, she cant cope with a feather doona she always overheats, has been like this as long as I can remember.

 

 

Oh and she also picks! Wallpaper seams and mostly her lips which i keep trying to smooth with vaseline!

 

This is a common ASD trait. Nellie posted something to Tylers Mum about sucking and licking just the other day, perhaps that would help. But again, your Paediatrician needs to know every little detail. Keep a notebook to jot things in, as you observe your child. It is easy to forget important things when you are at the appointment.

 

Hope this helps a bit,

 

All the best

Hailey