Autism: Discussions

My son who has pdd just turned 13 and he has some friends but this past year he has stopped doing things with them out side of school. I use to make play dates with his friends parents but he is a teen now and he will not let me do that anymore. I asked him to call a friend to come over or to go somewere and he tells me that there is nothing to do. He is also my first of three kids so I am not sure how teen boys act with their friends. He is in 7th grade and turned 13 in Feb. Should I push the outside of school friendship??????

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Good Morning and Happy New years to all. I am a single mother of three amazing children ages 14,13,12 that happen to have with different form and levels of Autism. In 2008 we moved to a new community and found ourselves alone for a short spell until i found and got involved with our local Autism Society.Going to the meetings and outings is not really giving me the information and support I need for a few different reasons.

One of the biggest reasons it not working for me is because of the negativity from others. I for one am a very outgoing mother, and decided a long time ago i would raise my children to be the same, it has worked for US and I stress us because i know and respect everyone's situation as being different. It's not always easy, but we have learned to laugh, joke and live our way through it. Yes there are many times i have had enough and break down, one most recent break down was at a recent IEP meeting and i could not get it under control and the meeting had to be stopped(lol) all because someone mentioned how my children are always late for school(rotf). However each time i meet a new family from the group, they are always so negative and call out constantly, all the faults and struggles of their child. On outings, the parents are angry and often lash out at others who give stares, or ask questions and the meetings are never progressive because, their are always to many sob stories.Often the guest speakers and such get frustrated as each positive step that is given is cut off by someone being negative.

I'm curious, does anyone else experience this in their local chapters or anything similar in a local support group? If so how do you deal with it and am I jumping the gun or being insensitive to others pain? The though of being insensitive to others is driving me crazy, especially since, i have worked as an advocate with DPAC for a few years and now that we are settled, would lie to continue doing so, but worry now if i should.

Right now all i know is that even in our struggles as a family, I have fallen completely in love with my babies and they are so perfect in my eyes.When the school calls me to come pick my son up from school because he has decided that being under the desk is better than being in one, I cry, then laugh and go. When the cat goes missing and i find him later in the deep freeze i cry, then laugh and go on. However i decided lso maybe i should pull out of the functions, but being we are new it would leave us back at square one. Alone.

I certainly hope this even makes since. I could really use some advise here.

Anna Marie
p.s. please not this is not to offend, just my reality as i see it.

Hello, everyone! I am animeuserone and have a condition known as Asrenger's Syndromne or Disorder. I was diagnosed at S.F.U.C. when I was very little and I have been. I hope to help with my experience as someone with autism help others who have the condition or who live with people who have it.

Nobody Nowhere sold over half a million copies in 20 languages worldwide, and has been read by millions more. Covering deep social issues far beyond the scope of Autism, it challenges concepts of sanity and normality in the face of ignorance, brutality and deprivation and brought empathy and an inspiring sense of celebration and hope to mainstream people and solace to a diversity of the most marginalized, disempowered and alone people in society. The film, Nobody Nowhere is for all of these people.

Ask your Senators to become cosponsors of the Disability Savings Act of 2008. The Act, introduced by Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) in March 2008, is designed to encourage individuals with autism (and other disabilities) and their families to save for disability-related expenses.

E-MAIL YOUR SENATORS WITH THIS MESSAGE

As your constituent, I am writing to urge you to sign on as a cosponsor of the Disability Savings Act of 2008 (S. 2741). This bill was introduced by Senator Chris Dodd in March 2008.

The Act is designed to encourage individuals with autism (and other disabilities) and their families to save for disability-related expenses. It is meant to supplement rather than to replace benefits provided by other sources (including Medicaid and private insurance). In fact, S. 2741 authorizes specific “Disability Savings Accounts,” which are similar in many respects to existing 529 college savings plans. Provided certain rules are met, Disability Savings Accounts will be exempt from federal taxation.

Currently 1 in 150 children are diagnosed with autism and the financial costs are daunting to most families. This is why these savings accounts are so vitally important. They will help to reduce an unreasonable financial burden for millions of families and make the Internal Revenue Code more fair. Right now, parents can save, tax-free, to send a child to college. S. 2741 will allow parents to save, tax free to meet the life needs of a child with autism.

I urge you to become a cosponsor of the Disability Savings Act of 2008, S. 2741, and help children with autism live full and productive lives for all their years.

Hi I am need to this board. My 13 yr old was dx w/ aspergers a year ago now I'm thinking that 3 of my 4 children have it to some degree. ( and fit the dx guidelines. It seems everyone in my family has some of the symptoms. Anyway my 10 year old is being tested for many things but the problems at school are that he refuses to goto school some days and that he gets bullied and overwelmed. but he is usually quiet about in and just stops functioning. The teacher rarely notices. He comes home and runs around in circles for sometimes hours and then refuses to goto school the next day. He is doing better. I should say that I homeschooled him for 2 years and its mostly the transitioning that hes having a hard time with. I think he will do better but I read in the The Oasis Guide to Asperger Syndrome that kids with siblings that are dxed AS have a 50 times greater risk of having it as well. He has many symptoms but he is very sweet and polite with the other kids but he does not know how to carry on a conversation very well with them he does better with adults. He loves patterns and the stars and anything to do with spys. He has a lot of phobias but they last a little while and then he get over them. My 13 yr old is quite a different story. She will not accept her dx or that she has any issues what so ever. She is extremly defiant and melts down violently and loudly. Her two favorite things to do are read and argue. Once in an argument she cannot disengage from it and she is very intelegent and immediatly sums up what people can do for her.She has been teachers pet and an excellent student in every grade. However substitute teachers cannot control her because her class mates approval is much more important to her. Substitute teachers rank 0 with her. Everyone gets ranked. Siblings 0 Me well I was at the top until I suggested she has a problem and took her to counseling now I am her enemy and it really hurts.She has many symptoms of AS but most are invisible to many but some people see some of it. Her Pysciatrist for one but many just see that she is controling and a bit off and very clumsey ( she is starting to grow out of the trips to the er! thank goodness) My oldest son was dx ADHD but now I think its AS he is 21 and hardly functioning ( can hold a job and wants to be on the computer all day) He is presently living with friends and getting food stamps. I think he will be back on my doorstep soon. Anyway I'm reading all I can and wishing the awareness that is out there now was 20 years ago.
Thanks for giving me a place to vent!!!
M