Bexky, A

Becky, As time goes on on he will build up his mmemory span, I can remember just seven moths ago that Ellis's attention and recognition of things and people was fleeting and now it's improved, it's not amazing but it's better. We took the children on a ferry across the River Mersey today and Ellis was mad for it! He was so smiley and making singing noises, looking out the water and the repetitive ripples it made was making him laugh, it was beautiful to see his pleasure and how happy he was today and on the return journey we had people coming up to say what a lovely happy boy he was! And it made my day! People are so judgemental and we never really get any positive comments, just old bags saying he is naughty when they haven't a clue! You will get loads from Reece that will make you both happy when yu gey your diagnosis and the right course of action and possible medication is available, things will get better! ((((hug for becky))))

he was up from 2am last night and still hasnt gone back to sleep, the thing is my 12 week old daughter sleeps through. but they are waking each other up i think it be easier looking after twins

Becky, Poor you, I know how this is, we had an awful time with Ellis and his sleep up until threemonths ago! , When you get another appointment explain that Reece is a terrible sleeper & that it's having an impact on you all as a family, he may be prescribed Melatonin which is a natural sleep medicine that our body already produces,you will be given a synthetic version of this to aid his sleep, it doesn't knock them out or make them dozey so don't worry. We have taken Ellis off this now as he sleeps naturally for ten or more hours! We used it for around six months, it may help!

My son is 3 1/2..he was diagnosed with autism-pdd-nos, adhd, odd, and a speech problem.
Nicholas was never diagnosed as having anything, until a few months ago when I took him for an evaluation because he couldn't talk well. Then they made those diagnosis. He now attends a "special" school, which is 5 full days a week, and he loves it. He had never been to daycare or anything before school, but it's amazing what a difference the school has made with him. He doesn't have too many things that go with the autism spectrum, other than, he hates loyud noise/music, he lines things up, he loves anything circle and spinning (but i always thought these were just toddler type phases), and he is very fascinated by water or anything liquid.
Feel free to e-mail me, if you want to hear more about nicholas' autism..because this is all new for me too.

Hi Amber, Good to hear from you, and welcome! So good to hear from other mums with similar situations. First of all, can I ask how do manage with that many kids?, I can't imagine but I admire you for it! My son Ellis will be 4 years old at the end of July and he has been attending a special needs school 5 days at full time for the past month and he loves it too, his changes have been quite significant in the past few weeeks. He also attended a mainstream nursery for seven prior for 5 mornings a week and I think it has been so beneficial for him. And has given back some 'me' time, so I feel less stressed and it gives me time with my daughter Romy who is 22 months old also. My son was diagnosed finally in November last year as ASD and also with Global Developmental Delay, It took 18 months to get the diagnosis, but I feel happier knowing what I have to do to and finding out how to deal with it. Obviously you go through all the emotions and you have your good and bad days, it's an experience and a challenge! So how are you dealing with the diagnosis?

we have a paddling pool out, reece loves water and splashing around. his older brother lets him climb on his back. i love watching him happy. but he said nothing while in the pool except 'whoa'. he did have a good time and finally came out when he was freezing, it always has to be when hes had enough or i have to tempt him out with something like a biscuit - what i call a carrot on a stick approach.

the girls next door were shouting reece to keep coming to the gate - so he did and started squirting them with his bottle. only a little bit but he ran away and then turned back to them half way across the garden and tried to get them again. and they expected me to tell him off for this. i just laughed coz if they can torment him by keep calling him reece is free to get them back.

but i supposed reece wasnt aware they were tormenting him and he was only doing something whats 'normal' to him, when hes in the bath and i sit on the loo he stands up and sprays me with the cold tap and laughs. even if i did tell him off he would have no idea what i was on about anyway. i only tell him off when hes doing something really naughty - i prefer prevention and distraction. he does understand no, say hes drawing on the walls you can say no and he will stop - but he wouldnt remember its naughty to draw on the wall he would only go back and do it later - does that make sense?

my blokes mum has said im making it all up so i can claim disability???? shes full of spite sometimes

Becky, It's so weird, but your experiences with Reece are a total mirror image of what Ellis does, or has done, from the wheels obssession, water fixation, understanding 'no' and then forgetting and returning to their little deeds! Also the way you have explained his reactions to visits, moods etc, I think you know what I am trying to say but I am not a proffessional, so I can't diagnose and I won't cos that would be wrong, but you sound like you have our life. Tell the evil mother in law were to go, you have to be strong for Reeece and you have to fight her idiotic comments off, can you not threaten her with no visits if she continues to make her vile spoutings? I am taking a wild guess here that you're only 23 from your username? And I feel that mother in law is taking advantage of your young age, it's sounds like she is trying to take over, politely inform her that YOU are Reeces mother and that she is ONLY his grandmother. My blood is boiling over this, I would love to put her straight on a few matters, there is no shame in having a disabled child, I am so proud of my son. I just feel like crying for you, you sound trapped and stifled by this person and I really wish I could do something for you. Does she not understand how difficult this time is for you? Becky, you need support notopposition. I will be here for you to chat too when and if you need me, maybe you could give a time you want to arrange to be online at the same time so we can have a good natter? love to you and your special family from Lisa xxxx

*enters , says hello , exits*

my two boys have chicken pox, so i said to dale (the oldest) watch your sister while i go in the kitchen for something, when i get back they were both kissing her on the head!!!!!

reece has been touching his sister a lot and shes been smiling at him (shes 3 months), he been patting her head and rubing her feet and hes been showing her how fast the wheels on his bike can go - lol.

OMG! You have your hands full don't you? I hope they get well soon!

ive been trying to post but having problems, reece woke last night at 1 am and didnt have a nap till 2 in the afternoon - my 3 month old baby slept through til 7 am. i asked the health visitor about something to help him sleep but she said that i should just take it in turns with my partner. he sleeps to heavy too get up to the kids so if they woke up i would have to wake up to wake him up!!!

i told her i was getting depressed over the situation and about what people were saying about me making things up about reece so i have to go see a doctor this week. she said that until he was 4 or 5 no one would give me a diganoisis - but she said off the record that he ticked a lot of boxes for autisim so i wasnt worrying for nothing. that i was right to get the help while he was young. now i hope this posts

Becky, Sorry to hear all this. Your Health Visitor is not the person to ask, you need to speak a consultant or child psychologist to obtain sleep advice and meds. You CAN get a diagnosis of Autism earlier than 4 or 5. I did for Ellis at just 3 yaers old, you need to be very forceful and lay it on thick, I'm not saying you should lie but you must tell them your worst case scenario. Can you video Reeces behaviour? You could play it to a specialist so they can see a true reflection of his behaviour. Ask a proffessional to visit you at home so they can see Reeces real life situation and not just a fleeting appointment were he's acting as good as gold!!!n Ellis used to be on his best behaviour each time we went to an appointment and I reckon no one believed me. But then finally at an appointment he was truly being hyper and in full mode and he managed to cause so much disarray that I was sent away with meds and a promise of investigation into his behavioural patterns!!!

reece had to have a trip to the dentist as he has to have a tooth out, as its stopped growing and the dentist doesnt want it affect his next teeth. the 30 minute appiontment cost me £50 as lots of dentists have gone private.

but apart from being totally sexy as hell he has 3 years experience as a baby doctor, and he was so good with reece he let him play with all the buttons on the blood pressure monitor and let him throw water all over. i mentioned he had some learning difficultys and speech problems so could he be put to sleep he agreed and asked me if i had heard of apergus snydrome. so although i mentioned some learning difficultys he asked me outright if i was having him tested to see if he was on the autisitc spectrum.

anyway hes having him in on tuesday for it out, we talked about why his tooth had gone like that and the dentist mentioned sweets - but reece doesnt like sweets as they get sticky and he throws them. but i said he has a bottle with very watered down juice. so now i have to put him on water.

lately hes been happier, weve had our bad times too. but theres been a balance instead of what sometimes seems like an allday paddy. imn arranging a day out to this place where they have thomas the tank engine trains to see if he can recognise its what he likes at home. he likes the old spiderman and his amazing friends dvd i got my older son (probably cause its full of dramtic music and reece loves music). he held his sister on his lap the other day and again yesterday, he sat next to me when i was holding her and put his arms out so i placed her on his and he was smiling and very gentle only for a few seconds but i was so happy and gave him lots of praise

Hello, my son is now 9, but was diag at 4 1/2 with PDD-NOS, because he didn't fit in one of the autism requirements. But I did have him looked at the school board at about 2 1/2 and he started early education programs starting with playgroup, then he had 2 years of preschool, the first was just with other children that were delayed. They seemed to help alot with him getting used to other children, even though he does have a younger brother (by 13 months) that has taught him soooo much. I started flashcards at about 2 and his knowledge of words has always been good because of it. His seems to learn better if it's something you can show him, because his reasoning skills are low. Anyway I mainly wanted to say that it's sounds like your right on thinking that he is somewhere in the spectrum of autism. And maybe you mother in law, although very obnoxious at the momeny, will come to realize you do know best, when he is officially diagnosed(hopefully). Until then, just try to ignore her, it's not worth letting it bother you. You know your doing the right thing, that's what counts. Good luck to you. My son has improved so much, since we first found out.

i dont want him to end up in school where they cant cope with him, if he contiues the way he is going they wont even beable to control him as he doesnt understand. his mum thinks i want him to have so i can claim disabilty - i can assure you i dont want him to have anything i want him to be fine but i jst know in my heart something isnt right and i would be letting him down by not asking for help. i certainly dont want to claim benefits.

Just in case you don't know there is a wonderful forum on Healthboards.com, that has many people addressing the issues they have with their children. It has helped me alot reading the many posts there.

reece has been accepted into our local nursery where they have a special needs co-odinator. she spent a few hours with him and she said he actually said car - but at home he wouldnt say it for me. but she said he is one of the better children she has seen as he his happy and smiley

That sounds same as Ellis had Becky! He was in mainstrema nursery with SENCO Co-ordinators. They did one to one tasks with him as well as gropus activities and arranged Portex sessions for him too. And we had all our assessments before final diagnosis were done there so the consultant could see him in his social enviroment. It was from there that we made a mutual decision to go for a Special Needs School, he wasn't due to start until september this year but was given his place in may to get him settled in early! Any more news about the diagnosis?

i havent heard a thing, but at least the nursery is willing to take him. and im happy for him to go there as i know he will get a lot of one to one. although he hasnt said car again and i cant get him to say it. the same place does a paid day care so ive booked him in for 3 sessions a week 9 - 12 am. we left him for a few hours and it was nice to go shopping hassle free. when i picked him up he was happy to see me and i got a big cuddle. he even went and said bye to a boy hed been playing with.

last time i saw the health visitor she said that the person he needs to see had gone on hoilday that was a month ago. the nursery said theres loads of help they can offer me in the mean time - so im looking forward to planning that with them.

Becky, You will find this a godsend! Reece will get his 'time' and you will get yours! It'll do him the power of good being around lots of other children. Try and find out if you have a 'toy library/resource centre' in your area, as well the nurser Ellis went to an afternoon at this too. It was a special needs session and each group had around 6 kids, they did soft play, outdoor games and I got to have a sit down and a coffee with the other parents and I made a couple of frined sthere who are in similar situations! The nursery will now set the ball rolling for you and Reece, you will end up with diagnosis a lot quicker because you are now in 'the system', so to speak. And they will offer you support. Ellis saw his consultant two weeks ago at his school ( she wanted to see him in his new enviroment) and she confessed that she was absolutely gobsmacked at the change in him!!!! She was amazed at his concentration, eye contact, the multitude of facial expressions ( before he used to look blank)and the affection he now gives me! And how his understanding is now really improved also! You will be where we are in a years time, and it's a nice place to be! It doesn't feel as isolating now. Let me know how you get on, honey!

reece did 3 days at nursery this week - it was great he loved and seemed alot happyier. i got sometime with alexandria and time to go to the shops stuff like that which i cant normally do.

he has that appointment ive been waiting for this afternoon at 3.15 - about the right time as his behavoiur will be at its worst and they need to see that. i will let you know how it goes

Ellis finished school for summer today! He has had a brilliant first term and he had his first parnets evening on tuesday this week, his teacher is really happy with his progress and has lots of plans for the next term. The had an african week in the schoola nd a couple of bands came in and he loved the music!! Had downloaded some stuff tonight and he was transfixed by it! He is a great kid, I am reall