Have you come across this with your ASD children?

[Notgivingin789]

Hi, DS 5 has just started at his new specialist provision.

I was very concerned that he wasn't going to adjust into this major change as he was at a mainstream school last year and really enjoyed his time there.

But I was surprised that DS managed to cope with the change of his school, in fact he coped too well if I dare say. To the new school uniform, to the change of his route to the new school, new faces, new children, he showed no reaction, he just got on with it. Is this odd?

I even accidentally walked past his previous mainstream school today, he glanced at it but there was no sense that he missed the school. It was like he totally forgot his time there.

I'm not particularly worried about this, it was just an observation I noticed. But I'm worried that maybe this is a sign that DS may not have the capability to miss things. Am I wrong in thinking this? Has anybody else notice this in their ASD children?

[LeChien]

Ds was like this when he moved school. He was 9 at the time.

I've put it down to a couple of things:

1. The last few weeks/months at his old school were dreadful for him.
   
2. He compartmentalises. In his head I think he'd moved on from the old school and was ready for the new.
   

Although I wish other transitions were as straight forward

[Teawaster]

My DS3is quite like this. Despite supposedly not liking change DS2 didn't miss anything about his old school when we moved him to a special unit aged 7, it was far more traumatic for DS1 who we moved to the mainstream section of the new school. At the time DS2 didn't have an ASD diagnosis and his ability to adapt to change was one of the reasons that I thought he wasn't on the spectrum. However now aged 14 I can see his desire for routine is there and the anxiety that it creates when not there. But he holds it in quite a lot and oy rarely do we get him to discuss things openly. I think I thought for years that he was more comfortable with things than he actually was

[Teawaster]

DS2 not DS3

[ovenchips]

Mine did a change of school in a similar fashion. Big changes seem easier than you'd think.

Little ones, such as moving something an inch from where my child has placed it and where it 'should' be however...

[mumsuzz]

Mine too. Recently we moved area, house and now new school for DD. She has coped with it all very well (so far at least!). My NT ds was far more upset to be moving away.

[Lostbowie]

Mine too. But he has full child autism and has almost no emotion. In a way thats quite good - he will always need to be looked after and at least when Im gone (not in the near future hopefully!) I know he wont miss me and he will be OK.

[cuntycowfacemonkey]

DS copes with big changes really well but god help the person who moves his lego! Should also add that when his Nan died he was very sad about it and showed far more emotion than my NT ds. Even a year on he still talks about her and how sad it is that she has gone.

[roomonamop]

Ds finished at nursery 2 weeks ago and started school today. He showed zero emotion at leaving or missing even though he had a good time. He is being assessed for asd. He managed incredibly well today. He misses us if we are away but that is about it. He has never really spoken about any kids at nursery.

[Notgivingin789]

Lostbowie I'm sure your DS will miss you, he just won't be able to express it.

Feeling a bit better since most of you parents have noticed this with your kids. I hope this is not a sign that DS can't sense the "missing" feeling.