Autistic child being very difficult

[Sosadso]

Is this a normal part of autism? My daughter cut her foot yet there is literally not a single mark on it other than the most smallest scratch and she is screaming literally hysterically I mean blood curdling screeching saying that i need to take her to the drs or hospital, she is literally screaming the place down! Theres barely a scratch. It’s been going on ages and im at the end Of my tether, shes refusing to walk to even use the toilet she's refusing to sleep and waking my other children up by screaming and shouting, I'm terrified the neighbours will call the police, what would you do in this situation? She won't sleep, I can't sleep, my other kids can't sleep and have school tomorrow, I'm honestly at the end of my tether. She won't come downstairs so my neighbours don't hear her. I'm at a loss

She can’t scream forever. She will burn herself out in the end.
Solidarity to you and your poor other kids…

How old is she?

Have you done any home 'treatment' eg clean the site, put antiscptic cream on it, plaster or dressing?

If she's keeping everyone else awake, can you carry her downstairs?

Done all that she's not interested and it doesn't matter nothing changes it she's used all the plasters and demanding I buy more, won't let me look at it or touch it and screams if I go near, can't carry her she is 13.

Yes, it can be part of autism. Have you tried validating her feelings? 'I can see that you're in pain. That must be very frightening for you. We can't go to the hospital now, but we can soak your foot in cool water to make it feel better. I can also give you some Calpol to help take the pain away' etc etc etc.

Whoever my daughter hurt herself she used to become completely overwhelmed, no matter how big or small the injury. I spent many hours having sporting injuries checked at A&E because she wouldn't/couldn't weight bear, only for things to improve when she'd had an x-Ray and been told it wasn't broken.

Validation and empathy worked for us.

I'm terrified the neighbours will call the police,

If your neighbours are stupid enough to call the police rather than seeing if they can help you, then get your "injured" daughter to explain what is wrong to the police officers.

Edited to say: seems harsh but it works.

Plenty of people would call the police if they heard a child screaming the house down at nearly 1am. She won't let me touch it so I can't go near it but I've looked and can see there is nothing other than a tiny scratch.

This definitely can be a normal part of autism. Often autistic children are very sensitive. But usually it isn’t new behaviour/doesn’t come as a surprise, though I guess it could do if this is the first time she has cut herself? Try not to panic too much about the neighbours etc, sounds like this isn’t happening every night. I agree with a PP who said eventually she will exhaust herself but it can feel long while this sort of thing is happening for sure!

I agree offering some sort of “treatment” for the nonexistent scratch, plaster, cream etc, and giving calpol and offering to let her watch her favourite TV programme on the sofa for a bit to try to settle etc, and telling her you will take her to the doctor tomorrow if she is still in a lot of pain etc. might help. She probably partly just needs to know you are listening to her and taking her seriously (even though we all know it’s just a scratch!).

Alternatively actually taking her to the out of hours service might help (I’m a GP, believe me it wouldn’t be the first time this sort of thing has happened, if it’s at the stage where the entire household is unable to sleep because she is so distressed then that’s enough of a reason to see a doctor in my eyes) but locally you’d have to call 111 to access it and they’d probably not think it needed an appt… maybe it would reassure her though that you’ve called “the doctor” and they’ve said wait till tomorrow and see how it goes?

Also my daughter has delayed speech and communication difficulties as well as learning difficulties so she wouldn't simply be able to explain what happened she's just screaming that she's needs the hospital

Brings back memories, except it was a cut on the hand.

It's the screaming that got me down. I found it easier to be calm mannered (not easy) and speak in a quieter and quieter voice, they gradually reduced the volume enough to have a bit of a conversation. Do we need an ambulance, was then met with a no. We can go in the morning after dropping the others at school....

It's not easy, feel for you.