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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to be sat here crying

137 replies

biddysmama · 04/07/2011 21:13

i have a 10 month old,a 27 month old and a 9 year old and im 10 weeks pregnant

my 9 year old is in the middle of getting his aspergers diagnosis, i know he has it, teachers,educatuional psychologist knows he has it, all we need is for the peadiatrician to officially say he has it..

he gets no help yet because theres no diagnosis, hes having a really bad time atm, everything is a fight, he wont get up, he wont go to school, school cant handle him, i cant handle him, he wont wash, he wont sit and eat and he wont go to bed at bedtime, every trip out of the house ends in meltdown, he has a meltdown every day, screaming at me that everythings my fault, im horrible,im mean, he wants to play wii, he wants to play out (we live on a busy road and obviously he cant go on his own)

i just feel like i cant cope anymore, no one can help me cos if i send him to stay somewhere he comes back 50x worse, summer holidays are coming up and i am terrified! im his mum, i love him and i should be able to cope but im just exhausted

OP posts:
nenevomito · 04/07/2011 22:02

Hi - My DS has aspergers - waiting for a dx. I have other children too by the way as having a child with SN doesn't mean you shouldn't have others and anyone who says different is a fuckwit of low intelligence.

Anyhoo, what works with my DS is a visual timetable - have you tried anything like this? It involves having a clear display of what will be happening during the day that he can refer to. I've also got him some sensory stick things that he can fiddle with. Squashy balls are great.

What has been great for me was finding the local SN support group via the surestart centre. Unlike the other groups, it has older children in and I found a local peer supporter who has been brilliant as I was losing it as to how to manage it.

Going through the dx process is hardgoing. Add in the stress of being pg and other children I'm not surprised you're on the edge. Feel free to PM me and post in the SN Children board. You'll find lovely people there, unlike some of the twats who are sadly using up oxygen on here.

jugglingmug · 04/07/2011 22:03

Just because she posts in AIBU doesnt mean she shouldnt be treated as a human being. No need to stick the boot in when someones on the floor.

And if everyone who ever thought they couldnt cope didnt have more children, there would LOTS more only children.

LauraIngallsWilder · 04/07/2011 22:04

Sheesh MN is full of nasty bitches at the moment
Definately more need to follow Thumpers advice Angry

Biddy - My ds has aspergers so I know how difficult life can be. I second the suggestion to phone surestart - our behaviour support worker is fantastic. Also I suggest phoning homestart (if available in your area) as you should be eligible for a volunteer from them (only a couple of hours a week but better than nowt)

Those of you with nothing nice to say - count your blessings that your children dont have learning difficulties etc
:(

WhatsWrongWithYou · 04/07/2011 22:04

See now some people are just being unkind. I have practically zero personal experience of SN - I read some of the threads to learn more about how some other people live, and hopefully to avoid crass misunderstandings/assumptions that I've probably been guilty of previous to MN.

Please don't think that is the view that prevails, op. I wish I could say something constructive but I hope you get more of the helpful responses.

Maybe go to CAB and ask for help applying for DLA.

Hippomaniac · 04/07/2011 22:05

I have an 8 year old with Aspergers and ADHD and the description you gave of your son perfectly describes mine. I think what helped us was contacting a few organisations and getting some help. The National Autistic Society should be able to tell you what sort of support you can get in your area. It feels so much better to talk to other people who are going through the same thing. We also had 6 one to one sessions with Parentline on how to deal with his odd behaviour (this was before official diagnosis). The guy who did the sessions was a retired headteacher of an autistic school and was absolutely fantastic. Have a look at the book 1-2-3 Magic we found that a big help too. You could always post in the special needs section as there might be a few more people in the same boat on there.

cheesesarnie · 04/07/2011 22:05

glassescase -yes its in am i being unreasonable but surely anyone with any sense can see thats maybe not the best advice for op atm?
'folk on here' dont restrict themselves to saying nice things.but most are decent human beings.why bother posting?

Clarabumps · 04/07/2011 22:05

she asked if she was unreasonable to be crying doughball! if i was her i'd be crying too! well done you glasses for being an arse!

hellospoon · 04/07/2011 22:10

glassescase there is a time and a place to be an insensitive nasty bitch. this isnt one of them. now be a love and fuck off

TakeMeDrunkImHome · 04/07/2011 22:12

It isn't glassescase who is now being the "nasty bitch". She is being insulted and patronised for having an opinion which goes against the majority.

glassescase · 04/07/2011 22:12

I do frequently count my blessings that my childen don't have learning difficulties, and if my eldest did, I probably would have a second child. I probably would not have a third and a fouth- the last three within three years-if I couldn't cope.

longjane · 04/07/2011 22:13

hi bibby

I found with both my boys that last 2 years at primary school really hard as they and their classmates both work out they are different.
I gets better when they go to senior school as they met more like mind people.

what is is his obsession at moment ?
As you not coping can not let him get on with his obsession?
there is drugs that you can get of the dr to help with his sleeping
I would like suggest you go see you GP tomorrow to get some help.

good luck

GypsyMoth · 04/07/2011 22:16

i agree,the thread is being railroaded now,and how is THAT helping the op?

glasses made a point. the fallout from that is whats nasty

amIbeingdaft · 04/07/2011 22:17

Wow, some of you are right about 'nasty bitches'! Are you standing near mirrors by any chance?

We are entitled to different opinions on here, NO ONE has attacked the OP.

Asking why the OP is having another child may be a pertinent question actually. Whether this baby was planned or not can have a massive bearing on her mental state, which is why midwives ask this question often.

GypsyMoth · 04/07/2011 22:20

amibeingdaft.........i never knew that!! i thought it was to do with taking folic acid in preparation!!

thefirstMrsDeVere · 04/07/2011 22:24

Hi Biddys
You must be feeling rotten and I am sorry for that.

I have an 8 year old with ASD
As well as two older siblings he also has two younger ones.

Because having a child with SN doesnt put you off having more kids Hmm

And like my son, Biddy's son is only just gettting a dx. Yes she may well have been aware of 'his problems' before now but was she supposed to guess these problems would amount to a life long disability you bunch of muppets?

You have had some good advice on here and I would seriously get this thread moved to SN before the ones who thing AS is 'made up' start coming on and accuse you of trying to get DLA.

I am always exhausted when I am in early pg and I am sure this is contributing to your low mood. I wish I could help more but I can at least empathise.

I hope you get some help soon.

amIbeingdaft · 04/07/2011 22:25

It's a bit of both, I think, IloveTiffany. Apparently if your baby is unplanned you are more likely to have PND.

Anyway I think we've scared the OP off with all our arguing.

thefirstMrsDeVere · 04/07/2011 22:26

My 8 year old has learning difficulties too Shock

Sometimes, like most other parents on the planet, I have moments when I feel I am not coping.

yummystepford · 04/07/2011 22:30

does that mean posting on here means regardless of what is said that you should be up for abuse?! we ALL have hard days and days we are down and days we wonder what we are doing! regardless of how many kids we have, what problems they may or may not have etc! and sometimes things dont always go to plan and not everything is within our control.

glassescase · 04/07/2011 22:36

I haven't abused anyone.
However, if being called a twat, an arse, an insensitive nasty bitch, a wanker and a cow, and being told to fuck off, counts as abuse...

michelleseashell · 04/07/2011 22:37

Another one here to say that you aren't being unreasonable (and that some of these insensitive posters need to turn their brains on before their mouths).

I've got a little brother with aspergers (and younger siblings thanks) and he does fine with a very structured routine.

BimboNo5 · 04/07/2011 22:37

I get glassescases point tbh, it makes me a bit Hmm when people say how hard things are for them yet have ANOTHER child to add to all that stress. And fwiw I dont think the torrent of abuse she has received for voicing that view is acceptable at all but no doubt some of it will be directed at me now also

moosemama · 04/07/2011 22:38

glassescase I kind of understand the question you were trying to ask and hope it just came across badly - but honestly - you really don't have a clue what you are talking about with regard to having a SN child and further dcs.

My ds1 has AS and he was an absolutely amazing, compliant, angelic child - until he went to junior school, when his world changed significantly, both socially and academically and he just couldn't hold it together any longer.

He is now 9 - the same age as the OP's ds and we are currently going through a very rough patch with him, as he tries to cope with and understand the way he is getting left behind by his peers and how the social side of his life is constantly shifting. Its very hard for him not being able to have the same freedoms as his peers and is something he pushes against, constantly testing the boundaries etc.

At school the work has become more complex, involving abstract concepts that he isn't equipped to deal with and as a result his self-esteem has taken a huge knock - going from one of the highest achievers in his year right through infants to zero progress over the past two years.

I have two other dcs, one from before we knew ds had ASD and one two year old who has brought so much love and joy into our lives - and in particular to ds1 - that it would never have been the right decision not to have her.

OP - I feel for you. Its a tough age for children with ASD and life at it can be a very bumpy ride for both them and their families.

I agree with the posters who've suggested trying to organise a routine and strong boundaries, with rules you can agree with him. If he has an obsession at the moment, use it to reward him - my ds can earn an extra 5 minutes on his beloved nintendo ds for making good choices and doing things without arguing etc.

Routine is particularly useful in the holidays as it helps them to cope if they have some structure to the day. We tend to do getting up and breakfast at the same time and in the same way, which starts the day off well, then there are certain times throughout the day where we do particular thing, eg he is allowed an hour on his ds at 1.30pm (with the caveat that if we are going out he can have it earlier) we do snacks at 10.30 and 3.30 (same times as school days) and have tea at the same time. I also do some very basic schoolwork with him at the same time every day.

As for sleeping - my ds's sleep was terrible until I put him on a good quality omega oil. We use a vegetarian one, but there are lots of them on the market. I also learned not to stress about how late he was awake and bought him a booklight so that if he was awake later than his brother (they share a room) he could read. (His rules include not getting up before 7.30 am and no noise after 8.00 pm.)

I would recommend a GP appointment and/or a chat with your health visitor as a starting point for getting some support. LauraIngles, suggestion for calling your local Surestart is also a good idea and you should be able to call your Council's Local Education Authority to find out about any Autism Outreach or Inclusion services that could help and they in turn will be able to advise you about any support groups that you might like to get involved with.

Finally, please do come over to MN Special Needs. There are lots of us over there who have children with ASD and it really does help to talk to others in the same position.

animula · 04/07/2011 22:43

biddysmama - please go over to the SN board. AIBU may have more traffic, but for some things its not quantity, but informed, experienced opinion that's good. Smile

Goofymum · 04/07/2011 22:45

I was more shocked at the abuse the Glassescase got for her comment than the comment itself. It's a shame that the post has turned into that. Thanks to Moosemama for offering some good advice and getting back to the original point.

thefirstMrsDeVere · 04/07/2011 22:46

Sorry no.

I cope with my children very well but could have started this thread myself at times.

Going through a rough patch doesnt mean you will never cope and shouldnt have any more children.

I wonder if the comment would have been made if the OP's son didnt have an SN and was just going through a challenging phase.
Because children with SN also go through phases when their behaviour is harder to manage than at other times. Times of transition, puberty, anxiety etc, all the things that affect NT children.

NT teenagers can be right gits too. So maybe everyone just stick to the one child hey?