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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

is it reasonale for a 5 year old with ASD/LD to play out unsupervised?

43 replies

thecaptaincrocfamily · 18/09/2011 01:15

Just want to know what people think. A child who lives nearby is constantly out by himself, in and out of my house and going off out of view of the house. The DF keeps asking if I have seen him and clearly isn't watching him.

OP posts:
Blondeshavemorefun · 18/09/2011 17:03

i wouldnt let a 5yr play outside alone regardless if sn or not

thefirstMrsDeVere · 18/09/2011 17:09

My DS has ASD and LDs.

He is now 8 and I let him play out the front for short periods.
We keep the blinds open so I we can see what he is doing.
We watch him all the time.

I want him to be able to play and mix with other kids but we have to be realistic about what he can cope with. Hopefully the more practice he gets the more he will be able to cope.

At five there is no way he would have been safe to play out. No way.

But then nor would have my NT DS1. He was a nightmare, no concentration, no common sense and he is 'G&T' apparently.

thefirstMrsDeVere · 18/09/2011 17:10

My DS lies like a big fat lieing thing who lives in Lieland.

BTW.

AnyFucker · 18/09/2011 17:17

IMO, no child of 5yo should play out unsupervised

Strawberry64 · 18/09/2011 17:39

Forgot to mention we lived in a cul de sack and other kids of same age played out. Very 1940s lol den, tree houses swings everything. Didnt mean to generalise. Also went to asd specialist school when I was younger. Didnt expect to get flamed though. All I meant to say different asd children cope differently in different situations, so all I was saying is some of us can, not all, some parents are comfortable, some not. Aware that some don't even have the ability to speak and exhibit dangerous behavior, whilst some of us can hope if we are prepped enough at the right time and have understanding group of friends and parents who know what our potential is as well as our limits. Like all kids, depends on the area and how confident the kid is and whether they have the ability. You tell me nt to generalise, but believe it or not, some of us are at the completely other end of the ability spectrum and should be encouraged and supported to make our first steps to leading an independent life, don't assume if people have certain conditions that that forbids their parents from trying. Sorry if I offended.

Just wanted to get out not all people with asd are the same, like all children, some will be better at coping than others. :-)

Strawberry64 · 18/09/2011 17:41

And at the other1% of the populations, some parents couldn`t give a flying f about their kids. You are the only one that knows best, non of us are in your situation!

Strawberry64 · 18/09/2011 17:45

Also, our road has no traffic, very well hidden, and a close community where everyone knows everyone and will look out for each other :-) vvv. Nice area where we have had no crime in over 20 years :-)

SanctiMoanyArse · 18/09/2011 17:49

Depends entirely on the child; generally I will say no but some kids are not less able than others- just different. Neitehr of my duo are allowed out at 8 and 11 (causes big fights but I am convinced) though I knew a child who was allowed to run with the pack to develop social skills.

I have big issues with 5 year olds being out anyway but that's going to be absed on where I live as much as anything- all road and no safe space IYSWIM..

Strawberry is bang on about the spectrum from a different perspective (close to end of my MA in autism- yep, am Peachy). Most I would say no but until you have met every child with a dx you have not seen the full range.

SanctiMoanyArse · 18/09/2011 17:50

And one of boys can lie like anythingf the other not so much. There are reasons for this and I am doing my research on a facet of this right now.

Mitmoo · 18/09/2011 17:54

I don't think AS comes into it on this one the child is five and the parent has no idea where they are. That's not acceptable for any child. The only thing I would say about children with autism is that, and this is probably the only thing I would ever generalise on, is that they need firmer boundaries and more guidance earlier on, not let to get on with it.

I have a child with HFASD.

SanctiMoanyArse · 18/09/2011 18:05

Mitmoo absolutely wrt to all children.

DS3 never ahd any boundary issues as he simply isn't active enough to be pushing any: OTOH this makes him unsafe to let him out. He is too trusting and has no nouse at all.

There is a child with AS here who plays out aged about 7, he seems to be OK. Not the choice I would ahve amde for him but parents do seem to be in denial anyway. Has survived 3 years of it though.

Strawberry64 · 18/09/2011 18:06

Sanctamoanyarse, thanks. Really, thanks for understanding my pov. I do understand everyone is different and some of those with asd will never be able to play in their own room alone, let alone outside. Thanks for giving me the word I was searching for. I do not have classical autism or even come under the xx for as, but I do fall under asd, shows you how wide the spectrum is. I played along aside until 5, showed obsessive behavior and would do odd things that calmed me and had social story training into I was 11. I failed the sally ann smarties TofM test when I was 11. I have incredible concentration which can drown out people shouting at me. I still suffer badly from sensory overload, but no where near as bad as i was younger. I still have routines that make me feel calm that I have to do, just no where near as intense as when I was younger.

carlywurly · 18/09/2011 18:10

Strawberry, there was nothing at all wrong with your post. I really don't understand why you got that reaction for it. Hmm

FWIW, I wouldn't let my ASD 6 yo play outside the back garden unsupervised, nor my NT child tbh.

Strawberry64 · 18/09/2011 18:17

Carlywurly, neither do I...

mumeeee · 18/09/2011 18:20

No. In fact any 5 year old isn't old enough to play outside unsupervised,

SanctiMoanyArse · 18/09/2011 18:24

Strawbs Smile

Not sure if we've met but welcome to MN: it's great to hear new experiences and takes all the time. Adds so much to debates. There are so many stereotypes about ASD and that works both ways- everyone with ASD is either just mildly quirky or severely impaired, not so.

Strawberry64 · 18/09/2011 18:33

Thanks SaM last thing I wanted was to seem like a generaliser! But hi!

thecaptaincrocfamily · 18/09/2011 19:58

I do understand how wide the spectrum is, for example my friends ds is 5.6 with speech that is 1 to 2 word sentences, enjoys playing and showing things to other children but has no imagination for role play. My ex DH had 3 cousins all with Aspergers syndrome, they were all different in ability and severity. I have encountered children during my job as a CM, again who were all different. The one thing that I have found is that they were all gullible in so far as if someone tried to get them to go with them with treats they would go. They were all pretty impulsive which is dangerous near roads and many of them would just run given freedom to do so, without thinking about boundaries. Not only that they were easily led so would be very likely to go off somewhere unsuitable with older dcs.

I don't allow my NT dd1 who is 5 to wander without knowing exactly where she is heading and where I can find her. I am lucky because she is very sensible and will not leave someones house without saying, then she comes straight home. I certainly would not let her out when I don't know where she will go. IMO it is dangerous.

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