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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Neurodivergent children

6 replies

rosierosex · 04/10/2024 12:39

Any mums here with multiple children on neurodivergent pathways? How do you cope? I feel like my head is constantly underwater. I have a 4 year old with SPD and ADHD and a 17 month old who is on an autism pathway, It's super tough. Both have completely different needs and require so much more attention. My partner is ADHD and BPD he's great but I feel like i deal with a lot of life by myself. I don't really have friends I don't really get a minute to myself. I literally feel as though I'm drowning😴

OP posts:
WaitingForMojo · 04/10/2024 12:44

I have 4.
I’m AuDHD too.
My experience is that we’ve had some awful times when we’re just not coping, and other times when things are going well. Sometimes all you can do is wait for it to pass.

My biggest learning curve has been letting go of neurotypical expectations and doing things our own way. School, work, socialising… might just not be a thing.

WaitingForMojo · 04/10/2024 12:45

The conflicting needs is the hardest part in a neurodivergent family. Sometimes you just can’t meet everyone’s needs because they’re incompatible. One needs silence, the other needs to stim loudly etc.

OSF · 04/10/2024 12:52

This is what I find tricky. One is constantly looking for trouble. The other needs rules to be followed. One needs movement and is always desperate to spend a long time in the park after school, the other needs quiet time to decompress. One wants to invite everyone around for playdates, the other is scared of his friends. Like a PP said, let go of normal expectations and do what you need to do. Since my DS went back to school this Sept, life seems to be much easier. But he will crash at some point. Enjoy the bits when it is going well and be prepared for the tricky times is all you can do. When you are in the tricky times, stay calm and remember that they will pass. And give everyone as much down time as humanly possible!

FateFellShortThisTime · 04/10/2024 13:12

You're not alone.

We have 3 kids. One autistic, one being assessed next week who's probably AuDHD and a 19month old who is definitely autistic (the same signs as eldest had and more)

It's a sensory nightmare but there are good times. Best plan is to read yourself of all societal expectations and let your kids be themselves. You don't need to follow the "normal" way of doing things, do them the way that works for your family.

Katemax82 · 22/09/2025 10:02

I have 4 kids. 2 diagnosed autistic, one on the autism pathway and a baby, who is probably autistic but we won't know for years. It's hard. I'm currently lying in bed as my baby was up all night with a cough. I haven't even attempted to get my 7 year old son up for school as he didn't sleep either and I just don't have the strength to go through the struggle of getting him to school. I'm exhausted and overwhelmed

Fuelledbylatte · 22/09/2025 10:17

ND family here- DH, DD2 and DS all diagnosed with AuDHD, all need different things. It’s been a rollercoaster and I did start taking anti-depressants myself to cope with the very difficult times where I indeed felt like I was lost and drowning.
We have just recently hit a point where people are levelled. Needs are 90% met. It means I’ve had time to recover, sleep, take myself away to reset. I know they’ll likely be a new wave of challenges at some point but after 5 years of big emotions, multiple agencies and professionals, fighting schools, finding the right medication etc etc we are settled.

I echo what is said here by others. Drop all expectations of what things should look like. Do what works for your unit. Adapt, adjust, see them for who they are, not what you think it is your own experience in the world.

Celebrate the small wins. At one point for us, this was people being able to wash, eat , move. The burnout phases are ridiculously hard but we have now pretty much h understood what leads to them for ours and I’m always ready to step in and force rest/decompression before hand- even if it means changing plans/ appearing flakey to others/ letting loved ones down etc.

Find something for you. For me, my pets are my emotional support- unwavering love and affection. The steam room at the gym. Coffee exactly how I like it. These small things make the tough times bearable. And things do move- just at a slow speed. Best of luck OP!

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