I’d be really interested in hearing from anyone whose child sounds similar to mine. My son is nearly 6, and has a diagnosis of autism and ADHD.
Can read fluently (I don’t mean working his way through Harry Potter just yet but he can read really well for his age)
Can add and subtract and because of his ability to memorise stuff he knows his times table and can count in number bonds (count in 20s, count in 40s etc)
Is fully toilet trained day and night
Very loving and affectionate towards his family.
Imaginative play slowly developing. Most of it is copied from things he’s seen on tv, but he’s no longer just lining things up.
Although he is often absorbed in solitary activities such as Lego or recently collecting leaves, he also really enjoys the company of other children and loves things like games of tag. Wouldn’t say he has any really strong friendships but I know he is well liked by his peers who all go out of their way to greet him each morning and talk to him.
Ability to follow instructions and be told “no” without a meltdown is so much better than it was. That being said he likes routine and it can throw him when something is different and he can become disregulated, more so in school than at home.
MASSIVE social communication and interaction difficulties. Doesn’t understand when someone doesn’t want to talk to him and will follow someone talking “at” them.
Thinks people he’s just met are his best friends and (chills me saying this) would literally walk off with anyone.
Extremely socially vulnerable and would not understand he was being laughed at or exploited.
He has an EHCP and is in a mainstream primary with a 1:1. He is only allowed by the school to attend for 3 hours a day because they view him as a nuisance basically. I am aware this is unlawful and after much fighting he now gets a whopping 2 hours of alternative provision a week. So just 17 hours short of the education every other child is legally entitled to benefit from 😑
school have said they can’t meet need, and I lost all trust and faith in them a long time ago. Local authority have agreed to fund a specialist placement and one is being sought currently.
my two burning questions for anyone with a child similar sounding to mine are -
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if your child attended a specialist school and only socialised with other children with a social communication disorder, did this have an adverse affect on their ability to communicate as they grew older?
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did your child grow up to be an independent, happy adult? This is all I want for DS. Sometimes it feels impossible to imagine him with his own family, living independently and doing so safely, and it kills me.
That was a long post! Thankyou if you read it x