Help..8yr old ds troubles..really think it's a mild for of autistic behaviour or similar?

[mrshectic]

My first ds, 8 will be 9 in November (also have ds of 7 and dd of 2), and he has over the last couple of years become almost uncontrollable at times.
Now, it has been a difficult time of late...but even with that in mind the more I've thought about it, there's so many traits he's had since a baby. He's always (from a toddler and younger! ) had an obsession with balls (the sporting type!)...at 1 and a half he would watch an entire golf open and before he was 2 was playing golf at the local golf club. I'm not complaining. ...he's an incredibly talented boy. But to the point where it's all he did. He was never very good at social interacting. ..he just wanted to play sport...of any kind. Darts, snooker, golf ,cricket, and so on. He has always been the sort of child that, as soon as he opened his eyes he'd leap across the room before he could even get his balance...and he is constantly on the go. I do mean CONSTANTLY!
His diet over the last few years has become awful...hates so many things, and he would literally starve himself than eat it. He hates load bangs/fireworks etc. Doesn't like not knowing what we're doing or where we're going....he just has to know! He gets sooooo hyper at any time..and just doesn't know how to stop and calm down.
He hardly sleeps, never sits still. And it's so draining. I cannot cope. I've been pushing for tests at the doctors for the last yr and half. He can become quite violent in bursts...but I can see that he really doesnt mean or want to, he just gets so angry and frustrated he doesn't know how to deal with it. And I have tried so many methods.
I'm a single mum, marriage broke down bout a year ago. So with 3 it's hard...but with my ds...it's near impossible! If I take him out of the equation (ie he's at a friends house...which is extremely rare!) And I feel awful for saying it, but it's a doddle in comparison.
Any views or advice grately appreciated...

[mrshectic]

Oh...and then earlier this year...back in March, he had a fit totally out of the blue. It was a seizure, did all the tests and spoke to a specialist, but their was no reason for it. No temperature, nothing. Haven't had one since (touch wood)...but it scared the life outta me! It lasted at least 15 mins the paramedics and I calculated...it had woken me as he had come into my bed that morning (not unusual) and I don't know how long he had been having the seizure before it woke me. Though I'd like to think seconds as apposed to minutes!

[mrshectic]

No not on medication. ..didn't seem to be any reason for it. Just to keep an eye on him and if it does happen again then they will rethink. Extremely scary...I cannot even begin to put into words.
It only really occurred to me when a neighbour about 6 months ago, I was chatting to happened to mention it. He had explained that it was just that with a few of the things I had mentioned about my ds in recent months, that it almost sounded like he could be (on a milder end of the scale)..he had worked with autistic children before.
Now a friend of mine has an autistic son, but on the other end of the scale...it had just never occurred to me. But after he had mentioned it could be worth looking into, I'd looked up some things on it and I am almost convinced I'm missing something with him. Be it autism or something else. And my concerns are that I'm not being able to help him because I'm treating his behaviour without the knowledge of understanding. .do u see what I mean? Apologies I'm very tired!

And yes....obviously with one less in any situation it's easier. ..but even if I swopped just him for say an extra 2 of my other ds friends, then it's a doddle still. Which is an awful way to feel about ur own. But sometimes I just dread him being with me in certain situations because u k m ow how difficult he can be...and usually is. ??

[mrshectic]

[BiscuitMillionaire]

What's he like at school?