Hi everyone. My daughter is 7 years old, bright and articulate but she’s challenging. I’m not sure how to write it all out and I’ve gone over it again and again in my head so I’m just going to bullettpoint the issues. Here goes
- difficult to get to sleep. Can’t settle alone and take take up to 90min on a bad night. Without fail she wakes in the night and comes into our bed. I know I should take her back to her own bed but I’m a full time nurse and I can’t afford to be a zombie the following day at work as I’d be unsafe.
- she jumps around all over the place. She can’t sit still for any length of time. She so hyperactive it’s unbelievable. Even my brother who has 3 children with autism to varying degrees can’t keep up with her. She’s a no-limit soldier, just keeps going on and on
- she’s incredibly feisty! She’s hit me, scratched me and thumped and slammed doors. She punched my DH in the nuts because he’d not given her the answer she was looking for.
- she won’t wear socks/tights. She says she can feel them and doesn’t like them. She’s incredibly sensory and if she notices anything about what she’s wearing she’ll take it off and start again.
- I have to give notice about everything. For example if I want her out the bath I have to count down the minutes and say 10 min left or 5 min left etc. She shouts and screams if I don’t prepare her.
- she lies. I can literally watch her do something but she’ll swear blind it isn’t her until I directly challenge. She is getting better on this though
- leave the house without notice. If I say “right we’re off to costa!” She won’t go but if I say “right we’re off to costa in an hour” she’ll digest it and be ok when it’s time to leave.
She’s very untidy - won’t clean up and constantly says she can’t do it despite it being her that makes the mess. She’s also got really low self esteem and will call herself stupid or dumb which she isn’t she’s very bright but disorganised.
I’ll be contacting GP to discuss again as I’ve already raised it once and was brushed off. I’ve also spoken to the school who thinks he’s an angel of course. She changed schools a few months ago and has struggled to make friends even though she was fine at her old school.
Any suggestions would be helpful. Thank you