can i ask a deeply personal question?

[misscutandstick]

I always consider myself to be extremely lucky - i have 5 sons, all beautiful people, healthy and perfect.

However, DS1 has ADHD, DS2 is dyslexic, DS5 is a 'little bit' autistic (no diagnosis as yet, and trying to keep optomistic). They can all be a bit of a handful of course, children are....

But, i was wondering - in larger families, is SN usually so.. abundant? Put simply - how many of your DC's also have additional needs? Is it just the one? or is it a bit like buses (when 3 come along all at once)?

Thanks in advance for your replies - i know its a difficult subject.

i have 3 dc and one dss

ds1 is dyspraxic, ds2 has speech problems but improving.

I have 4 dds to have them have had speech delay but very mildly so I'd say they have no permanent SN (well that I know of yet)

well I have five siblings and we're all dyslexic, but I'd hardly qualify that as SN. It is hereditary though so is hardly surprising.

Mine are all fine, and so far, high achievers at school.

My youngest has health problems (asthma).

I figured that the more children you have, the more likely that one of them will have some kind of problem. I don't think any of us would want to 'send them back' though.

Mine are all fine, and so far, high achievers at school.

My youngest has health problems (asthma).

I figured that the more children you have, the more likely that one of them will have some kind of problem. I don't think any of us would want to 'send them back' though.

I have 3 dd's, and another on the way and so far they have no special needs (although its too soon to tell with dd3) but we do have a long sighted child and one with asthma and eczma , i agree that the more children you have the more likely one of them will have some need eg physically like asthma.

I have 4 dc's ( ages from nearly 2 years to nearly 17 years) and none have any SN that we are aware of.

I have 3 - is that enough for this thread?
They are all lovely but one is officially G& T.

Five. The first is very slightly dyslexic but got AAB at A level and is clever and just finishing law school so not really here. But I agree with whoever said above the more you have the more likely one will have something simply because of sheer numbers. Also things are inherited so if you're likely to produce one child with X if you have 5 children then 5 may have x too I suppose.

Four dc here. No SN but all four have asthma and 3/4 get migraines.

I have five and one son is dyspraxic. None of the others have special needs (well, so far anyway).

I also have four siblings and none of us have special needs.

I have a friend though, with four kids. The older 3 are autistic - all varying degrees, and she doesn't know if the youngest who is nearly two is autistic or merely copying her siblings behaviour. Only time will tell I guess.

All families are different, but I think if your older child has special needs, you are more aware of what to look for in the next child.

3boys.oldest 2fine, but youngest has asthma, eczema and allegies.

I would say that if you have ASDs in the family then it is quite likely that your children will inherit the predisposition to various disorders on the autistic spectrum (I speak as the sister of someone with ADHD, daughter of someone with undiagnosed Aspergers and the mother of a child with Aspergers and Dyspraxia). If you have several boys then the likelihood is greater.
Your family sounds lovely though.

2 of my 4 are Dyspraxic.

many thanks for all your replies.

i suppose i keep falling into the "what did i do wrong?" guilt/feelings. and of course the logical part of my brain says im being silly, but guilt goes with the territory of being a mother doesnt it???

On the flip side of that... my father is ADHD (unDX), my MIL is also ADHD and dyspraxic (unDX), my brother is dyslexic, and my grandmother was (unDX) Aspergers... So, i suppose my children are lucky that things are not worse!

Riven: been following your posts for a couple of weeks, {{{HUGS}}}.