Hi,
I suspect my 10 year old daughter has Asperger's, albeit high-functioning. Many signs have been there over the years, and I even remember the arm-flapping/stimming at 2-3 years old that I've since seen mentioned. It's really come to a head the last 12 months, as I feel the gap between neurotypical peers and her is becoming larger. I'm concerned for high school and the teen years and beyond.
Friends her age have excellent conversational skills, she has none. She is needing more and more time alone in her room. She is slowly but surely abandoning extracurricular activities, and where she was once in the top half of her class, (probably sitting at just above average), she has now fallen to the bottom, although she is still meeting the expected standard. Getting her to do any work at home is an uphill battle, and she would happily spend her whole life tapping on the iPad if we allowed it. I can see that she is disengaging from life outside of school. When age 16/18/21 comes I can see things falling apart for her. She does have a group of friends and she does continue to be invited to parties. However, general playdates are very few and far between. When I have hosted playdates here, I don't feel she gives much back in terms of connection/friendship.
The other day her friend was on face time and said she was going to go, but instead of saying 'no problem, see you Monday, bye' , she just switched the ipad off and I had to explain that its appropriate to share a nicety, and at least say goodbye. I'm been trying to coach her like this for years but she doesn't retain any of it and makes no progress. I hate that it comes across to family members, and other parents that she is rude. I find the bluntness, lack of communication and lack of niceties within the family home hard to deal with myself.
Where do I start? What help is out there? What is the most active Asperger's forum in the UK? She is selectively mute (not at school, so they don't think there is a problem). Is there any kind of coaching or therapy I can get for her to help her communicate? To help her learn conversational skills?
I just really need all the help I can get, so any advice from mums who are past this first initial stage of realisation. I've had my 'aha!' moment and now need so much help!
Thank you :)
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Parenting
Suspect aspergers in 10 year old daughter (and now myself!) - need all the advice I can get
aspies · 07/01/2023 12:07
ToddleToddleToddle · 07/01/2023 12:27
I was diagnosed at 19. I first went through my GP would referred me to the department. They then invited me for assessment which concluded with a diagnoses. They then came up with a plan for what assistance I needed based on my situation (ie an adult needs different lessons than a child).
I don't know if they're still active, butback in the day Wrong Planet was the forum to use.
Good luck!
JustKeepBuilding · 07/01/2023 12:34
Asperger Syndrome is no longer diagnosed. It is now all encompassed under ASD.
In some areas you can self refer, if you can’t in your area ask the GP or school.
SALT will help. Again in some areas you can self refer, if not the GP will be able to. OT as well.
Have you spoken to the school’s SENCO?
urrrgh46 · 07/01/2023 16:36
Also, therapy - you can NOT make someone less autistic. Most autistic people and the wider community around them would consider that abuse.
JustKeepBuilding · 07/01/2023 16:43
OP, I think you need to speak to the SENCO. It’s not unusual for schools not to see problems, especially if DC are good at masking, but if they look carefully there will be signs.
urrrgh46 if DC didn’t cope at school you could have applied for an EHCP and pursued EOTAS which would open the doors to much more support e.g. SALT, OT, MH therapies, care farms, 1:1 tutoring, mindjam, money and equipment…
Therapies don’t have to be about making DC less autistic, they can be targeted at helping DC cope. DS3 has SALT, OT, ELSA, clinical psychologist sessions and physio as part of his EHCP. None of that is about making him less autistic.
YewNearsEve · 08/01/2023 09:42
Just sympathies OP. My close relative is going through exactly this.
JustKeepBuilding · 08/01/2023 10:13
urrrgh46 I appreciate your view but it didn’t/doesn’t have to be one or the other, DC can get an education and parents can fight for provision.
In case anyone else is reading EOTAS doesn’t need to be anything like school and if appropriate can be completely informal &/or child led. A good EHCP can fund far more than DLA can. DS1 has a package worth well over £100k, there’s no way we could afford that.
whinetime89 In the UK the ICD-11 is used and levels often aren’t used/given to parents. Where levels are used it is level 3 is the “most” support required and isn’t what would have been classified as Asperger Syndrome and level 1 the “lowest”.
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