Autistic 3 year old

[ThatHazelBiscuit]

I'm so overwhelmed with the constant crying, meltdowns, hitting me, biting me and herself. I can't take her anywhere new as she will scream for hours. It's the summer holidays and the only place I can take the kids is the park. Had a holiday at the start of the summer and that was disastrous to everything we do everything normal kids will love she absolutely hates. I have two other children and they are missing out on normal childhood things because she just won't do them. I gave up work to look after her she goes nursery term time only for 6 hours. My partner works six days a week. I have no idea what I'm doing and anything I try is just never good enough. She's non verbal to and has limited understanding and I'm just finding this all so hard especially not having the little break I usually do in the week. anyone had a autistic three year old like this? Does it get easier? I don't think I can carry on like this forever.

We lived this for the first 3.5 years. Then we went to an Occupational Therapist who was trained in Sensory Integration. It was LIFE CHANGING. My son is now 6, had a birthday party at a busy party place today with 5 of his friends with no major difficulty. We still have to plan everything well, mamage his sensory preferences, but life is so much better for him and us.

Did you pay privately or was it NHS? I really hope it does get better for her. It's heartbreaking seeing her get in such a state everyday.

Im in Ireland so no NHS. Paid privately as its not something HSE OTs do routinely here. I really do understand how you feel, every single day was full of distress for us too...he couldnt tolerate anything outside a very very specific routine. We did find a buggy with the sunshade right down so he was encased in his own world, with an ipad preloaded with cartoons we knew he liked helped if we needed to take him somewhere new. Mostly one of us would take the other kids on days out thpugh, the other stay home with him. The sensory integration OT is definitely worth a try though, I cant overstate what a change it has made for my son and our family. Hopefully it might help you too.

Hi, I realise this is an old post but I wondered how your daughter is now? I hope things got easier for you both.

Hi her behaviours have decreased dramatically and she has meltdowns much less now she will be four this month. Going places is hard work and she tends to scream if we haven't been there before. Her communication hasn't improved but she is finally about to start speech therapy after being on the waiting list over a year. She is on the waiting list to see a OT. Not going to lie some days are bad and I feel trapped and cry about how hard life is for her and us but if there is something my other children would like to do that she won't her nan will look after her and we go without her. I had social services investigation due to her injuring herself and I took her to the doctor's the doctor was sure a child couldn't possible bang her own head so hard but after talking to her nursery and realising that actually she has behaved the exact same way there I was saying she does the case was dropped. It has left me in a panic now every time she bangs her head or scratches her face and puts alot more stress on a already stressful situation. But it is getting easier every day.

Oh gosh this sounds so tough. I hope this get better for you all. It's shocking how long the waiting times are for essential therapies like SaLT and OT.