Reassurance needed on my autistic 6YO

[Hydrangea08]

My LO (male, 6yo) is diagnosed autistic, verbal but massive communication struggles and possible learning difficulty. The purpose of my post is needing reassurance basically😞 he goes through periods of such difficult moods he acts out in the form of hitting, spitting and " misbehaving ". These moods make me feel in a constant state of dread for when they will next occur and when they will pass. I love him deeply but everything feels so heavy right now. I worry constantly about his future and feel like I will never come to terms with this being my parenting journey. Then comes the guilt that I feel this way. Please can someone with first hand experience tell me this gets easier. I have support available and a wonderful husband and a 1yo girl. I have reasons to be happy but am just struggling to find joy in life.

Your feelings are understandable. Sounds like you are feeling overwhelmed.
The way that he is now isn’t necessarily how things will be moving forward. Early intervention and the right strategies and approach can make a huge impact.

Does he have an EHCP? Mainstream school? Which professionals are involved? Don’t be afraid to ask the SENCO for a meeting to discuss your concerns.
When you say “communication struggles” this might be a huge factor. If he’s struggling with communicating he will be frustrated.
Has his speech therapist suggested any visuals or communication devices to support. Even if he’s verbal, language isn’t always functional and once upset he might struggle to make his needs known.

Has he been assessed by an OT specialising in sensory needs? Sensory needs will also impact on behaviour.

Have you been offered any post diagnostic support or invited to attend EarlyBird plus or similar? I know it might be difficult as you have a baby.

If you can try and identify any triggers for his behaviour that’s a good starting point. You can always come back and ask about specifics on here e.g. bedtime, meals, dressing etc.
Some of it could even be in response to the baby, sibling response.
A good tip is don’t try to tackle everything at once. If you can identify which behaviour is causing the most concern I’d tackle that first.
If you can start to unpick things you will hopefully spot the signs of him becoming anxious or dysregulated and be able to put in some strategies or use distraction techniques.

Look at the LA local offer for SEN and see what help, support and services are available in your area.
Things can get better.