Aspergers tendencies

[rummum]

this is an update from and earlier thread I posted about daughter........

The Educational phsycologist saw daughter yesterday and wasn't too worried about her dyspraxic tendencies but suggests that Daughter has Aspergers tendencies...
she doesn't show emotion, and doesn't know how to deal with it
she can't read people's moods...
can be quite blunt with people
doesn't get jokes, sarcasm, idioms
sensitive to noise...she daydreams (shuts off) in class as she can't cope...
there was more but I forget now...
The EP did lots of tests on daugher and said that daughter is worrying about friends.. and that deep down she was unhappy but has really good coping stratagies....

OK... I feel really numb about this at the moment, and would like some advice about how I can support daughter...

Daughter did actually make us laugh when she said that an arceologist came it to look at her brain

forgot to say on your other thread....I did laugh about the arceologist......so funny!!!

You will get some support off some one soon

xxx

Look at the "My ds became very upset last night" thread.
From what you've said here it does sound like AS. What happens next as far as EP is concerned?

Hi

How old is your daughter?

I have a 5 year old with Aspergers.

The best thing to do ime at this stage is give yourself lots of time as it takes a lot to adjust to the news.

The best people to contact are the NAS, National Autistic Society. They can send you loads of pamphlets full of info, and put you in touch with local support groups too if that will help.

Do you have any specific questions?

Thanks for getting back to me...
Daughter is 9 and in year 5.. I think at the moment I am feeling a bit shocked and upset... I have been pushing for help for ages, and suddenly it comes all at once...
the pediatrition...
OT
Ed phyc
orthotist
and a behavioural specialist..
and I'm sort of... whoa.... hang on... slow down.. I find the seeing these people really stressfull and I'm glad when my husband comes with us...
My biggest worry was that they would say Rummum there is nothing wrong with your daughter.. she's a bit dappy (bless her) and that they would think I had Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy!!....

The Ed phyc did these test things on daughter and said that underneath she was unhappy.. and worried about friends... she is imature for her age, and I worry that she is being left behind..(it doesn't help that she is one of the youngest in her year) her friends seem to be growing up fast, and daughter can't keep up with them emotionally...
How do I explain to her that she thinks differently

I'm sure there will be a lot more questions, when I have got my head round this........

any advice welcome...

Hi rummum

No real advice as paed has only just told us that the thinks ds may has AS. I can recommend a couple of books though.

Tony Attwood 'Asperger's Syndrome: A guide for parents and Professionals'

Luke Jackson 'Freaks, Geeks and Asperger's Syndrome'

Ken Hall 'Asperger's Syndrome, the Universe and everything'

The last 2 books are written by children with AS. I thing Luke jackson was 13 when he wrote his and Ken Hall was 10.

I found all three really useful and informative as well as being easy to read.

Does anyone else have a child who has Asperger's Syndrome, which you think may have been directly connected to a difficult / prolonged birth? MY DS is 7 now and the evidence is building that he has AS, though we are still waiting on a final diagnosis. I can't help thinking back to how my request for an elective caesarian (on grounds of my age - 45 then - also as he was a first child) was refused by the consultant, and in the end I had to endure 4 (yes FOUR!) days of labour, which nearly turned into an emergency C-section anyway. He was a ventouse delivery and had a couple of days in ICU for breathing difficulties. I'm often wondering if some damage was done to him then while he was still in utero. Would be very grateful to hear back from any one else who might find that this rings a bell too.....thanks.

Phoebus - the evidence on the causes of ASD are very speculative. I had a really easy pregnancy and birth. Labour only a couple of hours and nothing difficult happended at all, but DD has Aspergers

Many thanks Daireen - this is helpful and gives me a perspective here.

Hi daireen. Easy birth with my DS, (HF ASD) but family history of quirkiness/eccentricity. There is research on whether older fathers may be a factor. I think the consensus is a mix of genetic and unknown environmental factors, of which a difficult birth could easily be one.

Oops, I meant Phoebus!

I have three with AS. With DS2, I slept through labour, no drugs,was just tired, I was woken at 6 am. He was born at 6.15. I was home at 2 pm! Easy peasy!
The twins were emergency csection at 33 weeks.
So, very very different births.
However, their father has AS, as do both grandfathers, as did both great grandfathers.

Back to the original post.
The Ed psych should make sure of some support at school for your dd. I would recommend the same books as above and perhaps there is a local group you can attend. They will be able to help with coping strategies for you both.

My DS has aspergers and it was a textbook delivery 10 hours labour start to finish and 1 hour of pushing.

Anyway, OP, I remember being in your position and it is a worry. Do you have appointments arranged with all of those people? It can be really overwhelming. I second Tony Attwood's book.

The OP was 6 years ago!

bloody hell ellen, so it is!

Thanks to all who have responded to my original post here - sorry it's taken me so long to retrace my post, I'm still finding my way around the system! All yr comments very helpful and making me think...maybe genetics has more to do wth it than difficult birth as, yes, DS's Dad is also a bit of an oddball...!