ASD - regression in some areas while making progress in another?

[chocjunkie]

DD (3.8, s&l delay, probably asd but no dx yet) has a really difficult week: slightly going backwards with her s&l skills, more aggressive than usual, less compliant, much more anxious. not her usual self at all. she is not ill atm.

however, the last 3 days her nappies were dry in the morning. they used to be really (I mean really) wet in the morning until then. I think she might actually become dry at night.

so I basically wondered if the regression could be related to making progress in another area? does this kind of pattern sound familiar?

oh yes.

dd1 used to regress badly when she was 'working' on another skill. when she was little, it was really bad - she regressed (behaviourally) before just about every tiny bit of a milestone.

she still does, but now at 7 her regressions are not as severe, and not as long before the new skill kicks in.

thanks silver, that is (kind of) reassuring...

Big yes from me too. Mine always goes backwards and regresses and then all of a sudden can do something he couldn't do before or has grown. the weakest thing kind of goes so when he was your child's age his tantrums would be major for a week, then he would come out of it for a week, then be brilliant for a week then goe down hill for a week and then be heinious for a week. As he got older this evened out and the time between the ghastly bits got longer. Now he is a venerable teenager it's just us that notices slight changes so at the start of term he was more 'autistic' just more quirky - lots more bobbing and talking to himself whereas over the summer he had been making a concious effort not to bob. Now he's more settled I've noticed it's getting a bit better.

You'll notice this pattern throughout and it's quite normal but really scary sometimes. I've just going through a bit of a sleepless 'oh my god' stage again about him whereas I had been feeling really positive for months

Choc,

I have had the same week. DS (ASD) 3.9 is now more regularly dry through the night but have had a crap week with his opting out, attention,isolating himself etc..

Thanks silverfrog and flyingmum :)

I was just asking the same question last week.DS speech is coming on in leaps and bounds but his behaviour has regressed about 3 years.
However he slowing settleing down again so hopefully we will have him back to being nice again soon