Treating autism and learning disability - where do I start?

[magso]

My son is 8.5. He has moderate/severe learning disability, ADHD and autism - the latter is a recent diagnosis, though not a surprise. I followed the advice from books such as babytalk and those aimed at activities for sn children, but have not followed a personalised structured program. There have been recent threads on treatment and I wondering where to start. I will have to start small for time and financial reasons. Didn't want to butt into other threads!
To give you a snap shot of ds, -he is a lively cheerful boy, with short attention span, limited to about 8 mins sitting still, little awareness of danger/gravity, physically fairly able and strong. Ds wants constant social contact (but is totally egocentric), has some sensory issues (touching/licking/fiddling/squashing), and needs adult attention almost all the time. Ds is verbal,(1st centile for complex speech), so speaks like a preschooler. After years of waiting (cock up!) we have been offered some behavioural support (another wait) but no other support it seems (and Im still battling to get nhs nappies!). Ds has spent 2.5 terms at sn (ASD/MLD) school now, and is regaining skills lost whilst in ms.
Any ideas where to start, or which method may suit us best? Do you think floortime videos would be a good place to start?

8 mins sitting still is a really good attention span! You have lots of choice with that. I would say have a browse at various therapies. I've linked to quite a few sites over the last couple of days (have a look at our snowdrop friend as well- perhaps nab him whilst he's here on the snowdrop thread- I think his ideas look interesting and sound similar to Floortime).

I think if you have limited time/money it has to be something that you feel you can do. Floortime recently ran an online course (Floortime is aimed at any developmental challenge) which I thought was excellent. Easy to apply. Lots of video to view. That will run again and could be worth considering? There are videos you can buy as well, but I haven't seen many. Have a look at the Floortime repository

It depends what you want to achieve with anything you do. Which gaps are left from school?

Thankyou Fio and Jimjams.
Fio _ I cant! (size 6 look like bikini briefs ! and now they are a bit too tight even for skinny ds, so he removes!) I have bought some small adult ones via internet they are a huge and leak but not as badly as drynights! Have large washing machine and get little else done most days!
Jimjams, thankyou for the links in this and earlier threads- I have been busy recording the links over the last few days! How do you find out about workshops and courses? I kind of need a kick to get my head above water and on the conference/courses mailshots. I'm looking for something that will fit into what I instinctively do with ds. The intensive interaction sounds very similar in ethos to where we started but we have moved on. Ds can concentrate well when fully engaged, but needs constant interaction and a very high level of reinforcment! Most the time it is (a lot) less than 8 minutes!! He is getting able to play on his own at last - hence being able to post at this time of day! (He is making snakes and monsters from magnetics and singing battle music on the mat next to me!) We have come a long way!

I think I spent a lot of time googling and finding out from people like Davros - I've been at this for 7 years though. I think remembering it's a marathon not a sprint it always good advice. If I come across something I like on google I tend to get the info then sit on it a while and revisit it agin a few days/week later. If I still think it looks good I look into it further. I've found out about quite a few things and then decided not to persue because I haven't thought they were right for ds1.

Fio - thanks its Tena plus pants I have bought and yes they are quite expensive especially as we sometimes need 3 a night!
Jimjams thanks!

My ds has had free nappies since he was 4yrs old. He is entitled to four nappies per 24hr period. The type he uses are as follows:

www.synergyonlinestore.com/disposable_underwear/BN055.html

They are very good and do not leak (on my ds at least).

Thanks for your advice Jimjams - (sorry abrupt last night duty called!!). As ds is not particularly cooperative with formal learning styles whatever we do will have to be fun/play based. Ds movement and balance has really come on recently I don't know which thing (we do lots!)helped or if it was just his time to develop those skills! He has cracked riding on 2 wheels although not quite the steering and spatial issues to go with it! The biggest breakthrough is drawing - he has suddenly got it - after literally years of guiding his hand, sharing colouring in - suddenly he understands visually, has the basic fine motor to control a crayon and can join in! And perhaps next will be writting??
Thanks Manny, that is useful and they supply small packs - to try out sizes etc.