I'm doing a session on ASD for some trainee social workers......

[jimjamshaslefttheyurt]

Unpaid, so I hope no-one minds me posting here.

I want to try and share real families experiences of ASD and I wondered whether anyone would be willing to contribute something (anonymously - I'll either make some names up or feel free to make up your own).

I'm interested in stories where SW have got it dreadfully wrong (I've found trainees are often interested in these).
But also (and this is the main thing). I have a list of features that may or may not be ASD characteristics from a paper that SWs were asked about wrt ASD - and I want to give them real life examples of some of these. I have plenty of my own but I think it would be more interesting to give examples for different children/adults and from across the spectrum. If anyone has anything they could share I would be really grateful if you could do a quick summary on here. It would also be helpful if you could indicate whether your child has low functioning ASD( hate that term - but will use it here), HFA or AS.

So the features are (From a Preece aand Jordan paper of 2007 in the British Journal of social work)

1. Wants environment the same (an eg of this would be when ds1 wouldn't let us turn the lights off, or freaks when he gets home and my car has moved)
2. Avoids change in daily routine
3. Has obsessions
4. Doesn't understand the feelings of others

5.Overreacts to noise 6.Does not seek the company of others 7.Does not make eye contact

1. Seems distant
2. Engages in stereotypical behaviour

10.Has problems in his/her eating routine 11. Has temper tantrums 12. Has sleeping problems 13. Does not seek physical contact with others 14. Does not get attached to a person 15. Makes slumsy movments 16. Does not have self-care skills 17. Does not play with objects 18. Does not develop speech 19. Presents problems in his her physical appearance and health 20. Has hearing problems 21. Does not have feelings 22. Has hallucinations

Many thanks. These stories will only be used for the one teaching session, not for research and will not be published.

Peachy good points! We had no access to anything whilst ds was at ms (till 7.5) and frankly it was bad for all! Ds is in the class with the least able kids of his sn school now!(feeling a bit blue today after parents night discussing harm ms did).

Magso . We ahd parents evening this week too; first time ever the new teacher (who has taught my older 2 as well) admitted that DS3 was not only clearly ASD, he was unlikely to be independent and if he ever just ups the ante and starts wailing / hitting etc he'll be in a unit, sharpish; behaviour we increasingly get at home but hopefully won't at school for a while yet.

Oh - one I suggest to any trainee who crosses my path - ask to see completed DLA forms, and read them. The parents have already gone through the job of documenting exactly how profoundly affected the child is, how much extra care they need and how it impacts on the family. OK, the SW assessment will have to go through all that again but it gives you a vivid picture of the grind of "daily life" which the SS forms can't give as they are far too high-level.

(NB - I assume DLA form is a private document and they'd have to stress there is no compulsion to show it and that refusing to share it won't stand against you - but in practice I think most parents would be fine to share it.)