re: Autism Chat

<blockquote><b>Quoting Mommy to Milo&Ava:</b>" mainly only distraction   redirection sometimes makes it worse because he then wants to purposely do what i'm telling him not to  "</blockquote>




Oh yeah, definitely....what I meant was redirection WITH. Distraction. Lol

hey mama's..
i need some advice, I recently found out im pregnant, and im wonder how i should try and get my son prepared for the new baby?

Quoting supermommy☠:" hey mama's.. i need some advice, I recently found out im pregnant, and im wonder how i should try and get my son prepared for the new baby?"

most people say to include them in the preparation. and probably make sure to mention the baby every day, so teh child is constantly reminded of the new change that is about to come.
and congrats!  

Quoting Mommy to Milo&Ava:" most people say to include them in the preparation. and probably make sure to mention the baby every ... [snip!] ... to mention the baby every day, so teh child is constantly reminded of the new change that is about to come. and congrats!  "

thanks! im excited and nervous...i know its going to be tough, my son is extremely hyper active and he requires 100% of my attention...hopefully itll all fall into place though

Quoting supermommy☠:" thanks! im excited and nervous...i know its going to be tough, my son is extremely hyper active and he requires 100% of my attention...hopefully itll all fall into place though"

i felt the same way, and he was only 18 months when she was born, lol. i think it's normal to be nervous just for the fact that you're going from one to two, thats a huge difference! i wont lie, its still tough to find the time for both of them even now that they're both older. but it will fall into place after you get a routine down for the new baby and you find ways that works for you to incorporate it with your previous routine.

Hi ladies
my almost 5yo son has been diagnosed with Aspergers and i am having a little trouble... it's not that i am having trouble accepting it, we have known something was up for a long time, but lately he has just seemed like a different child... in the last month he has even been playign with my neighbors children, though usually not appropriately, he has shown a lot of interest in them... is this common? he had a lot of trouble at school last year and shut down every single day he went but seems to really enjoy older children... he has also been stimming a lot less in the last month, barely any hand flapping, hasnt been licking/mouthing stuff as much and less meltdowns... could they have the wrong diagnosis or is this something that can happen with children on the spectrum? I cant help thinking that he will start therapy and the therapist will say they have the wrong diagnosis... it's silly i know, i am just incredibly confused right now

i feel like im going to have a breakdown...i know some days are better than others but later EVERYTHING has been a struggle with my son...eating, getting in the car seat, getting clothes on, keeping clothes on, bath time, bed time..EVERYTHING! he is so temperamental lately and so hyperactive...with me being 6 weeks preg always sick and exhausted...i just dont know how to deal with this 

Well I never ever thought I'd be posting in here.

Cora had a psych eval last week, and the doc thought she might have an Autism Spectrum Disorder

He didn't get specific, and he didn't diagnose her with anything. We have to go to a center to get evaluated further and it'll take about 4-6 months before she'll be seen there

Sleep is a huge issue for her. She fights bedtime every night, but only lately has it gotten out of hand. Kicking, screaming, crying, begging, faking sick, complaining of being hungry (which she really isn't). Until she just passes out

She still gets up 2-4 times a night, but getting up 6 times isn't unheard of.

She gets a total of maybe 7-8 hours of sleep a night. I know that cannot be enough.

A friend suggested Melatonin.

I won't give her anything without a doctors approval.

But would it be worth going to her doctor before going to the center? Or should I just hold out and deal until then?

Sorry for such a long post. If you read it, I could really use the help

Quoting Kelly&Coralie:" Well I never ever thought I'd be posting in here. Cora had a psych eval last week, and the doc thought ... [snip!] ... Or should I just hold out and deal until then? Sorry for such a long post. If you read it, I could really use the help"

For about 2 years my son slept on average 4-7 hours a night of broken sleep. I tried consistently for a year to put him to bed at 6:45 (because any time after that and it was a guarantee of 4 hours of broken sleep) and stayed by his bed w/out making eye contact (which isn't hard for him,lol) and got to the point that he would only cry going into his room but was content once there. He still slept fitfully (like your daughter) and I tried melatonin, however because he usually slept for the initial 4 hours (at this point) the melatonin didn't work for the fact that he was up several times after the melatonin wore off and then he'd be up for good by 2 or 4 a.m. All of a sudden after 2 years of being consistent with t.v. off an hour before bed, bed by 6:45, the right sensory diet , he started sleeping 12 hours straight. After sleeping 12 hours straight for 4 months he is now waking again (usually only once or twice) in the middle of the night-I go to his room and say "shhhh, sleep time" and he eventually falls asleep. So my point is that it is really hard to determine the issue unless she can talk to you. If you think it is behavioral then you just have to pick one sleep method and be consitent with it for several months-whereas most typical kids will need that same routine and consistency for only a month or so. Sorry not a huge help, but know that you are so not alone.

Quoting mama3trish:" For about 2 years my son slept on average 4-7 hours a night of broken sleep. I tried consistently for ... [snip!] ... will need that same routine and consistency for only a month or so. Sorry not a huge help, but know that you are so not alone."

She has an extremely consistent bedtime routine, pretty much down to the minute.


She is IN her bed at 8. And she will lay there for 2-3 hours. Not crying, not fussing, not talking, nothing. Just laying there

Then when she finally does go to sleep, she never sleeps more than 2 hours straight before getting up.

She is extremely verbal. The doc said her vocab and comphrension is off the chart for her age. She just doesn't sleep

Quoting Kelly&Coralie:" She has an extremely consistent bedtime routine, pretty much down to the minute. She is IN her ... [snip!] ... up. She is extremely verbal. The doc said her vocab and comphrension is off the chart for her age. She just doesn't sleep"

So she would have Aspergers if anything, if I may be so bold. Does she get O.T.? Maybe she just needs a complete sensory diet. Have you tried the weighted blankets? What does she complain about when she wakes up?

Quoting mama3trish:" So she would have Aspergers if anything, if I may be so bold. Does she get O.T.? Maybe she just needs ... [snip!] ... she just needs a complete sensory diet. Have you tried the weighted blankets? What does she complain about when she wakes up?"

she doesn't qualify for services through the school district cause she scored so high during the testing. This is why we have to go to the developmental center to get an official diagnosis so she can get help

When she wakes up, it's to pee (which I don't mind), get something to drink (which only bothers me slightly cause it means I have to get up lol), or because she is "all done sleeping"

I swear she can go on 4 hours of sleep a day.

I've never tried weighted blankets.

Quoting Kelly&Coralie:" she doesn't qualify for services through the school district cause she scored so high during the ... [snip!] ... or because she is "all done sleeping" I swear she can go on 4 hours of sleep a day. I've never tried weighted blankets."

That bothers me-and I hope I don't offend my friends in this forum....BUT it isn't fair that a kid has to have a severe 'case' of anything to get help. Smurf my son is pretty severe and we still have to wait almost 2 years before he gets specified therapy. Anyways back on subject,lol
So I suspect you do the obvious like eliminate drinks an hour before bed? I would personally leave a glass (water bottle) beside her bed in case she gets thirsty. And I assume she can't go potty on her own? Because if she could I would make it a really positive thing, like "You are such a big girl now, and you can go pee at night if you wake up" My reasoning is that maybe w/out your physical attentiveness she may be able to fall back asleep easier. It could be just a bad habit of waking several times-idk. However if she has SPD she most likely needs a sensory diet.
My friend made my son's weighted blanket, because the one we got to 'borrow' from Pathways had a gross texture for even me , and he hated it. The blanket didn't work for us, but many many kids like it.

Quoting mama3trish:" That bothers me-and I hope I don't offend my friends in this forum....BUT it isn't fair that a kid has ... [snip!] ... from Pathways had a gross texture for even me , and he hated it. The blanket didn't work for us, but many many kids like it."

She does go to the bathroom by herself. And she won't drink water. The only thing she'll drink is milk and I can't let a glass sit out all night. *shudder* nasty.


Another of our big challenges is that she still cosleeps. I have done everything to get her out of my bed but nothing works. She literally can sit there and cry for 5 hours without calming down or falling asleep.

I'm going to look more into the sensory diet. Do you have a link handy?

Quoting Kelly&Coralie:" She does go to the bathroom by herself. And she won't drink water. The only thing she'll drink is ... [snip!] ... for 5 hours without calming down or falling asleep. I'm going to look more into the sensory diet. Do you have a link handy?"

I know you weren't asking me, but this is what I have in my book marks:

http://sensorysmarts.com/sensory_diet_activities.html