Hiya

Hi Susie

I guess the best way to describe high functioning autism is that its similar to aspergers but with delayed speech development. I don't think I actually started talking until I was about 4 or 5.

The first few years of school were ok until one day I turned into a selective mute due to social anxiety, only talking to my immediate family at home. It was like this all throughout school and even college. Because of this I used to get bullied quite a bit, but I still managed to make friends. It's actually only recently that I've started talking to people outside my immediate family all thanks to years of speech therapy and my amazing friends and family who have supported me.

Hi Jake. My little boy Jack is 4 (he will be 5 in September). He was diagnosed with Autism when he was 3. He's a very lovable little boy and is trying so hard at everything. He doesn't talk a great deal but is getting better - though he can sing beautifully - and it's usually a song he's heard on the radio or his older brother's CDs. 

Jack goes to mainstream nursery and has 1 to 1 care. He'll be going to mainstream primary school in September, again with 1 to 1 care.

I'm a bit confused about 'high functioning autsim' though. What did/does it mean to you? How did you cope with school? Hope you don't mind me asking. Take care, Sue.