Hi all we are in process of having our little boy assesed

aww wow wish my kids would take a likeing to the hoover lol. I hear so many things  with autism and how special it makes children and all these unique and wonderful talents the get along with it, i am really trying to see positive in it but at this moment i am struggling i think with the way it changed my little boy has all been negative so far it took his speech he no longer communicates or anything he in his own bubble now it seems all the skills he lernt have some how been erased. But i am trying to keep positive we started sign language im learning now i cant bring him in to my world so i try join him in his lol i have a long road ahead and i hope and prey that as he gets older with lot help my boy will once again speak to me. Now that will be amazing  

Hi Lulu

We knew our little boy was different right from when he was 1 year old.  He walked at 9 months without going through the crawling stage, has walked on his tiptoes, funnily enough his first word was "light", which was rather strange!  He then one day found the Argos catalogue and developed a fixation with hoovers and this remained until one day some two years later he began fixating with Dr Who.  I could get him to do anything by promising that he could help me hoover, and thought it great - he did not want sweets or the usual parental bribes.  Then when it came to Dr Who and the Daleks this has proven somewhat more expensive I must admit.  The process of diagnosis is indeed totally frustrating and when I am through it I will let you know my thoughts.  I come from a nursing background so medically am aware but it is the system of diagnosis that seems so complicated - seems like people are reluctant to write this diagnosis down despite them referring to him as high functioning ASD all of the time and putting in the support measures he needs.  I found my sons difficulties did not become real issues until he went to primary school where they asked him to sit down and sit still.  When he was at Nursery doing free play they all just thought he was an advanced little boy (who could escape through a locked door by building up toys and pushing open the emergency bar) or who used to tell them his epidermis hurt if he injured himself at nursery and that when he felt happy he said he would combust!   Keep your chin up.  All of our experiences are very similar in terms of the process and the pains we must go through, but one thing that unites us all is that we all have very gifted special children.  Some of the greatest leaders in the world have had high functioning Autism.  I even know of a bloke who is on a fortune daily with a large Oil company who luckily has a focal topic of interest as the Oil and Gas Sector and he delivers information and presentations!!!