Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi all,
Very new here. My son was diagnosed ASD in January and at the time of his last set of year 11 mocks in feb he suffered a burn out. has not been back to school since. He has however done some revision with our support - has talked positively about taking his exams -( he was predicted top grades.)
He managed 3 exams in two days . then the weekend. From around Sunday lunchtime he showed sign of rising anxiety and refusal to engage in any preparation , which in the past has helped him feel calmer facing an exam.
He's barricading the door and pointing us out of the room when we try to engage.
today he has missed his English Lit. I'm posting here for some community support as this just feels so scary.
Hi. It sounds like you're doing a great job trying to reach out to your son. His refusal just means he's not ready for that kind of help yet. I don't know if he's still processing the dignosis, but the time he's spent temporarily isolated could have given him some much needed time to think through all the overwhelming thoughts.
If you haven't already, you could contact the school for details about resits. This is definately an accomodation they should make. Alleviating the time pressure can be a big relief to an autistic person avoiding a responsibility. Constantly insisting they do something can make the task seem more daunting.
It sounds like you're a very supportive mother and after your son has had the space he needs I'm sure he'll get the grades he deserves. It's scary now, but no permanent damage has been done. Sometimes when the situation feels urgent, the best support is patient. I hope you and your son start to feel better soon.