Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello.
I'm new here and I'm really looking for somewhere I can talk about my younger sister who is currently going through the system of being tested for autism. I don't know lots about autism, I know there is the autistic spectrum and that there are lots of different types of autism. We are not sure what type of autism my sister has but I think it might be aspergers.
I don't know really how the whole "autistim testing" thing works and so I wondered if anyone could explain to me all the different stages and what happens when or anything really? All that has happened with us so far is that my mum asked a lady who is a family support worker to come and talk to us. She comes and sees my sister everyweek and she has spoke to my mum, my dad and me as well. Last week she showed my mum a report about my sister and she is going to pass it onto someone who is going to review it to see if my sister is autistic or not. I think its like that anyway.
Im a thirteen year old girl and I find it really hard to cope with my ten year old sister. She is really stubborn, she doesn't seem to be able to emphaise at all, she can be incredibly self- centered, she gets upset at the smallest thing, she hates crowded places, she doesn't like loud noises and says they hurt her ears, however she can also hear really well and can hear things from very far away, she doesn't get sarcastic remarks, she doesn't get sayings for example:
My sister: " How long now?"
Mum: "I don't know how long is a piece of string?"
My sister: "That doesn't make sense!!"
That is only a few of the things she does and I'm sorry it's quite vague and there are probably a million spelling mistakes. However it's a sunday and I have homework to do.
Thanks.
There are two books which might be helpful, if you can get them from a library or possibly through a bookshop. I think what you need is reading material that is comparable with your and your sister's age group.
The first is "Martian in the Playground - understanding the schoolchild with Asperger's syndrome" by Clare Sainsbury. It was written a good few years ago (2000) but is still very relevant. Publishers may have changed again, my copy is a 2004 reprint by Lucky Duck Publishing Ltd with an ISBN 1 873 942 08 7 Give this number to a librarian or bookshop as it helps them fiond it.
What is nice about this book is it deals with day to day issues around school - things like the playground and the dinner queue, and travelling to school, and things that happen in the classroom. OK 2015 school may differ a bit from 2000, but I think it will help you see better how life might be for your sister.
The other is very much in contrast - a bit wacky (if that expression still means anything) - "Freaks, Geeks & Asperger Syndrome - a user guide to adolescence" It was written by Luke Jackson aged 13, that was in 2002. The ISBN is 978 1 84310 098 0 and it is published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. He covers a lot in a style that hopefully is meaningful for you.