Hi Everyone
My 9 year old son was diagnosed with autism in January this year at the age of 8 after over 5 years of trying to get him help. I was told as he was able to cope with a school day that he was fine even though he has a melt down most days after school as something small may have annoyed him (although its not small to him).
He can not handle his emotions, excitement sees him bouncing off the walls, however so does his anxiety if we are leaving the house. If we are out places he tells me his ears ring, his head hurts and there is water swishing in his tummy. He finds it hard to interact socially and to join in games with other kids even if its his sisters, he doesn't understand that he doesn't need an invite.
He runs on to traffic when anxious, if worked up even slightly all sense of danger goes out the window and he just runs.
He goes from zero to 100 in seconds over things in the house and lashes out physically at himself or his sisters and lately me.
He tells me on a daily basis he wants to die and he doesn't know why he feels that way, but he hates living when everything just annoys him this is said both in anger and when calm. When angry its gone from I want to die, to I want to kill myself, to I want to get hit with a car, to I am going to take a knife and stab myself in the heart......
He has issues with sound, the usual loud noises, crowded places, anything repetitive but also people singing esp his sisters.
He has told me that in class he finds himself zoning out and staring out the window, he loves school and this concerns him however his teacher thinks as he is getting the work finished and to a good standard then he must be fine but its causing him anxiety.
When he is calm, he can tell you all the great strategies he has heard of but he just isn't understanding when to use them
He had meetings with CAMHS just after his diagnosis but he wouldn't properly engage in them as his anxiety wouldn't allow, when ever they tried to speak to him about things he would look out the window and comment on what was happening outside so they eventually signed him off.
There is so much more as you can imagine as parents yourself.
Sorry for the long message, I suppose I am just looking for someone to point me in the right direction, I did have a couple of sessions on the phone with the Scottish Autism who told me to apply for DLA for him in order to try and buy him some things that may help him cope but he was turned down as apparently all the things he does are typical of a child of his age!!
If there is anyone who can give me advice, point me in the direction of support, I don't actually know just tell me it gets easier to cope with?
Thanks