Daughter (audtsitic /ADD) aged 15 struggling with friendships and isolation.

I have an undiagnosed daughter who I think has autism / ADD.  She has severe skin picking issues which I believe are caused by anxiety, and is really struggling at school with socialising.  She is 15, in Yr 10, but only really has one friend dating back from primary school.  She cries some evenings because she tries to speak to people at school but they don't engage and she says she doesn't know how to start a conversation or understand what people talk about.  It's devastating not knowing how to help.  Any advice really valued. 

Parents
  • Hi - I can relate to everything in your post. My ASD daughter is also 15 and struggled immensely at her previous school because she had no friends and felt very anxious and isolated. She lent every break in the toilets hiding. She changed schools and although her attendance is still poor, she has been able make friends with other ASD kids. That has been the key for her as they “get” each other. Could you ask the school’s SENCO if they could introduce her to some kids that they work with at the school? 

  • Thanks for your response, it's a real help to connect with someone going through something similar.  Early on at school she did get picked up and put into a friendship group, but she didn't seem to really connect with the others in it (some of whom I do think also have ASD).  However I have been thinking about contacting them again and will follow that up.  She's also struggling when teachers say 'get into pairs or groups of 3' because she is always left out and on her own.  I think the teachers should be pre planning groups to avoid this......

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  • Thanks for your response, it's a real help to connect with someone going through something similar.  Early on at school she did get picked up and put into a friendship group, but she didn't seem to really connect with the others in it (some of whom I do think also have ASD).  However I have been thinking about contacting them again and will follow that up.  She's also struggling when teachers say 'get into pairs or groups of 3' because she is always left out and on her own.  I think the teachers should be pre planning groups to avoid this......

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