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Permalink Reply by Michele on August 15, 2008 at 3:52pm

Welcome, Sherry! This website has been a godsend. The people here are very caring, and just knowing I'm not alone is such a comfort. I don't get to visit too often, as I work full time and have 2 kids, but whenever I can slack off at work (like now, LOL) I visit, and it always helps. Whenever you have a question, feel free to post it, you'll get a lot of great tips from "seasoned pros." My son is 7, he was diagnosed in the winter. OT and PT have been very helpful. If all goes well, I hope to get him into behavioral and feeding therapy next year. My daughter will be 4 in Oct, so far her understanding my son hasn't been an issue. It's more of the other way around, my son doesn't understand why sometimes she won't be interested in him directing her how to play, and by play, I mean reenacting Transformers - his latest obsession. Good luck with the trip to the specialist. And you're lucky your pediatrician listened to you, every time we brought an issue - all little clues - to ours, she blew us off. It was my son's teacher who got the ball rolling on getting to the bottom of things, thank god she did! But it is amazing how little is known about AS, you really have to school yourself so you know how to become your child's advocate.

Michele

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Fox on August 18, 2008 at 4:26am

Hi Sherry I have a daughter who is 9.5 years old and she has aspergers it can be difficult when you first get told but my daughter also has selective mutism she can't talk to anyone accept family members.She goes to a mainstream scholl and for 6 hours a day talks to no-one plus the as as well.She's doing ok she has her quirky moments but you get use to them follow routines I find this really helpfull.She also has a younger brother and he struggles to understand her .I went on amazon and got some books for me plus her and they do sibling books.They can be very loving and thoughtfull children they just see the world through different eyes. Nancy

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Permalink Reply by TAA TAA TAA TINA on August 18, 2008 at 6:14pm

Hi Sherry,

I'm new here also- you can read some of my story in the introduction section- see if it sounds familiar to you? School seems to be my biggest area of issues with my daughter (8). Once preschool began I seem to have lost her in a way. She has commented several times in her life "that all you need is one good friend and your family and nothing else matters in life".This was one of her valid reasons why she should not have to go to school. I've also heard "Any thing I need to know if my life I can find out by reading a book or asking you mom"! The logic is so pure and simple and not at all typical logic. This is what sets her apart.

So tell me, what kinds of things are happening with your daughter? Where do you find yourself challenged the most?

T

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Permalink Reply by Sherry on August 20, 2008 at 12:44pm

We are having a very difficult time with school right now. Her new teacher is very energetic and loud, which Abbey does not deal with very well. She says the teacher talks to fast for her to understand yet does not want to say anything in fear that her class mates will make fun of her. She usually functions well at school and holds it together for the most part, but when she gets home to her "safe place" she is very cranky and irritable. She needs her "down" time at this point. Homework is out of the question becasue by this point she is so tired there is no way for her to focus and the meltdowns begin. She does not have little girl friends like others, she has me and as your daughter states, I am all she thinks she needs. Our other children get very frustrated because of the meltdowns and the ritualistic behavior. We actually go to see the specialtist this Friday! I am so excited because now, the school will actually do the IEP.

TAA TAA TAA TINA said:

Hi Sherry,

I'm new here also- you can read some of my story in the introduction section- see if it sounds familiar to you? School seems to be my biggest area of issues with my daughter (8). Once preschool began I seem to have lost her in a way. She has commented several times in her life "that all you need is one good friend and your family and nothing else matters in life".This was one of her valid reasons why she should not have to go to school. I've also heard "Any thing I need to know if my life I can find out by reading a book or asking you mom"! The logic is so pure and simple and not at all typical logic. This is what sets her apart.

So tell me, what kinds of things are happening with your daughter? Where do you find yourself challenged the most?

T

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Permalink Reply by TAA TAA TAA TINA on August 20, 2008 at 4:20pm

I hope you are able to get things going with an I.E.P. and I hope it is successful for her. My daughter was tested in school and has had her I.E.P. since March of this year. But things have actually gotten worse not better. Hopefully you can find success in an I.E.P. it sounds like your daughter has adapted to school in a much better mannor then mine has.

Heather does not have friends for very long. My daughter could have a million friends if she only knew how to interact with these kids the right way. When we walk down the halls in the school I hear "Hi Heather" about twenty times. She is well known but I'm guessing mostly for her ecentric actions. She has made friends in school that do not last long because with my child if you "mess" up once - your out like yesterdays trash! For instance she was playing at recess with this girl that she had said was her "best friend" (they only knew each other a few weeks). My daughter had found a stick out in the field and was playing with it. When the bell rang Heather headed back to class with this girl and still had the stick. Apparently the girl took the stick from her and broke it in half saying "duh- you cant take sticks into the school". That hurt Heathers feelings so much that she told me she is no longer friends with the girl. I have explained to her that sticks are easy to find and replace but friends are hard to find and keep. She does not care.

Lucky for me one of my lifelong friends has a daughter a few months younger then my daughter and the two of them have developed a relationship in the past year. Thankfully when I explain things to this little girl she is empathetic enough to be tolerant of some of the odd things Heather does. Infact she has been helpful in getting Heather to do things by saying "if you dont do this- we can't play" which of course gets my daughter to do it! I hope that they will be able to continue a relationship because I fear she may be the only real friend that Heather will ever have.

Best of luck to you in the testing and let us know how things turn out? I have not had the nerve to take my daughter to a specialist because I'm affraid of what the label will mean to her later in life? With the school making the assessment the information remains private in her school records. So I'm very interested to know what kind of testing you might undergo? Keep in touch.
T


Sherry said:

We are having a very difficult time with school right now. Her new teacher is very energetic and loud, which Abbey does not deal with very well. She says the teacher talks to fast for her to understand yet does not want to say anything in fear that her class mates will make fun of her. She usually functions well at school and holds it together for the most part, but when she gets home to her "safe place" she is very cranky and irritable. She needs her "down" time at this point. Homework is out of the question becasue by this point she is so tired there is no way for her to focus and the meltdowns begin. She does not have little girl friends like others, she has me and as your daughter states, I am all she thinks she needs. Our other children get very frustrated because of the meltdowns and the ritualistic behavior. We actually go to see the specialtist this Friday! I am so excited because now, the school will actually do the IEP.

TAA TAA TAA TINA said:

Hi Sherry,

I'm new here also- you can read some of my story in the introduction section- see if it sounds familiar to you? School seems to be my biggest area of issues with my daughter (8). Once preschool began I seem to have lost her in a way. She has commented several times in her life "that all you need is one good friend and your family and nothing else matters in life".This was one of her valid reasons why she should not have to go to school. I've also heard "Any thing I need to know if my life I can find out by reading a book or asking you mom"! The logic is so pure and simple and not at all typical logic. This is what sets her apart.

So tell me, what kinds of things are happening with your daughter? Where do you find yourself challenged the most?

T

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Permalink Reply by Allie Marmion on September 4, 2008 at 10:31am

It is great that you took the initiative to place her in OT and to bring this up the ped. Our son is 10, he was diagnosed at age 3. Our daughter has lived all 8 years of her life knowing about her brothers diagnosis and still has trouble adjusting to her brother. It is always hard. This is what people without AS kids don't understand, it is a constant battle. You have to always be aware. It is hard but it is worth it, to see your child flourish and progress. Hang in there.

Allie :-)

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Permalink Reply by TAA TAA TAA TINA on September 12, 2008 at 2:01pm

Hi sherry,

Just wondered how you were doing? Checkin in on you. Have you had your appointment yet? Keep us updated.
T

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Permalink Reply by LoriAnn on October 14, 2008 at 12:59pm

Hello Everyone,
I am new...I am a teacher and my 6 yr, son has a DX of Aspergers (aug 2008) Meeting with SP Ed team next week for updates in his IEP (Speech and OT) and will plan a new 504 Plan. Any input for ideas would bw appreciated.

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Permalink Reply by Shirley on February 26, 2009 at 11:59am

Hi Sherry and Everyone.
I am Shirley. I have a AS son age 12 and a NT daughter age 9 3/4. I run an infant daycare from my home, so I can be here when s/he needs me. I have found it invaluable, except I have to be here instead of at school this year when meetings occur. LOL, anyway, we have a fantastic school system that seems to understand the needs of 95% of its special needs population. I am very lucky.

As far as these meetings, one of the things I found very helpful when my son was younger was a journal sent back and forth from school daily or weekly. I found it helped us to remember what the issues were that we were unable to come up with solutions for. Often times these affected the IEP and any testings that we needed to do. I hope this is a helpful suggestion.

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Permalink Reply by aspie on April 5, 2009 at 6:45am

Hi Sherry! I am also new here, but I have found a f ewsites like this is.
I am now 17 years old (almost 18), and I have Asperger's myself.

Since the date I got diagnosed, everything has yhange on better.

Like others say, I allways work like an Aspie (what I am), and sometimes seem "wired" or "strange" to others, but when you come to know me better, and I know that you have a lot of understanding, you don't judge different people and you have a lot of patience (most for learning me to "get" the rules and NT's world), I can be all the best you want to - one wonderfull friend. All you need is that you take my disorder as a part of myself and you accept it. It's all.

I find sometimes the world very frustrating, big, confusing and demanding, because I just don't "get it".

But, suddenly, I've got help and it's much easier for me, even at school. Everybody helps me;)

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Permalink Reply by Anne on June 7, 2009 at 8:40pm

Hello Sherry, I just joined the World not long ago. Just looking for support, info, answers.......
Girls having aspergers is extremely rare, as Im sure you have learned. Your story sounds a little similar to mine. I had the hardest time getting a diagnosis with my youngest son, now 11. It was mostly me searching through the internet and his symptoms and learning disorders that prompted me. I knew something was wrong, but I did not know how to go about finding exactly what it was. The teachers at his school were absolutely no help, and I thought they should have know something. After all, they are have the expertise in child education, not I. He was 9 when he got his diagnosis. Finally my persistance payed off! I wasn't crazy or making things up! His Jacobisms all have meaning. So, Bravo to you for finding this out about your daughter!!! Now you can begin to help her.
Tell me in further detail when you suspected she had a disorder, and how you are getting the diagnosis.

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Permalink Reply by John "Hai" Knapp on January 4, 2010 at 8:41pm

Hello Sherry, I am 55 with Aspergers. I grew up knowing I was different, but not knowing what the heck it was. When the economy was halfway decent I have actually managed my condition well. I am also a folk musician/singer/songwriter. I wrote 3 songs with autism awareness theme. I also have a wife I love very much.

I can say this much. Most of all, your daughter needs your love and to know that she is accepted as she is. This is an aspie talking. She is probably not getting much love, friendship or acceptance from classmates. High school was very hard for me.

Best wishes
Hai

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