I feel so overwhelmed...

DP's 6 year old has finally been diagnosed with mild to moderate autism. On one level I feel quite relieved that now that at least now she might get some help, but on the other I feel completly overwhelmed.

There has been some progress. When I met her last year she acted how I would expect a toddler to. These days she's more like a pre-schooler insofar as she can now get dressed by herself, the temper tantrums have largely been tamed, she usually is ok with going to the toilet as long as she's told directly to go to the toilet, she's actually eating at the table by herself using knifes and forks (DP was hand-feeding her last year) and her diet has expanded outside of her 'safe foods.'

But that progress has been painfully slow at times and the worst bit is seeing her regress especially if there's been some sort of drama (which there inevitably is).

Meal times are prolonged ordeals lasting upwards of 2 hours of getting her to start eating and keep eating if you stray outside of any of the 'safe foods'

She'll often make herself sick unless she's given an admonishment to chew instead of reguritating.

It seems like anytime you have your back turned for more than 30 seconds she is destroying whatever it is she happened to get her hands on.

A few months ago she was repeatedly shrieking my name at the tops of her lungs at the moment everything right down to the most mundane request is answered with a 'why?'

Basically I feel like things are NEVER going to get any better and that I have got at least a decade plus of hard slog ahead of me.

hi lemongirl..
unlike bizzy, i have just read your post for the first time and know none of your history.... but i have an autistic child who is 9.
it is challenging and exhausting and takes a tremendous amount of patience and love to survive!!!
it is a good thing that you now know what you are dealing with.
get in touch with autismnz, even if it is just to get info on what stratagies you can use to help you guys deal with day to day things.
it relly comes down to learning what sets them off and trying your best to avoid it.
being consistant when trying to teach them something essential (say, brushing teeth) as they do learn..it just takes time.

but be prepared for your world to revolve around the situation for a while...but it does get better!!!

Some days I feel overwhelmed and my children are "normal" .. so its completely justified for you to feel the way that you do.

If it helps just a little .. Issy answers everything with one word .. no, although I think I would prefer no to why?

Keep your chin up girlfriend ..

Hi Lemongirl

I am a primary school teacher and have an autistic child in my class...obviously living with autism at home is much harder then the 6 hours I do at school (with help!) but I just wanted to share something that i did recently that changed sooooo much in my class!

I went to a professional development course on autistic children...seriously has been the best thing I have ever done as I can understand the triggers and behaviours a bit better now. Our classroom has changed completely in the last 4 weeks since going to this course and definitely for the better. We still have our moments but on the whole school life is much more settled. Its amazing what I learnt about autism...having never had it really explained to me before.

anyway...just wanted to say...if you can perhaps you can investigate a course or information evening through autismnz?

If you have already done this...I;m sorry for suggesting it again but as I don't know your history I thought it might be good to mention

hope you enjoy your break..use it to recharge your batteries if you can.