Hi everyone

Im new to the forum. my son T is 5yrs and i knew he wasnt "right" aged 1. I have struggled for years trying to get help, just to be told he is a boy and he will grow out of it. then feb last year aged 4 T was in hospital with a life threantening rare childhood disease called Epiglottitus. the nurses on the ward approached me to see how i cope and they informed me they would have no choice but to report Ts behaviour as it clearly wasnt normal! At last well that was a year ago and T has only just begun to be assessed for an ASD should get diagnosis 6th march, speech and Language lady is absolutely shocked at the state of T and how no-one has picked it up before. I am home educating T at the moment as school were clearly not attending to his individual needs. T has been gradually getting worse since his hospital episode and i am clearly seeing regression in him. T will have to go to a special sch as mainstream is too damaging, T spends alot ot time on the floor, shouts in play and chat, swears so much and is very violent but he is so intelligent academically and is capable of doing work for 7yr olds. I see the light but i worry about Ts mental health state as it isnt looking good.

A stay in hospital is frightening enough for typical children it must be ten times more frightening for ASD children. Your son might take a while to get over the experience.
Special needs schools are never perfect, but they will suit your son better than mainstream. Home education is great and I have often concidered it myself, but it can take a lot out of you sometimes. No matter how good we are, we all need a break and I always think that the children need a break from us too.
i hope things settle down for you and hopefully after the dx you will start getting some more support and input.
Take care ( keep posting to let us all know how you and T are getting on.)
Bernadette

After twenty-five years of parenting a severely Autistic child, I've found that the "experts" don't know nearly as much as they think they do. Trust your instincts and refuse any program or treatment that seems inappropriate for your child.

Sadly, a diagnosis isn't a cure. Since your son is very young, I suggest you seek extensive medical evaluations to rule out a treatable organic cause for his developmental delay. Some children have had profound reactions to food allergies; others have a physical inability to absorb certain crucial nutrients. There are countless physical problems that can interfere with normal development. Talk to your pediatrician about what testing would be appropriate.

Good luck to you :)