5 year old son just recently diagnosed with ASD - Autism Spectrum Message Board

Julie V. · 08-23-2005, 01:08 AM

My five year old son was diagnosed with ASD about a month ago. He has been receiving speech therapy since the age of 3 1/2. He also has attented a special ed. pre-school beginning just befor he turned 4. I am having a difficult time accepting the diagnosis. Prior to getting the actual diagnoses, I had done a lot of research about Autism, and I pretty much knew that he did have some form of Autism. However, it does not make it any easier for me to deal with. I am also having difficulty with potty training him. He has had trouble with constipation since he was an infant, he also refuses to use the potty anywhere else besides home or his grandma's house. I guess I'm feeling overwhelmed. Anybody have any suggestions on how I can get passed this saddness, so that I can get on with helping him to have the best life possible?

claste · 08-23-2005, 05:35 AM

hi juliev, i was pretty much in your shoes with my daughter, i knew she was autistic from around 20 months - 24 months old, yet it took about another 7 months to diagnose her, i too read everything i could before her diagnosis, i remember a health visiter coming to see me and saying "what do you want to hear us say about your daughter when she comes for her assessment?" i said " that shes a normal little girl", of course the specialist didn't tell me what i wanted to hear. people close to me said "you were right, you must be so relieved." of course i wasn't relieved my world had just fallen apart. it's taken me about 18 months from diagnosis to finally accept who she is and her autism, to begin with she was like this little alien i couldn't relate to, but with time shes shown me how to appreciate the little things in life, and i've learn't to walk with her at her pace rather than drag her at my pace, i watched a programme and a mum said " if i had a magic pill to take away his autism i wouldn't give it to him" i remember thinking "what rubbish any parent with an autistic child would give a pill to make them normal" but now i'm not so sure after all if i gave her a magic pill i would have a child i wouldn't know, a child i couldn't marvel at as things would be taken for granted, a child that makes me feel so blessed every single day, you see i'm no longer wanting what i can't have with my daughter, i've accepted what i've got therefore i've made my peace with her autism, therefore i can move on with life and enjoy it. alls i can say is that it takes time, tears, and alot of grieving for the child you've lost and alot of accepting the child you have, god bless.

marissamm · 08-23-2005, 07:05 AM

well said claste well said, hang in their julie its a bumpy road but you will be fine, my son is high functioning autism he is 16, i was in denial for 1 minute than got my stuff together and found him some help and learned how to "walk with him". you will get thru this.

aridus · 08-23-2005, 07:43 AM

Did you read mercury theory and chelation treatment? How do you think of it?

pops · 08-23-2005, 08:05 AM

My son is 9 and has had fetal valporate syndrome since birth. He was recently diagnosed with ASD. He is different to other children, I've always accepted that but thought in time he would get through and catch up with his peers.
2002 his mum was diagnosed with cancer and she died in july 2004, having to look after him on my own made me realise exactly how different he is and change the way I support him with school work etc. He has always had a special needs statement, the ASD diagnosis has helped get more support and allowed me to research into something tangible to understand how I need to handle it.