Hi

you may find another list i know of of some help. it is abase in
sommerset, but has an international membership.
the forum which is open to all is at Paains Autism Forum at
http://www.paains.org.uk/autism_forum/index.php
and the web site is at
http://www.paains.org.uk/

hope this helps


dolfrog


--- In northyorkshireparents@..., "HIM OR HER"
<him_or_her2002@y...> wrote:
> Hi i am sorry my first post is rather long, but i hope someone can
> help us.
>
>
> Since about 18 months of age my youngest son Kieran has had a
strange
> fascination of washing machines, and fans (extractor fans mainly)
He
> asks constant questions like "what happens if I switch the fan on?"
> and "does it turn around. what happens if I switch it on" he is
> repetitive but really interested in them, he also likes to talk non-
> stop about bouncy castles and lawnmowers. Yet this time last year
he
> was petrified of the things, and would not go into the garden
before
> 6pm in case anyone had a lawnmower on. He also flushes the toilet
and
> then crouches down to listen to the water going down the pipe.
>
> His teacher at school has told me that he is a unique boy who takes
> things literately, like
> the time she asked him to take everything out of the water pit at
> school.. he took out all the toys and proceeded to empty the water
as
> well, getting it all over the floor and other children.
> He wanders out of class to the toilets to watch the fan (and hand
> dryer), He wakes in the night, talking to himself about these
things,
> and asked me in the early hours one morning if "daddy was going to
> cut the grass". Kieran is very hyper sometimes and you look at him
> and wonder where his head is at, but at other times he can be quite
> rational, although if im honest he does not talk about a wide range
> of things and not many things can hold his interest. He has little
> interest in reading or writing and will only do 2 letters of his
> name, although he has been in reception class since January.
> He spins his hands in front of his face and likes to touch his own
> and other peoples eyes (which is quite annoying if you are not
> expecting it).
> He is affectionate on his terms and will give me a quick love if he
> offers it, but if I grab him for a cuddle he will fight me off. He
> also tends to scream rather than explain a problem, if he tries to
> explain what is upsetting him he gets frustrated because he gets
> mixed up in what he is trying to say so just ends up screaming.
>
> He asks questions then repeats my answers to himself before asking
> the same question again (most questions he asks are to do with
> his 'interests').
> Last year we went on holiday but Kieran would go nowhere near the
> amusements and
> club house, he also wouldn't entertain the ball pool because it had
> fans in it.
> What is going on with my boy? The teacher mentioned Autism But I
was
> not convinced, so I researched autism on the Internet and came
> across `PDD' and wondered if this was the problem, (sounds very
much
> like it from the fact sheet)
>
> The school want to meet with me soon to discuss his educational
> needs, But only because we have pushed for a meeting, His teacher
> expressed her concerns in January but since then has appeared to
> relax about him a little and does not actually say much at all
about
> him now unless I ask, she then tells me "he has been a `bit up
> there'" or "we are waiting for him to be seen by the educational
> psychologist".
>
> He also hurts himself by punching or smacking and then he shouts at
> himself. He once put soap in his eyes then said someone made him do
> it.. Thinking he meant one of the other children I asked who
someone
> was.. but it turns out 'someone' is Kieran just the 'other side'
to
> him. A typical conversation Kieran has with himself is as
follows 'go
> sit on the sofa and don't move' (he then replies in a softer
> voice) 'no I don't want to' (he raises his voice) 'do it now' He
then
> smacks himself. (he also smacks himself whenever he is angry) We
have
> tried to reason with him, distract him, tell him off and sympathise
> but we are getting no-where, he just does not seem on the same
level
> as other kids his age and cannot follow instructions.
> He has started to stand out at school now, other children are
> noticing him, A few weeks ago we was walking home from school, and
a
> little girl was walking behind us, she said to her dad "look dad
> that's the strange boy in my class" Innocent.. Yes.. but that's
when
> I realised I had to find out what is wrong with my son.
>
> Thanks for your time, kind regards.
> Shaz