[momof2girlsmn]

Ok I am new here and am wondering if anyone has any experience dealing with Aspbergers in a girl? I am a single parent and am so frustrated with her moods and her antisocial behavior. I know she can't help it sometimes, but it is so hard to keep my cool at times, especially when she is yelling and screaming at me. She also has ADHD, and some sensory problems. Any advice would be appreciated.

[HappyMomAnna]

Are you and your daughter recieveing any special services. I was talking with a friend who's daughter was just diagnosed and now suddenly the family is recieving some wonderful support services along with Homestead School...where the teacher comes to the house.

What kind of support and help are you getting? and do you have access to respite care sevices? Respite in some cases may be covered by a state of federal program.....

[momof2girlsmn]

Well I have been lucky to receive help for my daughter. The school system here has been pretty good in the classroom with her, and she has a skills worker that she sees twice a week. She also has a family therapist that she sees every 2 weeks. So she is getting some help, I just wish there were more resources to help me deal with her and her moods. As she gets older it is going to be harder, I am so not looking forward to puberty.

[second_banana]

My oldest niece has Aspbergers and I've watched and helped her parents deal with her for quite a while now. Depending on the age she is there are different tricks you can use. One of the best tricks I've seen is to simply not get into power struggles with her. If she starts to scream and yell, just stop talking. Let her yell herself out, calm herself down and then get down on her level and tell her what you need to tell her. It's very hard and almost impossible to do when you're out in public due to other people's reactions to a screaming kid. My brother and sister in law tend to just take my niece to the car when she gets too worked up at the store or the like.
Try and find an Autism/Aspbergers support group in your area or online. There are a lot of good resources out there. NAMI might be a good place to start looking.

[momof2girlsmn]

I have been working on getting a sitter for the nights that the support group meets around here. Did I mention that I am a single parent? Also what is NAMI? I have not heard of that organization, at least I don't think I have.

[second_banana]

I hear you about trying to get a sitter. Good childcare is hard to find no matter what the situation. add single parenthood and Asperger's into the equations and life is no picnic.

NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. They are a grassroots organization that dedicate themselves to improving the lives of (and systems that are involved in) the mentally ill and their families. Not all branches have a group for Autism or Aspergers, but they will have information about programs and help you can get that other places might not have. They have certainly helped our family with a variety of issues dealing with Aspergers and Bi-Polar disorder.

[Mogulander]

This is a relatively new diagnosis and my son is 22 years old when I first heard it being spoken about on radio as i was driving. The symptoms they gave out was quite amazing and next I saw my son, I sat down with him and said there maybe an answer as to why you behave the way you do. After explaining, I told him that there are two things he can do to help stabilize his mood swings. They advised Omega 3 of fish oil capsules equivalent of 3 grams a day and vitamin D. He has been taking it regularly for around three weeks now and there is a marked change in his attitude, some of it probably contributory to having an understanding. I have yet to get him to agree to go and have tests to confirm or deny the probability. Hope this helps.
As for ADHD I would be very careful as my daughter was diagnosed the same, I was not happy with her being on dexamphetamine and after a couple of months with no significant change I took her off it and said nothing to the school or anyone. No one was any the wiser. As time progressed it turns out she is dyslexic and her moods are through frustration rather than being ADHD. Since finding this out and and exposing her clever cover ups, she has received some good help with one on one at school etc. She is much more content now, irritability is virtually a nil factor. Doctors all to easily with suggestion from schools and the like that think ADHD is a problem. I think the real problem is not finding out what the problem is and giving it a label

[momof2girlsmn]

With my daughter the diagnosis was made by a battery of doctors, at least for the ADHD. They also thought that she might have austism spectrum disorder, and to get that tested for again after the ADHD was dealt with. If she does not take the meds she was prescribed, you can definitely tell the difference. She becomes so much more rigid, and very anxious and excitable. I can also see a lot of her father in her, and unfortunately, he is deceased so we can't have him tested. We are working with a woman who is trained to deal with aspbergers, and I would say she is very good at what she does. After hearing me describe my ex to her, and the way he acted, she thinks he may have had aspbergers as well. So that is something to prove the point for genetics hmmmmm? Everything seems to be a power struggle lately, if things do not go her way look out because she is going to explode. I am surprised my neighbors have not called law enforcement on me the way she screams. Tell me is your son still living with you? I am curious to know if she will be able to live indepently or if she will have to live in some dependant care home as she gets older. Nobody has really told me what to expect as she gets older, and I am worried that she may not have the capabilities to take care of herself.

[floridamama]

My 4 year old son was just diagnosed this morning after being mis-diagnosed with Bi-Polar by a different doctor. I feel kind of confused but relieved to know what it is that is going on with him, finally! I was on a search engine and happened upon this website...thank God!
Now that he is diagnosed I don't know what the next step is? Where do we go from here? How exactly, does one discipline a child with Aspbergers? I feel lost at the moment and welcome any and all advice!
Thank you & God bless!
Shannon

[beth]

There are several useful articles you may be interested in on both Asperger's Disorder and Autism, both of which are related. Simply click on the Mental Health link below. Hope you can get one-on-one help with your daughter. Good luck and happy reading!
Beth