UK Disability Resource of Disabled Needs

Sarah has Downs but I was told when she was small she had autistic tendancies, just lately they are really coming out.

Every night she gets a notepad out and writes in it, its always the same stuff for example

I light a lamp
I wear flip flops
I write with a pen

She does about 30 lines and remembers which order they go in, its quite odd really, also when she sits in a chair she does odd things with her hands that I cant explain, she refuses to talk at times and says shut up or go away and spends hours in her room alone and hates anyone else in

Does this sound like autism, she also will only eat certain foods so her meals are mostly the same and she refuses to try anthing new, she has never eaten chips, bread, salad and tons of other stuff I know she would like but she would starve rather than eat them.

Doctors dont like giving a dual diagnosis

Jane x

It does to me Jane. She has been diagnosed with Autistic Tendencies so I think it is safe to say that Sarah has an ASD as well. Maybe she was too young to tell definitively whereabouts on the spectrum she was at that time so she has been given an umbrella diagnoses to cover it.

Our son was also diagnosed as having Autistic Tendencies but it was diagnosed later as Aspergers. Then later still it was re-diagnosed as Autism by a proffessor.

If you feel the need to know for sure maybe you could bring it up at her next consultation and see if they will check it out.

It is quite common for Autism to be apparent alongside other diagnoses including Downs.

xx

Her next consultation is next August with her paediatrician, I wonder if I rang the Childrens Disabled Team they would look into it for me or should I take her to our GP and ask for a referral?

Jane x

I'd try the GP first but no harm in asking at CDT too and see who comes up with the best plan/fastest action.

Let us know how it goes. xx

Thanks I will

Jane x

it certainly does sound like autism to me, i work in special ed where loads of the kids have tendencies on the spectrum.

is she shaking and twisting her fingers and hands when you say that she does something with her hands watching them all the time.

does she take the things you tell her quite litterly, for example when you say to her its raining cats and dogs out there would she look for the animals that is usually as good an indicator as the hands.

myra

hi. i would go see your gp and see if you can have a referral if your concerned. i have two autistic children and they are so totally differerent.learning difficulties can show themselves in lots of different ways so perhaps its best not to speculate until you are actually told one way or another. i have a friend who has a daughter with downs and she is quite repetitive in some things she does and overly fussy with food and the way you put things out on a table but she definately does not have autism its the way her particular disability presents itself. i hope you will seek advice and let us know how things go.

take care. love barbs x

Yikes I posted a reply and its gone!

Let me remember what I said I think I said that she sort of pulls a seat belt around her from both sides when she sits down, for her lunch its been the same for the past 10 years...a babybell cheese, red packet plain crisps, a pink yoghurt, kit kat and a drink she has never ever tried bread and wont!

When we went on a barge trip she was looking for ducks, I saw one and said Duck and she literally ducked down

I am going to speak to the SENCO at her school tomorrow, thanks for all the replies

Jane x