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• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 6-11 >> Sandy - Interview 1 >> One of Sandy’s son’s will sleep through while the other one will wake up several times during the night.

Sandy’s older son, Joseph, aged 8, was diagnosed with autism one month before his second birthday. Her younger son, Adam, aged 6, was diagnosed with autism aged eighteen months. Both boys attend a special school which they enjoy.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 6-11 >> Rachel - Interview 8 >> Rachel’s husband can no longer look at play dough after their son spent hours making play dough animals.

Rachel’s sons, Thomas and Matthew, have both been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. They both attend a mainstream primary school with support.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 6-11 >> Rachel - Interview 8 >> Rachel describes a typical Saturday at home with her boys which involves them staying in their pyjamas and playing together.

Rachel’s sons, Thomas and Matthew, have both been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. They both attend a mainstream primary school with support.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 12-17 >> Dot - Interview 9 >> Dot’s son hated being cuddled and was tireless at night.

Dot’s son Joe was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when he was 7 years old. He attends a specialist Asperger Unit which is on the site of a mainstream secondary school and he is getting on very well.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 6-11 >> Katrina - Interview 11 >> Katrina says the experience has “physically, mentally, emotionally completely consumed” her.

Katrina’s son, Callum was diagnosed with atypical autism when he was four years old. Callum has been home schooled for the past couple of years after negative experiences in the education system. He is having cognitive behaviour therapy to help him overcome his fears and anxieties.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 6-11 >> Katrina - Interview 11 >> Katrina talks about the constraints on her family because her time has been taken up with her son.

Katrina’s son, Callum was diagnosed with atypical autism when he was four years old. Callum has been home schooled for the past couple of years after negative experiences in the education system. He is having cognitive behaviour therapy to help him overcome his fears and anxieties.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age under 6 >> Amanda - Interview 29 >> Amanda sometimes ends up snapping at her husband.

Amanda’s two children have both been diagnosed with autism. They attend a special school for children with moderate learning difficulties which they both enjoy.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 18+ >> Tracy - Interview 13 >> Tracy’s daughter used to be on melatonin and will wake up about five times a night to ask questions about things.

Tracy’s daughter, Nicola, was diagnosed with autism when she was six years old. Nicola is currently at a college for further education and will start working at the local hospital radio station when she finishes her course.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 6-11 >> Rachel - Interview 8 >> Rachel’s sons both have ‘horrendous nightmares’.

Rachel’s sons, Thomas and Matthew, have both been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. They both attend a mainstream primary school with support.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 12-17 >> Mike - Interview 22 >> Mike thinks that having a child with autism is a ‘good birth control method’.

Mike’s youngest son, Andrew, was diagnosed with autism when he was three years old. He moved to a specialist residential school a year ago, after spending a year excluded from school because of challenging behaviour.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 6-11 >> Tony and Alison - Interview 28 >> Alison and Tony discuss how the “world is a strange place when you have not slept for three days”.

Tony and Alison’s son, Nathan, was diagnosed with autism three years ago. He is currently in a mainstream primary school and will move to a special school for his secondary education.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age under 6 >> Amanda - Interview 29 >> Amanda has been helped by a supportive partner, family members, a support group, yoga and wine.

Amanda’s two children have both been diagnosed with autism. They attend a special school for children with moderate learning difficulties which they both enjoy.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 18+ >> Jacqui - Interview 31 >> Jacqui is exhausted by constantly having to fight for services and support for her children.

Five of Jacqui’s children are on the autistic spectrum and, as they have grown older, Jacqui has found that adult services have few resources and there is no support to help ease her children into employment.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 6-11 >> Helen - Interview 41 >> Helen has found social stories work well with her son.

Helen’s older son, Joseph, was diagnosed with autism when he was 7 years old. Joseph now attends an independent church school after a negative experience in a mainstream primary school and is making good progress with appropriate support.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 6-11 >> Kirsten - Interview 43 >> Kirsten’s day starts at 4am when her son wakes up.

Kirsten’s middle child, Andrew, was diagnosed with autism when he was two. He attends a mainstream primary school in the mornings and does a combination of ABA and DIR therapies in the afternoons.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 6-11 >> Nuala - Interview 56 >> Nuala’s son has learnt to sleep on his own though she and her husband remain on duty each night just in case he wakes up.

Nuala’s son, Robert, was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when he was eight years old. He attends a mainstream primary school with support and is now much happier and settled.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age under 6 >> Jane and Dan - Interview 57 >> Jane gave up work ten months ago because attending appointments and caring for her son was getting more difficult.

Jane and Dan’s son was diagnosed with autism six months ago. He has a sleep disorder and has some difficulties eating food.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 6-11 >> Liz - Interview 2 >> Liz found medicating her child difficult until a psychiatrist asked her if she would feel guilty giving insulin to a child with diabetes.

Liz’s son, Jonas, aged 11, has been diagnosed with epilepsy, ADHD and Asperger syndrome and Raphe, the youngest son, has Downs Syndrome. Jonas attends the local mainstream primary school but Liz is worried about the move to secondary school.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 6-11 >> Tony and Alison - Interview 28 >> Alison and Tony discuss the use of Vallergan to help their son sleep.

Tony and Alison’s son, Nathan, was diagnosed with autism three years ago. He is currently in a mainstream primary school and will move to a special school for his secondary education.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 6-11 >> Tony and Alison - Interview 28 >> Alison and Tony discuss how the “world is a strange place when you have not slept for three days”.

Tony and Alison’s son, Nathan, was diagnosed with autism three years ago. He is currently in a mainstream primary school and will move to a special school for his secondary education.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 6-11 >> Sandy - Interview 1 >> One of Sandy’s son’s will sleep through while the other one will wake up several times during the night.

Sandy’s older son, Joseph, aged 8, was diagnosed with autism one month before his second birthday. Her younger son, Adam, aged 6, was diagnosed with autism aged eighteen months. Both boys attend a special school which they enjoy.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 6-11 >> Sandy - Interview 1 >> Sandy’s two sons have very different personalities and she found getting the second diagnosis particularly upsetting.

Sandy’s older son, Joseph, aged 8, was diagnosed with autism one month before his second birthday. Her younger son, Adam, aged 6, was diagnosed with autism aged eighteen months. Both boys attend a special school which they enjoy.

• Topic
• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Eating and sleeping >> Eating and sleeping

Eating and sleeping

• >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Eating and sleeping >> Eating and sleeping

Eating and sleeping

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 18+ >> Christine - Interview 20 >> Christine describes how Brian’s activities at home impact on her everyday life.

Christine’s son, Brian, was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome four years ago after being wrongly diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was 14. He lives at home now after years in a residential home and attends an autism day centre during the week.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 6-11 >> Katrina - Interview 11 >> Katrina says the experience has “physically, mentally, emotionally completely consumed” her.

Katrina’s son, Callum was diagnosed with atypical autism when he was four years old. Callum has been home schooled for the past couple of years after negative experiences in the education system. He is having cognitive behaviour therapy to help him overcome his fears and anxieties.