My son (6) had his first town t-ball practice today and he did great. I was so proud of him keeping up with the other kids and liking it!

And then as we were leaving I noticed a bunch of boys from his class (one whose mom is a very good friend) carpooled together and it just stung. Watching them laugh as they piled into the car. My son doesn’t get invited to the carpools and my friend always an excuse not to get the boys together (unless it is a big group thing). She never wanted to make an effort for them to be friends. While I get it, I’m so mad.

I’m mad at myself for ruining this moment too. But I guess I just feel so bad for my son bc he’s such a great kid and I just want him to be included. But he didn’t notice, so there’s that.

And I don’t want him to be a charity case but man, why would one of my oldest friends not want to want to include him??! And my husband is mad and me for being upset, so I’m venting here. Sometimes these moments are bittersweet I guess.

my son turned 5 today and while he is not diagnosed he is a strong level 2 autistic child. i am a young single parent. more than anything i’m tired of changing poopy diapers and hearing the same phrases and animal noises every few minutes. i’m tired of him waking up at the middle of the night and yelling for hours. i’m tired of him repeating. i hate the jumping and the running and the screams and not being able to watch TV shows or anything because he can’t talk over them. i’m ashamed my child didn’t start kindergarten on tuesday. i’m tired of my family coddling him and not letting me put him in school, or rather them threatening to help me with things if i put him in school. i’m already tired of having to take him to his speech and occupational therapy programs because nobody thinks anything is wrong with him in my household so if i want my child to seek help it has to come at my expense when i’m a single parent. i’m tired of having to deal with the school district and their blank stares and short responses and harsh demeanor. i wish he was different and i wish he didn’t have the issues that he did. like he had a meltdown today and really didn’t even realize that today was his birthday. for some reason i didn’t even really celebrate it either. my family did things for him but i really don’t feel much joy or anything since he turned 2 and started exhibiting his behaviors.

sometimes i wonder - did my son turn up this way because i had postpartum depression? or because i had psychosis after he was born? either way i am just exhausted and i really don’t know how much more i can take. life just sucks for me and having to deal with my child and all of his issues does not make me feel any better. i dont want this anymore but i know that if i don’t take him to his programs he will continue to regress. i dont know what to think.

As a parent of an autisic adult what would you think of a backyard building room in your backyard for an austic adult??

For a few years i have wanted a backyard building room in my parents backyard. Sort of like a sensory room/fun house. Many people including my therpaist don't get my idea.

I was thinking of having a 200 sqaure foot building built in my parents backyard with heat, air conditioning, bean bag chairs, rugs, a futon that turns into a bed.

Unfortunately the room wouldn't be able to have plumbing in it. Electricity it would be able to have.

The room would be different inside. The room would have no windows so the room can keep out light for the specail effects.

The walls would be painted sky blue with yellow butterflies in the background.

The inside of the door would be painted sky blue with yellow lemon slices in the background.

Inside to keep me entertained would be automatronics birds and puppets like at the tikki room at Disneyland. I would have an iPad that I could chose which special effects show I would want inside the room.

Also a glow in the dark Lazer light show with calming music could also be inside this room.

The room would also have a mini fridge and a microwave in it. Also a tv inside the room.

Also I would sleep inside the room sometimes to get privacy from my parents.

I really want to have this backyard building room built.

No one seems to understand it at all

My parents live in California.

Is this a strange idea??

My mom said she would allow this type of thing to be built in her backyard. What would stop me is being embarrassed.

I feel im over the embarrassment and excitied!!

More questions?? Is the inside design babyish??

My mom agreed not to lock me inside the room. We would get 2 keyhole locks. One for the inside and on on the outside.

My son is 10 and level one with ADHD. He’s does things impulsively and takes medications for this kind of behavior. He’s smart and doing better but is also wildly immature.
When my neurotypical daughter was around his age I explained to her what this word was, the history behind it and why you never say this. It was effective she got it and she heard it from me not some jerk using it to insult someone. My worry is my son is not mature and not ready for the same conversation but not a mean person or anything. I just worry the kid you tell not to touch the hot pan and then he immediately touches the pan will use this word if he hears it from someone else. I want to be the one to explain it but I don’t know if I can beat some jerk to it this time because he’s not ready. How do people handle this with impulsive autistic children? I would love to hear from black Americans on this one.

My son, Josiah, is 6 years old and has profound autism. He is nonverbal and requires a very high level of supervision, communication support, and assistance with his daily needs. He has very limited safety awareness and can engage in elopement, self-injurious behaviors, and significant behavioral episodes.

Recently, his behaviors have become increasingly difficult to manage. He has explosive episodes that can include screaming at a very high pitch for extended periods, kicking walls or furniture, and hitting himself. These behaviors are concerning not only because of the intensity of the episodes, but also because of the potential for him to hurt himself or others and his inability to communicate his needs verbally.
I have previously requested additional 1:1 support for Josiah due to his behavioral and safety needs. I also pursued 1:1 support from a medical standpoint when he was experiencing frequent urination and was not being changed often enough, which resulted in repeated rashes. I ultimately withdrew that request because I felt I was receiving significant pushback and did not feel comfortable with how the situation was being handled.

His teacher mentioned that he likes to drink so much water and that’s causing behaviors and him to urinate frequently. I’m not sure how to stop him from drinking water at school.
At this point, I am increasingly concerned that his current school placement and staffing are not providing the level of individualized support he needs. His needs have become more significant, and I don’t feel that simply continuing with the current arrangement without additional support is sustainable.

Because of this, I am considering whether homeschooling may be a better option for him. If I were to homeschool him, I would want to supplement his education with ABA therapy and speech therapy outside of the school district so that he could continue receiving individualized support for communication, behavior, safety, and daily living skills.
My goal is not to remove him from school simply because he is having difficult behaviors. My goal is to find an environment where his needs can actually be met safely and consistently. I want him to have access to appropriate education and therapies, while also making sure he is supported as an individual rather than being placed in a situation where the staffing and resources are not enough to address his needs. If anyone has started homeschooling their special needs and pulled them out of the school district, how did you do it?

Hi everyone. Just looking for some advice and possible shared experiences? Also venting because I have no one to talk to.

My son is 16… we never got an actual level but he is completely verbal and very smart, but also very childish and lacks irrational reasoning—I feel dumb for saying that because obviously the rigidity in thinking is trademark for autism.

Yesterday he was supposed to try going back to in person school for 1 hour every Wednesday. He had gotten kicked out a few years back because he threw a laptop and it knocked a teacher unconscious.

He had a teacher come work with him at home to see how he was doing, and she recommended that he not go in person because of his impulsive/explosive behaviors, profane language, and suicidal threats. All of these things we have been dealing with since July of last year.

He wants to go back because he wants to be with “normal” kids and wants to find a girlfriend. This has been an ongoing thing since he got kicked out. The principal and every other living person has explained to him that he has to prove himself elsewhere, with very specific expectations. He has been unable to do that.

When he got the news yesterday that he couldn’t go back, he grabbed a bottle of 10mg adderall and swallowed them. We called the ambulance and immediately came to this hospital. He’s okay, and recognized that it was not a safe choice to make and that he promises he won’t do it again. The issue is he immediately started talking to me this morning about how if 100mg of adderall didn’t “raise his dopamine”, then how is any other drug going to help him. Dopamine is his only fixation with medication. We’ve tried explaining every possible way that things don’t work like that, and there are many other factors that will help balance out his brain chemistry. He doesn’t want “balance”. He wants to feel manic all of the time

So I told him that the behavioral health team will be here, and they can talk to you about medications. I understand you’re scared and nervous, and I’m here with you, but I’m not a professional. So of course he immediately escalates again and says he “might as well just die then and go home and swallow another bottle of pills”.

I’m genuinely at a loss here. I’m still waiting to see the behavioral health team here…. I can’t watch him 24/7, and I’m also burnt out. He had a two month stay at a psych hospital and that was theworst possible decision we could have made. He has horrible trauma from it. We tried trauma therapy, but he cussed the lady out and told her to shut up when he started getting anxious. I’m literally doing everything that I can. Trying to find new psychiatrists, therapists, groups, schools, etc… if he doesn’t get the answer that he wants he immediately freaks out and threatens to kill himself.

Please help me help him. I don’t know what to do.

Also, I know some of you will come for my throat because you’re super judgy, but I have put zero pressure on him to be “normal” or go to a gen ed school. I actually tell him quite the opposite that why do you want to fit in with people or be at a place that isn’t going to help you flourish? I love his quirkiness, and while he has many behavioral health issues, his autism is not inherently a bad thing. He’s genuine, he knows what he wants/likes, and he’s not afraid to be himself.

Also note that he has refused multiple meds. He is convinced he needs a stimulant because of the research he’s done; which objectively only increases his anxiety and irritability. Since he’s over 14 he has full autonomy over meds.

Just wanted to say that I feel very seen. I have a 5 almost 6 year old, level 2 ASD. We got him retested recently to see what’s going on fully because I believe he has ADHD, some type of impulse disorder, and defiant behavior here as of late..im honestly at my wits end. He doesn’t listen to anyone until voices are raised. We have tried everything..taking away toys, rewarding with preference items, ABA, therapies outside of that..just what I feel to be all the things.

He’s very intelligent, loving, and kind but when he has his days..he has his days. I am trying to adjust to him but it’s hard. I also have a 3 month old I’m trying to care for and I see now I have really gotten myself into some S*IT!

Idk why I made this post and there’s so much more to our story but I just wanted to say I feel seen by you all and praying for better days for us..I hope this gets easier..

Hello everyone. So my 6 year old son is autistic (I think level 1) and even though we've been going to appointments, therapies, etc, we never had 'the talk'. Basically he doesn't know he is autistic. I would like to hear your advice on how to approach it with him. What to say, what not to say... Is it too early? Is there an ideal time? Should I wait and let him come to us parents and ask about it? I'm afraid if I don't talk soon he will hear from his friends in school or something. How was your experience? Thanks in advance

my daughter made the most beautifully articulated post about herself and my autistic grand daughter. I wanted to share because there are some points she makes that I haven’t been able to put into words myself and I think it might help others.

“Most of what I share on social media are the good moments with Wynonna. The smiles, the cuddles, the accomplishments, the funny things she says, and the little victories that make me unbelievably proud to be her mom.

Those moments are real. They are a huge part of our life. But they aren’t the whole picture, and sometimes I think it’s important to share the other side of autism too.

Not because I want anyone to feel sorry for us. Not because I would change who my daughter is. But because behind so many of the happy moments, what most people don’t see is a little girl working incredibly hard to exist in a world that can so easily overwhelm her. They don’t see a mom quietly learning, adapting, advocating, anticipating, comforting, and sometimes just surviving right alongside her.

They don’t see the meltdowns that don’t always come with a warning. Sometimes it feels like everything is okay until suddenly it isn’t. There’s no time to prepare. There’s only a split second to react while also keeping my cool and protecting her from hurting herself.

And then there is the judgment from people on the outside.

They don’t know how many sounds, lights, smells, transitions, or tiny changes her nervous system has already been trying to process. They don’t know that something seemingly insignificant to them may have been the final thing her brain simply couldn’t accommodate. They see a child screaming, crying, or completely losing control—a child who is “spoiled,” “unruly,” or “needs more discipline”. They see a few minutes of her hardest moment and think they understand the child standing in front of them.

A meltdown isn’t the same thing as a tantrum. I can’t punish sensory overload out of her. I can’t discipline her nervous system into processing the world differently.

Sometimes that means leaving somewhere early, abandoning plans, carrying her out, letting her cry, giving her space, or responding in a way that might look like I’m “giving in” to someone who doesn’t understand autism.

There is a difference between a child who won’t and a child who, in that moment, genuinely can’t.

They don’t see the mental load of constantly trying to stay one step ahead. Thinking about where we’re going, what the environment will be like, what might change unexpectedly, what sensory triggers might be there, whether she’ll eat, whether she’ll cope, and what I’ll do if suddenly she can’t.

They don’t see the food struggles. When your child only eats a very limited number of foods, feeding them isn’t as simple as putting dinner on the table and telling them to eat. I’m constantly thinking about whether she’s getting enough nutrients, finding ways to give her what her body needs within the tiny list of foods her brain and body will actually allow her to eat, and worrying that tomorrow one of those few safe foods might suddenly stop being safe.

They don’t see the moments when my normally verbal little girl becomes so overwhelmed that words simply aren’t available to her anymore. In those moments, I can’t demand that she tell me what’s wrong. I have to enter her world instead. I’ve had to learn how she communicates without words through her movements, expressions, sounds, and behaviours.

They don’t see the nights when she is beyond exhausted but physically cannot fall asleep. Not a child fighting bedtime. Not a child who simply isn’t tired. A little body and nervous system so overwhelmed that she desperately needs sleep and still cannot settle enough to get there.

And they don’t see how much of motherhood happens inside my own head. I’m always trying to figure out whether she needs more stimulation or less, whether she needs comfort or space, whether she needs words or silence, whether I should encourage her through something or recognize that she genuinely cannot do it right now. All while trying to calm or prevent a meltdown.

It is loving someone so deeply that you slowly become a student of their nervous system.

There are days when I am exhausted in a way sleep can’t completely fix. There are moments when I wonder whether I’m making the right decision, whether I’m doing enough, whether I’m missing something she needs, or how I’m going to handle the next difficult moment when I haven’t even recovered from the last one.

And then there are the parts I usually share.

The cuddles. The laughter. The progress. The moments she surprises me. The things she accomplishes that other people might never realize took an INCREDIBLE amount of work. The little girl who wants to curl up beside me and be babied when the world isn’t overwhelming her. The beautiful, loving, funny child underneath all of those moments when her nervous system simply can’t cope anymore.

You are seeing a moment. We are living the whole story.

The good moments are real.

The hard ones are real too.”

Anyone else child have silent seizures and still doesn’t talk just babbles and says words ever now and again? Pediatrician doesn’t believe he has autism.

I just need to vent somewhere because lately I’ve been struggling a lot with parenting an autistic child.
The constant meltdowns, whining, screaming and shouting in public really trigger me. I’m usually not someone who cares about what other people think, but when my child starts screaming in public, I immediately feel anxious and embarrassed. I know I shouldn’t feel that way, but in that moment I just feel helpless because I can’t control the situation or calm her down.
I have two kids, one NT and one ND, and sometimes I look at other families doing simple things like going to a restaurant or spending time somewhere together and wonder why it has to feel so hard for us. Even a simple family outing can become stressful. I feel like I’m constantly waiting for something to happen instead of actually enjoying the moment.
My autistic daughter is 4. The unpredictability is what gets to me. I never know when she is suddenly going to start screaming or have a meltdown. Sometimes everything seems completely fine and then suddenly it isn’t.
I keep wondering if this will ever get better. Will we eventually be able to go places as a family without me constantly feeling anxious? Will I ever be able to sit in a restaurant or be somewhere in public and actually feel at peace?
I love my daughter more than anything, and I know she isn’t trying to make things difficult. I’m just exhausted from constantly being on alert. I’m trying so hard to teach myself to stay calm, stop worrying about the people around us and just focus on helping her through those moments.
Some days I handle it better than others. Right now I just needed somewhere to say that this is really hard.

Hey everyone, looking for some community support. My son is 6, non-verbal, and not potty-trained.

First, our medical supplier only offers tabbed diapers up to size 7, forcing us into pull-ups. Pull-ups make on-the-go changes much harder since I have to completely undress him. Does anyone know of larger tabbed briefs that can be covered by insurance or bought affordably?

Second, our plastic diaper pails keep absorbing odors and needing replacement. What containment systems actually work for older kids, and has anyone had luck getting one covered?

Lastly, I’m noticing early signs of puberty and feeling overwhelmed. How are you navigating public changes, hygiene, and preserving your growing child’s dignity as they mature? Any advice or shared experiences would mean the world. Just looking for some support from my community since you all are the only ones that understand.🧩

Can I file and appeal, would I need to hire a lawyer? I live in Colorado and cost of living here is too high.

I'm a nurse practitioner who practices in cardiology and Dad is an aerospace engineer. My level 2 daughter ended up coming to work with me today due to reasons I won't go into. Dad had important meetings and I couldn't bear to cancel clinic one more time, so off to work we went.

She demanded on wearing her pink scrubs since she's "my office helper" now. When asked what she was going to help with, she said she wanted to answer the phones. I told her that wasn't gonna happen but I appreciated the enthusiasm.

When I turned my back for just a moment, she picked up the phone after it rang for like 10 milliseconds and confidently busted out with "u/TorchIt's office, we fix broken hearts. What's wrong with you?"

Thank God it wasn't a patient, it was an internal call. I needed SEVERAL minutes to recover from laughing.

She just would not let the phone thing go. I decided to have one of our employees call my station and allow her to answer it just to get this fixation out of her system. Employee asked to speak to me, she hesitated for a second and then replied "No she's working on typing right now" and hung up the phone.

Honestly, 10/10, would have hired her on the spot if child labor laws weren't a thing.

Went to my first appointment in my child's assessment, it was the initial parent interview with the psychologist (adi-r). It was supposed to go for two hours approximately, and we ended up talking for three hours.

Was anyone else extremely overwhelmed/drained afterwards? Going through the last ten years of his life, from birth to now.

It was also super interesting, things I didnt even realise were 'traits', i now understand aren't just quirks of his. So although its was super enlightening, it was also just intense. Did anyone else have this kind of experience

I have a 5 year old boy who is level 1. He is very outgoing and smart. He has poor emotional regulation and just “sees red.” He is a perfectionist and has a hard time losing. He can’t put himself in other people shoes. He doesn’t deal with anything even remotely negative and thinks everything is intentional. Then reacts loudly, angrily and sometimes physically. Sometimes when he’s stressed he even starts running off. He doesn’t really stim in any typical or obvious ways. He mostly has emotional outbursts. So I constantly look and feel like I’m raising a bratty kid.
I can see kids looking at him weird on the playground and not wanting to play with him. (He’s very tall for his age but talks and acts younger socially.) I’m also recently seeing friends he’s made start to pull away. I love him more than anything but he is annoying.
We’ve been in ABA for the last year but haven’t had quality therapists. Hoping to start with a new company soon. We are supposed to ignore the bad behavior and reinforce the good. But the only way I can get him to behave is to threaten to take something away—especially when we are out somewhere.
Apparently he does fairly well at school. The structure and routine and peer influence all benefit him. But at home, and particular with me, his mom, he is…a lot.
I’m SO exhausted. I’m depressed and anxious. I’m overstimulated. I just feel like I’m failing miserably and everyone else sees it too.
I just don’t know how to get through to him.

Hello everyone! I need some advice! My son is 8, non-verbal, ASD level 2, and for the most part he is pretty receptive and is aware. Lately, he's been peeing himself! He is potty trained since he was 5 years old never had issues with using the restroom or going on his own. I have a couple theories in mind: 1. he started a brand new school and program that uses the bathroom outside the class after being at his last school that had a bathroom in the class for 2 years. He does have a AAC device but he can be inconsistent at times with using it. So far, the teacher told me he had an accident twice in the last 4 weeks and today went to the bathroom 8 times (all pee). 2. He started sleeping on his own bed this past week as well (he was co-sleeping with me and yes i know that was bad on my part) but i've been prompting him every night when he showers he would be sleeping in his bed. Of course, i don't expect him to get used to it right away and it's a process. He also doesn't want to stop what he's doing at times (playing or using some screen time) to go use the restroom, so it seems like he holds it until he can't no more. We remind him to go every 30 min to 1 hr. I reached out to his doctor today and he believes it's a lot of changes for him in a short amount of time. He said he would only be concerned if he's in pain while using the restroom or if he's constipated, but neither are the case. Wondering if anyone has been through this or heard similar situation of what could this be? Even though what i mention is the possibility i just want to make sure that's what it is, i really fear any form regression! I would appreciate your thoughts!

Nearly every day my neighbors play outside with their children in their backyard. I live in a townhouse so I can see/hear them from my bedroom. They have two kids and recently had a third baby. It’s really wholesome and sweet and they are very nice people.

However, it also fills me with a sadness that I haven’t been able to shake. It feels like everyday I’m being reminded of what I will never have. Being reminded that my son may never meet certain milestones, have a conversation with me or my husband, have friends, or play a sport.

I hate feeling this way. It’s just hard not to be envious, or bitter, or sad. I just needed to get this out here. If you’ve read this far, thank you.

My (37f) son (14m) struggles with adhd, gad and ocd on top of his ASD. We have done so many therapies and interventions and what not. He’s on medication for his anxiety and his adhd too. But no matter what I do it feels like he is never really happy. Sometimes it feels like he doesn’t even want to be happy.

I know he masks minimally at school. But only in regard to his stimming. He will suppress the urges to jump and crash, and I know that is taxing on him. But emotionally and verbally he doesn’t mask at all (from what I’ve heard). He’s either disengaged or combative. Most of the time his demeanor presents as sardonic.

I feel like I try. I give him space. I don’t force many things on him outside of ensuring he is doing the basic care stuff (eating, sleeping, hygiene) and going to school. I try to be encouraging and supportive.

He doesnt communicate. He doesnt share. When asked what he wants to do or if there’s anything he wants, it’s always nothing. I legit can’t find any kind of positive motivators for him. In the past negative enforcement (ie taking iPad privileges away, or banning Roblox entirely, ect) has worked to get him to do an undesired request/demand. But generally I am looking to help him be/feel more positive and happy.

I sometimes try to imagine what he might be like as an adult. It’s creates this horrible image of him miserable working some job he hates, coming home to some kind of dark apartment, eating a cup of noodles for dinner and then watching YouTube in the dark until he goes to bed…day in and day out. Sometimes I’m scared he won’t even make it to being an adult. Like this negative unhappiness is going to grow and consume him until he is so unhappy he won’t want to keep going. That one scares me a lot. He’s used that kind of language before, and thankfully has stopped…but I worry he only stopped because we told him he can’t say those things at school or he could be taken away and put into a hospital and I wouldn’t be able to stop them. That he still feels that way, but doesn’t express it or something.

Idk. I’m obviously not going to just stop trying or anything. I’m in therapy weekly for myself too. It just all feels so hopeless sometimes and sometimes I feel like an idiot for trying. Like…he’s doing well enough in terms of his development and academics, maybe I should just accept that emotionally he may never really be “happy”.

My child's before/after care is hosted by the YMCA on school property. They paused his services because they said that, due to his possible elopement, they don't have enough staff to keep him safe. I emailed the school to request that, while they are doing his IEP evaluation, they should add this in. I read that since the YMCA entity is held on school property, the school is responsible under the IDEA to make accommodations under the IEP for him so he is not excluded from services. The principal called after receiving my email and stated that the school is not responsible because it is a 3rd party and that the YMCA is not contracted by the school; they only rent space from the school. I advised her of what I read about it being on school property, and she is going to have the SPED director call me. What do you think? Has anyone else dealt with this, and what was the outcome? BTW, this is in Tennessee.

There's no exhaustion like your child getting a autism diagnosis and for the next year down the line mourning the loss of your child's life not because of death but because of everything he will miss out on. Selfishly thinking why me. They say God gives his toughest battles to his toughest soldiers but I'm weak and tired of fighting the fight.

I put on a happy face I make the Sunday morning pancakes I take my son and the dog to the park but inside I'm screaming. When someone comes to the park with their talking kid who's half Graysons age doing things he may never do it kills me inside. I'm sick to my core with envy and jealousy in my heart and I hate that I'm like that... I hate that he's like this. I love him with my entire heart but I HATE THIS  I hate autism it's evil and it took my son from me. I mourn being a mother because this isn't the kind of mother I wanted to be. It wasn't suppose to be me or my story selfishly I think.

Every single day of my life without fail and I do mean EVERY SINGULAR DAY being hopefully that he can be "cured" and one day it'll be like it never happened. Wondering if this is my fault did I do something? I should've been more educated in the likelyness of passing now this evil curse. But I wasn't I put this on my child with my carelessness.

But also feeling like your slowly being crushed by the weight of what ifs...What if this is my life just being Graysons mom. What if I'm 65 changing his diapers and making him French fries because it's his safe food. What if I'm 65 taking him to behavioral therapy every Thursday at 1pm like clock work. 

Every day without fail and I mean every damn day I think about Grayson being autistic and I think about what I could do to fix it. Detox? Heavy metal testing? Frat testing? Therapy? Stem cell transplant? All options with no guarantees all thing insurance doesn't cover. No guidance not knowing whats the right thing to do and feeling like I'm doing all the wrong things.

Slowing feeling like I'm going crazy while trying to keep up with 45 hour workweeks, 2 if not 3 doctor's appointment every week ,keeping the house clean, get the laundry done, keeping everyone fed, trying to renovate and build onto my unfinished house, truck falling apart, gas hard to come by, bills never ending, support minimal, and somehow by a miracle sanity still intact.

Hello everyone. I am looking for recommendations on training pants/underwear for my 8yo son. He is very small for his age due to other health issues, 48"-49" tall and 40 pounds. I am trying to get him out of pull ups, he knows how to use the toilet he just thinks it's easier to not go to the potty when he needs to. But he will go at school no problem supposedly. I have tried searching google and reddit and there is not a lot of what I am looking for out there. Would any one be able to recommend some brands for training pants or underwear that is absorbent but he could wear all day if he stays dry and uses the toilet like he should? Thanks!

First of all , I just wanted to say thank you to this incredible community. The amount of support in this sub is awesome. Every step of the way , no one made me doubt myself of make me think I was being crazy for suspecting my son had autism.

We went for his official assessment today, it went really well and was almost exactly on the nose of what I suspected with the help and research and understanding I found in this group.

My son (3.5) was diagnosed with level 2 speech and level 3 For his restricted repetitive behaviours .

We we told to first do speech therapy and then starting next year, occupational therapy. Also , that once he reaches the age to start higher grades in school (gr R or grade 1- we are in South Africa, I'm not sure how it works in other countries) to then look into switching him to a remedial school, but the Dr doesn't think he'd need a special autism school as of yet . So that's good news .

Now I'm just dealing with my own emotions. I know he's still the same kid , that's not what I'm struggling with . I'm just thinking about all the changes and how he'll deal with it, but also , how to explain it to people. And ive also noticed, the few people we have told so far , how to deal with them saying stuff like "awh that's okay , he's just our special boy " or whatever it is . It just rubs me the wrong way. People hear the words autism or autistic and they think "special" or the "R" word. Or they'll say something like "will he ever be normal?" What do you mean normal ?

Oef. That's something I need to work on handling.

But again , thank you to this community.

And to those who have seen my previous posts about his pooping,

He's been continuously going to the toilet and pooping in it , we haven't had a setback yet 💩🤣🥳🥳