We have friends round last night. We planned to watch world warz. Daughter doesn't like sleeping when we have friends round. Despite the fact that she would be scared of the film and not want to miss out on anything. So, I planned ahead, I gave her medicine, and we waited till she was dozing on the sofa before carrying her upstairs. Fail. She got up and tried to come out again. So we suggested the puppy stayed with her. We put the puppy on her bed. Shortly afterwards, she jumped off and ran downstairs closely followed by a child who clearly doesn't want to sleep. We tried again, shutting her door. Daughter decided she wanted to come down, so let the puppy out. Then she didn't want the puppy. I tucked her back in, then she wanted a drink. I brought her a drink, then she wanted to watch something on her tablet. We agreed 1 clip which is approx. 20 minutes. I came up when it was finished and she turned it off, no problem. But still wouldn't sleep. She asked me to sleep in her room again. I said not tonight which caused upset. I did agree to sit with her for a while to get to sleep but said I was going once she slept. In all honesty, she was so tired, I figured 10 minutes max. How wrong was I?
Almost half an hour later I managed to escape by which time I had missed far too much of the film to catch up. So I decided to sit in there grooming the dogs. We have 2 dogs, one is a cocker spaniel pup, just on a year and the other is a border collie who is 7. I have a friend who has managed to convince me both of my dogs are on the autistic spectrum somewhere. My collie has severe obsessions, especially with her balls. And when she looses one in the woods, she really cant cope and gets very upset. She doesn't like it when things don't go as she expects. The cocker is probably the highest form of ADHD anyone has ever seen and is starting to show traces of defiance, separation anxiety and can be extremely controlling of her toys, and very possessive, not to mention how she lines all the bones up so she can control them all! Makes me wonder. Can dogs be autistic??
Daughter got up in a really awful mood. She was really snappy and generally distressed. She wouldn't eat and complained of headache and tummy ache. I diagnosed severe school-it is (only 3 days to go).
We were lucky that she was booked into a brownie trip to the theatre to see a pantomime. So we got through the morning with a few anxieties around her uniform being perfect, and the weather being horrid. Eventually, we had her wrapped up in snow boots, waterproof trousers,, waterproof jacket and an umbrella and we were able to get out of the door. We had to pack her shoes to change in once we were there, as brown owl had said 'no boots'. We got to the theatre and went inside to get daughters shoes on, and waterproof trousers off. The rest of her unit was meeting outside, but daughter refused to go out again. Luckily, brown owl understands her anxieties and brought the rest of the unit inside so I could leave. She took 'food' with her, not that she ate much. I sent her with her prescription milkshake, a yoghurt, a chocolate mousse and an innocent smoothie. She ate just the milkshake. Her brown owl brought an ice cream each so she managed to eat that too.
We picked her up at 330, she enjoyed the pantomime, but was very tired, and still complaining of being ill along with being hungry. We got home and I gave her some soup which she wouldn't eat, as she said her throat hurt and the soup would irritate it. She did, however, manage a chocolate milkshake, some more yoghurt and a second milkshake. I left her to chill alone along with a dose of calpol and nurofen. Thankfully, she started feeling better and came down to ask to watch tv.
Its finally Saturday, which means there are only a few days before school starts. Before school, we have the issue of church tomorrow, which, depending on what mood daughter is in may or may not lead to a meltdown. We have told daughter that we are going to church tomorrow. It didn't go down too well, but that's tough. We are happy to make allowances for her, however, sometimes, she has to make allowances for us too.
Saturday night is an early night all round. I plan on getting daughter to bed around 8, she is exhausted. All the anxiety wears her out. My plan may not work, and I am not sure how I will get her to take any medicine. But we keep trying.
We have been very lucky over the holidays, other than a few issues, you wouldn't know daughter has autism. She has been really calm and well behaved most of the time. Husband and I have done everything possible to reduce demands and anxiety levels, which helps no end. But the biggest anxiety in daughters life, we cannot change. And its coming on Tuesday.
For anyone who isn't aware, we believe our daughter has a form of autism known as PDA. Its not recognised nationally within the NHS. I am fighting to change that. Please help! We need the petition signing and sharing as much as possible go fix the postcode lottery diagnosis. Please can you sign and share. There are hundreds of families in our position. Fighting, but getting no where.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/57807
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