any moms who have children with autism and bipolar or just autism

Randi - posted on 08/27/2011

Nicole Follows, my son is almost 3 and he does the same thing. He will spin around while looking the opposite way. I just got him diagnosed with Autism a few months ago. He is pretty high functioning tho. He says some words and uses sign language. So you should try to make an appointment with a pediatrician. I had a lot of difficulties getting an appointment to get him diagnosed. Its about a 6 month wait, depending where you live. Hope this helps :)

Nicole - posted on 08/22/2011

Hi i my son is 2.5 years old with possible autism. He spins alot when standing and when on all fours, he also turns his eyes to the one side and his head the opposite way does any other moms have this problem??????

Heather - posted on 02/15/2010

hi vicky my son is 11 he was initially diagnosed with bipolar disorder 2 years later his diagnosis changed to aspergers

Rita - posted on 02/15/2010

I guess what is most frustrating is that my son is significantly lower mental functioning 6 yo , when he is 18 in the real world. He gets very nsaty, moody, angry, he steals & lies compulsivly. He has almost no interests, not TV, sports,video games, nothing to occupuy his time, all the toys or games he gets, he breaks. ALL OF THEM.He gets frustrated with it, doesnt ask for help and breaks it, and throws it away.As he gets older, I keep buing him things, he keeps destrying. No more buying any thing for him. He has no focus to become interested in any thing for longer than 5 minutes. He takes off on me when we go out somewhere, and then I spend long periods of time looking for him. The behavior is highly non- compliant, I can never say he is a joy to be around, because the truth is....he is difficult, and his behaviors get to me. The extreme minipultion...is the worst. The OCD...so very bad.

He is in a Residential School, as there were no appropriate programs that could handle him in the state I live in. I see him almost every weekend, but my nerves explode. No other family members can handle him any more, just me. We have tried about 100 different meds and combinations. I actually took him of meds all together. Nothing is really helping. I feel sorry for him, I really do. I wish I had a "gentle giant" or a kid who was manageable. I really do. I am not having a positive experience with him. There is so much heart ache.

Christina - posted on 02/14/2010

The little one has a rare cromosome disorder and PDD. He doesn't walk and has limited control of his bodily functions. He talks to me but doesn't say much at a time.

Christina - posted on 02/14/2010

I have a nine year old with a autisum spectrum disorder and a fourteen year old with bypolar and posible aspergers disorder. Some days are better than others. They are great though.

Rita - posted on 02/14/2010

When they are mostly independant with the ADL's, but do not do them well...What do you do? Let them smell or insist you help them? I actually have been talking to my son, and he loves to go out....any where. I have made it clear, if his parts are not clean, he stays home. I am hoping it works.

Sharon - posted on 02/12/2010

OMG..U JUST DECRIBED MY SON AND MY LIFE AND STRUGGLES WITH HIM TO A TEE...EXCEPT HE IS NOW 21...HE ALSO HAS SHOWER PROBLEMS AND TO TOP IT OFF HE WEIGHS 367 LBS....HE IS MY GENTLE GIANT AND A BLESSING

Sharon - posted on 02/12/2010

HI..I HAVE 3 BOYS..MY MIDDLE SON WHO IS 24 IS BIPOLAR..AND MY YOUNGEST SON MATTHEW IS AUTISTIC and HAS PDD...I AM NEVER BORED OR LONLEY..LOL

Jolene - posted on 02/11/2010

To Melanie: My son takes 200 mgs at night. I give it to him at 7:30 pm ecery night w/ a flintstone vitamin. He chews his and is asleep 90% of the time by 8:30 pm. On week days I wake him at 7 am for school. 90% of the time he sleeps through the night. About 10% of the time, he either stay up late even w/ the meds or wakes up extremely early or we just can't get him up at 7. Not very often though, maybe 1 time every two weeks.

Rita - posted on 02/11/2010

Hello every one....My name is Rita, and I have an 18 yo son who is diagniosed with PDD, functioning on a K level. He has bad OCD, but they suspect there is Bipolar going on. He has ADHD...big time, no focusability! We have just taken him off meds. It has been years and years of trials. Every thing that suppresses one behavior....causes another for him. I am a RN, and I am fairly knowlegable in the medication area....we have tried so many, and at this point, I have decided to not medicate. Our latest was Strattera, as his focus is soooo very poor from the ADHD. It made him angry, nasty at times....good focus, but exacerbated the OCD. He obsesses big time on it about this or that. So, I think I will take the lack of focus.

It has been a struggle with him for years and years. My son potty trained at 6 yo, which was great, but he is not great with washing certain parts in the shower, and he sometimes has odor. I cant wipe his butt for him at 18, but I have tried every thing to motivate him to do a better job. I know this sounds gross, and I am sorry, but although he is potty trained, he really lacks the skills that go along with it. Drives me nuts. I want to get over that hump too. I am not sure if it is behavior or lack of coordination.

There are a lot of issues with these kids that parents of NT kids....will never understand!

Wish you all well

Melanie - posted on 02/11/2010

Hello Vicky! My 8 year old son is Bi-Polar w/ ADHD, he also has sleep disorder, anxiety disorder, and OCD. We also are fixing to test him for autism. My 7 year old daughter is Autistic w/ ADHD. And we are fixing to be testing her for Bi-Polar disorder, too. Both of my children have behavioral disorders and mood disorders. It is most definitely a day to day struggle. Both of mine are also on daily meds.

To Jolene: How is the Trazadone working? My son was taking it at age 5, but 100mgs at night didn't even faze him!

Christina @ Nurlina Khairunnisa - posted on 02/11/2010

I'm a bipolar patient for many years and there's a big chance that my children will inherit it. But it does not stop me from excelling in life. I'm a school teacher now.Am still on medication and hospital appointments. A few of my children show signs of anxiety but my family and I try to deal with it by talking and being close to each other. Because of my illness we spend most of our time together. But when the bigger children leave home for boarding school.. I miss them tremendously..so I go visit them every week with a picnic basket I made myself. Accepting an illness is the first step to curing it.. then the next step is how to deal with it. Being open about it is good but we tend to meet people who have stigmas about having Bipolar and that can be frustrating. Like me I have several friends who have Bipolar but still lead successful lives. It's your outlook towards life too. Prayer and having faith in your religion helps the patient heal. Don't worry that you have kids with Bipolar.It does not mean it's the end of the world. Society seldom look at this illness and think that there isn't a cure. Believe me there is and your child will grow and accomadate himself and his illness. Hospital assistance is one step you must go and follow-up with medication. TLC from all members of the family n friends n relatives are important. You must be strong and don't give up at each relapse of the illness. Believe me you are not alone..

Elizabeth - posted on 02/10/2010

Hi Vicky. I have a 9 year old son who has Bipolar Disorder as well as Asperger's. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 4 and just received an Aspergers diagnosis in October. He has also been diagnosed with adhd but his psychiatrist said that a child with Asperger's cannot have adhd. He is doing well now. We have had a lot of med changes in the last six months but so far this med change is working.

Judie - posted on 02/09/2010

Hi Vicky

I have a 9 year old son who is hyperactive/autistic/down syndrome with multiple heart problems and other medical problems

My son is not on any perm medications,I refused to allow it and he has finally started sleeping 4/5 hours a night,converses with a mix of words,sign language and P.O.D. a folder set out with pictures. The last 2 months he has been out of day pull-ups but I still put them on him at night,although 9 times out of 10 he has been dry come morning.

Last year he won the "Pupil of the Year Award" for his school,I was so proud but he sure did earn it,he has come so far in the last 12 months. Just when you wonder if you are getting anywhere,out of the blue they tottally rock your world and start doing the things you were wondering if it would ever happen.

Julie - posted on 02/09/2010

Our son is 8 and has low functioning autism.....he is amazing!! This year he learned to talk (simple 2 word sentences, but all functional) and potty train. Struggles come and go but always seems to impress the staff at the school. He takes meds for sleep, focusing, and to dull the bad behaviors

Jolene - posted on 02/09/2010

Hi Vicky. I have an 8 yr old son w/ autism. He's pretty high functioning. As for the bipolar . . . my husband & I both have it so it could be in his future. He has anxiety and sleep problems and his psychiatrist didn't want to put him on an antidepressant because he said it could trigger or lead to bipolar disorder but he was out of options so now he takes trazadone for the anxiety and to sleep. Without meds, he can stay up at least a full 24 hrs, take a 2 hour nap, and get up and do it again. I also happen to have a brother-in-law who is severely autistic w/ possible schizophrenia.