We have an appointment with the paediatrician - hurray!
As it was only a few months ago we last saw her, and it is not usual to see them more than once a year, I had to approach my key worker at the local disability team to see how I go about it.
Luckily for me I have a good key worker, thankfully, and she told me to leave it to her to organise. I did. And she came back within days with an appointment for only two weeks time.
The paediatrician office secretary had said that there were no appointments until July at least, but my key worker explained to the paediatrician directly why I was desperate for an appointment, and so she has made a special booking, not on her ususal working day, to just come out and see me. I am very grateful, and will tell her so!
*The issues of sleep (or rather lack of) and the no can do attitude from my own GP surgery and everyone around us.
*His genetic appointment which has been delayed for a while now.
*He has developed a foot problem. The same it appears that I suffer from, and have spoken about in a previous blog entry. He has the same outward symptoms as myself, and mine started at around his age too.
It is a physical disability that has no real medical help for. You just learn to live with the pain and the seized up foot muscles.
*His behaviour has gone down hill not just at home but at school too.
*Constant head banging.
*Mock crying followed by hysterical laughing.
*Sniggering (at nothing whatsoever).
*Blowing raspberries (when he is stressed).
*Forgetting simple things such as where he has put something down, not one minute before.
The boy needs help in getting to sleep. He obviously has little or no natural melatonin which is common in autists. And to be told by the medical profession he can't have it prescribed (when a few of my friends children have done / still do) but can be prescribed an anti histamine (which supposedly has a side effect of drowsiness - it did'nt) is really getting me down. You can buy melatonin is America from supermarkets. In Britain you have to jump through hoops. Battle through rediculous red tape. Talk to clueless GPs. Cry. Beg. Plead. And then do what I am now doing and saying "enough"! No more BS. No more sleep diaries. HE NEEDS MELATONIN. Otherwise I will be talking to my MP and discussing the issue of negligence not only towards my autistic son, but to my other two sons, myself and my two labradors.
Wish me luck.
