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January 20, 2006, 2:29 pm PST
PDD/NOS
Quote From: scalgboysI can relate wholeheartedly, as I am sure many others do also, as to what you are going through. My son is also turning 11 next month and has been diagnosed with PDD-NOS (which, the more research I do, I think may be Aspergers instead) as well as ADHD and Mood Disorder-NOS. So I can relate to the daily struggles you are going through. It is so exhausting and frustrating dealing with the behaviors, the mood swings, etc. And I absolutely loose my patience... a lot! And then of course, I feel worse when I do. But, you have to remember that we are only human... and this is tough to deal with. FYI, I have found a wonderful and supportive website for children with hidden disabilities. It contains a lot of information as well as a chat room and message boards with parents like us discussing the day to day frustrations as well as how to deal with the problems at school. The website is called Starfish Advocacy and it is at www.truenorthedu.us . There, you will see that you are truly not in this alone! Lots of luck, and feel free to write me back! My son turned 10 in November. He was diagnosed as developmentally delayed when he was 3 years old. Evaluation after evaluation led us finally to PDD/NOS. This after we had been told that he had oppositional defiance disorder as well as an unspecified mood disorder with dysthymia (depression). I feel like I have been living this life for years. For the longest time it consumed our life. He was 6 years old the first time he said that he didn't want to be alive. Finally now, my son's melt downs occur less often. He has good days and bad days. He doesn't melt down at school as much any more but the bus is still a difficulty. I am constantly battling the school district to keep coded as special needs but allow him to be in a regular classroom. We are constantly trying to train him as to what is appropriate socially. Usually what he thinks is funny is offensive or annoying to everyone else. Sometimes people don't even realize he is different until he does something they view as strange and then all they see is the behavior and not the kid. But I have hope. I know that if he can come this far, he can grow to be a functioning adult. I am just grateful to see that I am not alone. Living with children with special needs is overwhelming and in many ways isolating. My friends really can't understand. For the most part, Page seems normal enough to them he just needs more discipline, or better parenting. Do any of you feel that way? That other parents see your child's behavior as some fault of yours? Is it hard for you not to agree with them?
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