MY SON HAS PDD NOS AND THINGS ARE GETTING WORSE?

I have a 5 year old son who was dx'd with Pdd-Nos. He was doing really good for a while. But as of the past few months he seems to be getting worse. He has alot more meltdowns, and they last alot longer. Some times its a whole day thing. Its Not predictable anymore what triggers him, Or what will help him. Is it normal for Autistic children to have such extreme ups and downs? Or should I be worried something else may be going on? If you could just share your advice or story I would appreciate it.MY SON HAS PDD NOS AND THINGS ARE GETTING WORSE?
Be encouraged.



Your son is maturing and so is his attention to details and responses. He is also becoming more discriminating in his likes and dislikes. His reactions to these are quicker and changing. Yes, it is taxing to keep up with these but your peace depends on your attentiveness and proper identification of the stimulus.



Yes, the flare ups %26amp; down are "normal". Your mothers' instinct has you looking for something else as in the environment but you are overlooking the changes (maturation) in him.



Sometimes, it will be overwhelming. You need respite. Get it.



His getting worse means that you are missing something (un/ inattentive to). Take heart. You are capable, sufficient to the challenge. Abandon the "normal" concepts and pursue the abnormal if they result in peace.



Know that we, your child and I, have confidence in you whether you feel like it or not.MY SON HAS PDD NOS AND THINGS ARE GETTING WORSE?
Extreme changes are pretty normal, especially with Autism. With PDD-NOS, there are still ups and downs. Sometimes they are working on something new and they seem to lose some of their own skills.



One thing that was recommended to me is to keep a big marker board. When he has a meltdown, write down on the board what he was doing. And eventually, you'll find it is more predictable than you thought.



For example, my son has meltdowns when there are lots of people around, he doesn't deal well with crowds. My other son doesn't like sudden changes, he needs warning before we change activities or something.



When he has a meltdown, what I do is take my child out, isolate them, and stay with them for a few minutes. Sometimes that is enough to figure out the problem.



My second son, if he wakes up in a royal meltdown, then I pick him up and he tells me where to go. Usually it's back in the car and around the block, because he didn't remember falling asleep, so we have to go in order and he can't fall asleep one place and wake up another.



Hang in there. Times get hard, but eventually they get better. And look around, there is probably a parent group that meets routinely and can help you deal with your son, give you ideas how to deal with it, and help you find resources in your area.MY SON HAS PDD NOS AND THINGS ARE GETTING WORSE?
My son is 7 pdd-nos. I went through the exact same thing you are. Our meltdowns started between 4 and 5 in the afternoon and would go on for hours. By the time he was finished we were both crying. Him for what ever reason and me for not being able to help him. I finally decided one day that autism was not running my child's life. I wrote down everything from what he was like when he woke up to everything he ate that day. I started seeing that the days he ate a lot of dairy that the next day he was completely out of control. He loved mm's. That was the only candy he would eat. I started watching his dairy intake and the days he had less dairy then he wasn't as defiant,angry and aggressive. I finally figured out that dairy was a problem. I have not taken all of his dairy away but we do limit it. He doesn't have the stomach problems anymore. He still has some melt downs but only occasionally. It is not everyday unless he takes in a lot of dairy. He can get very defiant and angry so we really watch what he eats. Good luck I know things will work out. You just have to figure out if it is food or smells or whatever it may be that sets him off. I would start with foods and see if there is some kind of relation there. I also must add that my son was put on medication for his ocd and it too has helped him tremendously. I hope this helps. My heart goes out to you because I know what you are going through. Remember patience is the key with children with autism. Be understanding and stay calm it helps.