Posting for the first time

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Joined: 23 Jan 2011
Gender: Female
Posts: 7

24 Jan 2011, 11:47 am

I just found this site this morning. I'm looking to gain some knowledge and insight into my son's condition, and what I can do to support him as he is going through his teenage years. He was diagnosed with 'high functioning autism' when he was about 6 years old. He's 16 now.

Here are some of the things that are current issues:
* Eating or chewing on non-food items constantly
* Causing damage to items without meaning to, or not remembering it
* Fitting in socially / picking the right friends
* Knowing more than his teachers at school, but failing some of his classes
* Knowing more than his parents, or everyone for that matter
* Fascination with psychology, he uses it to 'diagnose' his friends he is 'counseling' (usually young girls with abusive fatherly or male relationships)

On one hand, my son is very fun to be with, open about his thoughts/feelings, fantastic with his baby brother, and very caring around other people. I believe he has very good intentions.

On the other hand, I am scared as his mom, that he has a very long way to go before he'll be ready for the adult world. He truly believes he is ready right now, and that he knows everything there is to know about making it. He has a very different view of himself than what others see.

Others comment that he is quick to blame everyone else for his mistakes/bad grades/poor teaching style, etc.... and that he is very controlling and uses a lecture-style of talking to them. They see him as somewhat defiant & rigid, unwilling to accept their help or guidance (in the case of his teachers & counselor)

The biggest problem right now is that he refuses to go to counseling. I think he should be on a plan to become more self-reliant and independent. He is insulted by this and tells me that counselors have too many problems of their own. I believe this comes from his dad, who is a religious extremist and doesn't believe in counselors at all, only in studying the bible as a method of 'curing' problems.

I'd be very grateful for any resources, help, or feedback!