My 11 yr old Allison

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I knew she was different, the moment I first held her. She looked old, wise, she was hiding a secret. She screamed with colic the first three months of life. Each day brought on a new stress as a young, first time mother. After her colic passed, she slept all day. At the age she began focusing on objects, she would spend numerous moments, even hours staring at her hand. She would hold her tiny clenched fist up, turn it slowly, surveying it. My mother was the first to say, " I wonder if she is autistic."
My husband and I were both working for an ARC, an organization that helps mentally and physically disabled people. WE were both aware of the symptoms of autism. As Allison learned to walk, she also exhibited issues with change. We got new living room furniture and she refused to go into that room. She was terrified. She also didn't like certain songs I played and would react with a fit of tears. Certain odors bothered her, making her throw up.

At the age of four, we were very frustrated and thought we were doing something wrong. Allison was not potty trained and could not put even two words together. She would grunt when she wanted something, whine, cry and throw a lot of tantrums. WE spanked her, we grew very frustrated. We did not receive our 'clue' until she began kindegarten. Allison passed all the tests, was able to identify numbers, colors and letters but could not put a sentance together. She was socially devestated in school and digressed to isolation. She would scream due to being overloaded with sensories and people. We pulled her from school and placed her in a prek class where she began many therapies especially for speech. We took her to a specialist and had her diagnosed with Autistic spectrum disorder not other specified. IT was vague like we wanted as we did not want her to carry a stigma at this point. After the 3rd grade, she was then able to speak, still a bit broken and her social skills went from none to little. She prefers company of adults.
WE were still very frustrated at this point because she showed no empathy, if forced to make eye contact during a lecture, she would burst into laughter and not listen to a word spoken.
REcently, as her anual eval, we learned she has asperger's. It makes perfect sense to us, what we are seeing in her and I now feel good, like we are finally on the right path with her future!!
Hope to be able to help others and recieve help.

I bet it was hell that you went through. I was diagnosed when I was 2, and now I am 11. That was the old me, and my social skills improve every day. I suggest you do some reaserach on it, so you can learn to cope with it. I wish you good luck with your daughter. If you have any questions you can talk to me.

Little girls are creepy.