r/AutismAustralia

Hi ND family,

TLDR: we are really struggling with our AuADHD son. Is it normal for his symptoms to be getting worse. Any tips appreciated!

Our son is 10yo and seems to be getting less and less able to do every day things. We’re feeling exhausted by the increased dysregulation, being called from work to pick him up from school more often and the sensory assault of the screeching at night. Is it normal for things to be getting worse, and for our world to be getting smaller?

He’s on 30mg of Vyvanse and 10 mg of Fluoxetine in the morning. 3mg of Guanfacine in the afternoon. Since starting the Fluoxetine 3 months ago he seems to have increasing episodes of dysregulation throughout the day. He complains of being tired, is talking more and more in a baby voice and says he’s scared more often. We started it as we thought his meltdowns might be a result of anxiety.

He used to be able to go to Jiujitsu twice a week, but now, even if I can convince him to go to the studio he can’t go in the mat because he’s scared. He never knows what it is that makes him scared. I gently sit with him hoping he’ll get used to the space with co-regulation but he’s instant he can’t do it. The lack of exercise I think is making things worse.

We tried a booster stimulant in the afternoon, but the come down is a screaming sometimes violet meltdown for hours and just not worth the benefit. Although when he’s on it he does really well. We try our best to give protein after school, but he’s so often not hungry and particular about food.

Evenings are tough, he can’t join us for dinner and is often screeching in his swing in his room, which is a really unfortunate verbal stim. Anything other that a sweet sing song voice tips him back into meltdown, which is really hard when your cortisol is raised from the constant requirement to be hyper sweet to a kid that’s assaulting our senses and sometimes our person.

The only time he talks in his regular voice is about Zelda, which is the current interest topic, or watching TV. He spends much of the rest of his time talking about when he can have a screen again.

He has lovely little friends, but we can’t do much of an afternoon or evening, and now even mornings he seems morose and hyper negative whenever we do anything, like go to the park or see friends and family.

I want to help support him. I’m exhausted and sad for him that his world is shrinking. Any tips of things we should try would be greatly appreciate.

Hi everyone I'm 19 and my GP and I are trying to find someone/someplace that does bulk billed/subsidised/medicare rebated autism and/or OCD assessments done for adults. Unfortunately I'm 1 year too old for any free services.

Unfortunately myself nor my Mum have the resources to fork out a few grand for one.

Anyone had any luck with services like sonder?

Feeling a bit hopeless at the moment about it as it all seems to be restricted by wealth :(

hello, I’m 29 female and currently renting with my husband. I was diagnosed with level 2 autism almost ten years ago and receive supports (which are extremely helpful to me) from the NDIS. I’ve tried for over ten years to work and recently reached a stage where I attempted to seriously harm myself and ended up in hospital for two weeks. I know it’s too hard for me to work realistically more than two days a week.

I believe I could be eligible for the disability pension, however because my husband earns a whopping 80k per year, I would end up taking home about $150 a fortnight? my plan would be to have this and work 1-2 days a week in a much more disability friendly role.

my question is, does anyone have a similar situation and have had to apply for a rental? we have to move to a new one in the next 6 months, I can’t imagine I’ll be working much, if at all. I’m worried if they see I’m on the DSP, we won‘t get accepted for any private rentals. does anyone have any experience with this and any advice? it’s so hard not being able to work but also not being able to get much support from the dsp

Hi everyone. For a while now I suspect there's something going on with me. I struggle with social situations. I have no friends obviously and have had a hard time forming friendships. My attention is not well either and this has been evident in my academic years as well as everyday life.

There's more to the above such as the fact that I am depressed, unemployed (cannot find work due to disability and other factors), I live with family and in a toxic environment that I'd wish I was strong enough and financially able to move out and close the doors to everything and everyone who has traumatised me for more than 20 years of my life.

I am in constant fight with myself and with situation that I can't take this anymore.

I want to seek help from a Psychologist regarding assessment but it is so expensive! I have noticed fees as high as 5,000$ which is insane considering Australia is a wealthy country. I also have no idea where to look for info and who is appropriate to assess/diagnose me. A Psychiatrist? A Psychologist? Like, who is more certified? I am sure this varies between ADHD and Autism due to meds?

If you are someone who lives in Victoria and is an adult diagnosed with ASD/ADHD and can help me understand I would really appreciate it. For the reference, I'm in my late 20s, Female.

Thank you and I am sorry for the heavy description.

Hi, I am a 44yo recently diagnosed AuDHD woman. I have a blended family of 6 children aged 16 down to 2, my 13 year old daughter is a yellow ladybug and my 3 year old son I think will be diagnosed autistic too (both on ndis). My 13 year old is experiencing some challenging mental health issues and along with that, frequent school refusal. Somehow with all of their needs and mine I am managing to hold down a four day/week job, thankfully my workplace and manager is very flexible with me being able to WFH, take time for appointments for kids and make that time up elsewhere etc. I’ve recently realised that I am in a DV relationship with my husband. Or maybe I knew but just don’t want to admit it to myself 😓 I have an intake appointment with my local DV service tomorrow. I’m gutted tbh.

Anyway it’s been on my list of things to do to apply for NDIS for myself for sometime. My diagnosis is by a psych (not clinical) so I’m assuming I will need to get that redone or reviewed by a clin psych. And an FCA by an OT? Is that what is needed to apply these days?

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