Hi, My son is 11 and high functioning autistic. He goes to a regular school. He gets speech, and special ed service 7 hours a week in the classroom. He doesnt fit in but doesnt mind. He knows he is different. He doesnt get jokes all the time but laughs anyway, it is more bizare to hear him tell a joke. The jokes dont make sense but he loves to tell his own. Im happy to answer question as a forshodowing of a potential future for your son.

Thank you Katelise,
Did you son have a hard time in school with behavior? Did he have a hard time understanding instructions in the classroom and following instrusctions? I appreciate any thing you can share.

I was in speech therapy from PreK to 9th grade. My speech was actually okay by 7th grade, but the speech group was good social skill practice. I went to a regular elementary and middle school. I went to a high school for gifted children. However, I recieved lots of Special Education help at all schools. In elem. and middle school I was in Special Education math classes. In high school I was moved to an inclusion math class and managed to get three years of that done. I graduated on time. All of my teachers were informed about my conditions and they truly went out of the way to help me succeed. I even worked in a coffee shop in school run by Special Education students. I do have a hard time fitting in still, but I am trying to make friends in ways I can. (church, pen pals, web) Nobody knew I was autistic until I was 14. And I understand some jokes, mainly because my dad has a great sense of humor! Hope this helps. I did sorta have a problem following directions. I could only understand to one thing at a time. (this is true at home with chores too). My behavior was so-so.

Hi, my son Trent does not have behavior problems at school, when he was in first grade he took his shirt off at recess and got in a little trouble, he said it was hot, we had moved from alaska to the maryland shore. He was told the rules and didnt do it again, he is a rule follower to the max he likes bible stories and veggie tales. He has a big problem following instruction and understanding them. He needs visual and verbal instructions. Your son is only 3, Trent did not follow or understand directions at that age. He was doing only signs then.He didnt talk much.model everything for him.whats your sons name, does he talk?

Katelise,
My son talks a lot. He has good speech but he has trouble with questions. He doesn't seem to know someone is asking him something and that he needs to respond. He just learned to tell us his name when asked. He has chunks of speech but they say it is a lot of scripted learned speech. He uses it properly though and can ask for things he wants. He just started to understand what was being said to him a little more in the last few months and he can now follow simple directions (but he has started to be non-compliant) and that really has kept him from moving forward with speech. He mostly runs (escapes) the speech person and cries a lot or screams if he can't get his way now. I feel we have a set back right now.

Hi , I have a 12 yr. old son who just recently got diagnosed with High Functioning Autism and he goes to a regular school. He goes to a resource room (Special Ed) 3 times a day, during his Reading, Writing and Math (the three subjects he struggles with the most). He doesn't have any friends, but that don't bother him, he is content by himself at school and at home. His sister hangs out with him at home and she is 8 1/2 . They get along great. The only other time he is around kids his own age (besides school) is our church youth group or Sunday school and the kids know about his Autism and they treat him good. he is still content to be by himself when he is there. I use to worry about my son, but i don't worry as much as i use to. We still need to work on getting him Social therapy. There is help for that.

hi both my boys have high functioning autism, rhys is in mainstream but i am hoping to get a move to special school this yr as he has stopped making preogress and cannot read ot write (he's nearly 10yrs) his behaviour in school has been reasonable with only the occasional outbursts his speech however is not very good, his class mates however are the nicest kids out and have accepted him as he is,like katelise'son rhys will pretemd to understand jokes and try to tell them, he has a great character and i find this is true with most kids with high functioning autism. he does have problems following instructions due to a problem retaining info again this is worked around both in school and at home by strict routines and continuous verbal prompts,