Autism Awareness Month

He'll be 17 in two weeks. 


He still behaves like a three year old. 


Like tonight, the second night of him having a 500 page essay for repeatedly sleeping in class.   One he refuses to do.  No matter what I say, yell, take away-he is adamant that he won't do it. 


He refuses to go to bed at night, we could call it 'Song of GameTeen'

"I'm in the middle of a game!  I'm not ready for bed!  I'm not tired!  I hate bedtime!  I'm not sleepy!  You're not being fair!"


Then, he wakes in the middle of the night, and if we're all asleep, he forages for food, hunts out the game systems out of whatever new hiding spot we've found (seriously, we go through hiding spots at a breakneck pace) and then sleeps in class. 

The psychiatrist we got this year is completely ineffective.  He's on the highest dose of melatonin they suggest for ADULTS, a high dose of OCD meds, a high dose of meds for Aspergers, and ADHD meds and she didn't want to give him more sleep medications.  She suggests therapy.  She says to GameTeen "you should do what mom and dad tell you to do" in a friendly, conversational tone. 

She doesn't get it.  This child does not respond to sing song inflection-he walks all over it. 

He's almost 17, it should get better, right? 

Sometimes, it feels like I'm in combat and I'm unarmed.  I can't make headway with this enemy.  Despite knowing what it is and how to deal with it, the knowledge means nothing.  Because what is supposed to work doesn't with my son.  Like right now.

He insists he's tired and needs sleep-just like last night.  Then, he had in school suspension and slept ALL day. 

It's a battle of wills and I'm not strong enough to overcome this daily battle. 

And that is what life with Autism is like.