My youngest daughter has Autistic Spectrum Disorder. She was diagnosed with this when she was 13, she is now nearly 18 and Astridlora is still a child. That's not a problem, I love how she's stayed more less forever young. Her body is changing and in that way she's growing up, she is a very pretty girl but I don't see her ever having a family of her own. I think she will always need to be taken care of. In 2016 my husband passed away after he was involved in a car crash, this as any death would, affected our family badly but it destroyed Astridlora. She couldn't come to terms with the fact that her dad was gone and that she would never see him again. Ever since she lost her dad she has suffered from bad nightmares where she wakes up and screams the house down! She also suffers from the fear of being left alone, some nights she won't sleep unless I am in the room with her, and other times she'll burst into tears randomly even if she was really happy only a few seconds before. Last night Astridlora burst into tears and I spent the next 3 hours cuddling her and comforting her before she finally calmed down. I think it's the death of her dad which has brought all this on, but I'm ashamed to say I don't know how to help her through this. She won't go to tthe doctors, and in the past when I've had people come to her she sits like a statue and won't speak or move until they're gone. Her older sister and brother are a great support to her, they both look after her and help me. Last week Rebecca slept in with Astridlora to comfort her. I just wish i could help her through this, but she won't see or speak to a professional so I am at a loss of what to do now. Any advice regarding this would be greatly recieved. Thank you for your time.
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