>>>Yes, she does:
"It feels like my legs are on fire and a million ants are crawling up my arms," Carly has written about the urge to hit herself.<<<<


She also writes how she loves playing with her brother and how lucky she is to have her sister who she loves so much.

I wonder what Carly would tell you, if you offered her the choice of life, or death, Mary.   I feel she would choose life. What makes her legs and arms feel better is moving around, and yes, hitting herself at times....and for that, so often, autistic children are told off, as are hyperactive children, ADHD children, dyslexic and dysprxic children...They are all on the same circle, at different points, sharing many traits, many symptomes...schizophrenics too...

The circle is wide and encompasses many.

Ben has realised that with medication, even though he dislikes taking it, his life is far more easy to live. His thoughts slow down, he is able to think straight....he doesn't need to move so much..I guess the drugs help with the pain and weird feelings...He told his Mum that sometimes, when he starts grunting and making strange noises (strange to us that is) he's merely 'letting off steam' because he, like Carly, feels a bit overwhelmed at all that's going on inside..and this helps release things..makes him feel better. He doesn't even know he does it...We don't care a bit, why should we...likewise, if he wants to wriggle, let him wriggle.

School controls in so often the wrong way...

"Sit STILL!"
"LOOK at me when I'm talking to you!"

Time to let go...


Thank you, Dan. I fully appreciate what you say..and yes, if we could remove the bad things for those we love who are affected, but keep the good, how wonderful that would be...Perhaps one day, as the children themselves teach us so much more about the 'inside of autism' perhaps we shall do just that..I certainly hope so too, with all my heart..



Here is the BBC Radio 4 series of programmes about autism from a while back now. They are still available.

BBC Radio 4 - 'You and Yours' - The Autism Series