More ranting about my niece....

[My Peanuts]

Its really wierd, I have never had such mixed feelings dealing with any other human being. She makes me feel bipolar or something, one minute I feel bad for her and the next I want to slap her.

It is putting a big strain on me and I don't really see an end in sight.....

Hmm, maybe SHE needs to talk to a professional. I find it very odd that she isn't more grateful. Since she doesn't have friends maybe a counselor can help her get some things off her chest? I think anyone, especially a young person, would need to talk to a counselor after losing a parent.

[caseysmom]

I know that something in her is "missing" if that makes sense. Her brother is severely autistic and I think she has just a touch of it or something. One of the signs is social problems. This is why I don't feel I can just put her out in the world on her own.

[Karen]

Have you ever read about Asperger's? Might help you deal with her,
http://www.aspergers.com/ as limited social abilities and difficulty relating to people are often part of it.

[caseysmom]

Karen, The friend from church who had my niece for a few days suggested aspergers..the only problem I feel like okay I get her diagnosed...then what? There are no meds for this as far as I know.

[Karen]

Karen, The friend from church who had my niece for a few days suggested aspergers..the only problem I feel like okay I get her diagnosed...then what? There are no meds for this as far as I know.

The page I linked to talks about treatment, but lots of it is behaviorial, not medical.

[caseysmom]

Yes and unfortunately it seems like intervention at a young age would have helped her a lot. Her parents were totally absorbed with the severly autistic child.

I get on here and rant but I do feel like I have made some progress, it probably sounds small but for her they are probably huge steps. Just having some confrontations with me are actually probably good for her. It seems like there was no communication in her house.