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Name: mitch New Member   Title: child'srights

i have a high functioning autistic 1o year old son, his father and i have been divorced for over 6 years. he has never wanted to visit on weekends with his father, i thought the tantrums that he threw he would outgrow they never have and since his gotten older, he is so depressed over going i'm afraid he is going to have a nervous breakdown. at what age can a child not be forced to go with the other parent in joint custody with physical placement with the mother?

Name: shegi New Member

I do not know when you posted this, but this is the year 2010. I also have an autistic 9 year old boy. His father is unfit. I am afraid of his reckless behavior, and I need to know if I could terminate his parental rights. Visitations are not really option as far as I am concern. It take so much to raise our kind of kinds, and they do not need the split home, step mom or step dad really in the picture. They need consistency, and patience and so much more. I live in Mihigan. If you have found anything out in this area, please reply back. Thank you

Name: Pane2nou Member

Dear Mitch,I don't know your location. But your situation has special circumstances by way of your son's autistic condition. Does he attend a special school or is he integrated in a public school with special education needs? Are there resources in your community with regards to autistic children? Are your son's academics revealing any changes with regards to anxiety over visitation? Do you suspect anything out of the ordinary that your son has experienced while visiting his father? Could there have been something in your son's past with his father that brings on this high level of anxiety?There are so many questions and not enough information related through your concerns written here. High functioning autistic children don't normally have this much apprehension when there is a bond with a parent or caretaker, even in special housing units. How long has this been an issue with your son?If you were to express your concerns with the school or perhaps a parents group with autistic children that meets regularly you may find your answers. Also, there are county offices that handle concerns about abuse or suspected abuse of handicapped children. Counseling may be suggested to get to the heart of the issue with your son. I feel it is significant enough since you mention his frame of mind at just the thought of visiting. Something isn't right, but that doesn't mean your son knows exactly what it is that upsets him this much. You will need to help him with this and then seek some form of intervention with regards to visitation. His welfare is so important as well you know, some autistic children will abuse themselves when faced with enviroments that they are uncomfortable in or with people that harm them in some way. What the courts would say in your situation is largely going to be dependent upon what circumstances your son is facing, what the root cause of his anxiety is over. At the age of 13, in my state, children can decide who they wish to be with and can and DO have a voice in the court as to why they choose not to visit and can often choose the times when they want to visit. I can only assume that it may be different where you are but certainly with what you describe, there may be a valid reason he should NOT be visiting his father. Seek out the reason why your son is having this reaction and then follow through with the courts.Please stay in contact. You may be able to help another with what information you have located.I wish you the best.Pane