Oh wow ~ ya dealing with family is even harder!
I will admit that autism is not forte ~ in 25 years I have only ever had exposure to 1 child with it and she was not directly in my classroom and came with her own support worker so we did not really have to 'work' with her too much cause the PSW did all the programming and support.
Had lots of children whose DR had said they were on the 'spectrum' but I am starting to think that any children are being labelled as autistic cause it made people feel better to explain why their child did not behave just like for years many children who could not sit still and listen were labelled ADHD without being truly 'tested' to have that brain disorder and well were just not the sit still and listen learning personality!