gothschild

Hi, I haven't been around much lately but I still pop on now and again to see how things are going for everyone. I am happy to say that J is having a brilliant time at his new school, he is exceptionally well supported and he is altogether so much happier. There have been a few hiccups but they have been dealt with and all is good. gothschild x

Lisa <'> <'> <'> Sorry you are feeling so fed up, hope you get the school your son needs. gothschild x

Thought I should let you know that J has started his new school and I'm impressed (didn't think I'd ever say that) better still J loves it! Everything I worried about has been catered for, he gets to go to lunch early, he has full access to the unit at all times, if he cannot cope with a mainstream lesson he can go to the unit to do it instead, he has his own designated support assistant and they even have a separate toilet for the kids in the unit to use so he doesn't have to be scared of going where the other pupils go anymore, the list goes on and on! Why am I still thinking that this is too good to be true? I so hope I'm wrong for once gothschild x

Hi J'smum, My son got mostly level 4's in his sats which made it look like he would cope in mainstream high school.... WRONG! A year later and he is now going into a ASD unit attached to a mainstream high school, his first year of secondary school was a complete waste of his time. <'> <'> <'> gothschild x

Hi, Sorry I didn't get back to you yesterday. J doesn't have an issue with eating food as a rule and has a good varied diet so I'm thankful for that. He just says that he can taste things hours after eating them, I think it must be in the way Flora described. He has tried cleaning his teeth and the taste just comes back, its a puzzle. gothschild x

Hi everyone, My son keeps saying that he can taste things he has ate, for a long time after he has finished eating them. It seems to concern him a bit and he has asked if it is because of his AS. I guess its something to do with sensory issues he already has trouble with noises, smells and touch. What do you think? gothschild x

I hope all goes well <'> <'> <'>

Thats terrible! I am sending my son to a unit in September and I am going to appeal to the tribunal because of the way the LEA are sending him there. Its not a PRU its a specialist unit for ASD's attached to a mainstream school. They have refused to give him a statutory assessment (again) even though the evidence for one is overwhealming so I have accepted the placement, registered my child at the school and I am being equally 'underhanded' by taking them to tribunal. I have decided that as they have named the placement they will find it very hard to take back the offer (discrimination), so I'm calling their bluff! I am shocked that these PRU units are only giving sub-standard help to the most vunerable of students! To treat SEN children or indeed any child is such a way is dreadful. Parents put a lot of trust in LEA's, we are allowing them to take care of our most precious 'belongings' its so wrong! gothschild x

Hi, J did believe in God up until last November, he was christened when he was 8, by choice and he attended junior church. This was why I began to help with the church fayres and I will still help out even though he doesn't go anymore, the congregation are elderly and they need the extra hands and I guess I enjoy it too! There is a comment on his attitude towards religion on his school report and the support staff have noticed that there is a change in his mood, when he is in the classroom that is used for RE, even when its another lesson altogether. I hope my younger sister opts for a non-church wedding when the time comes, because we will definately have a battle on our hands. He is digging his heels in with this one! gothschild x

Hi, Does anyones child have an issue with religion? My J refuses to go into a church or take part in RE lessons at school because he feels that they are pointless as God does not exist. J does not believe in things he cant see and feels that God is the same as the tooth fairy, father christmas and ghosts! I am not religious at all but I do accept that others are and I help out at our local church fayre and the Catholic school in which I work. J thinks that people who believe in God are stupid and openly says so. My cousins daughter is getting married in August and we have been invited to the evening reception, this is good as he would not entertain the prospect of going to the ceremony. He says that he does not mind the party but there is no way he is going to the church, as its a complete waste of his time! I can see his point and I will not force him to do something against his will, but I have to try to help him to be more tolerant, as the time will come when we need to go to a Wedding or Christening. gothschild x

Hi ogsplosh, I don't think that they should assume that she is using any excuses, how do they know how she feels inside? Your daughter was obviously in a highly distressed state and I think that the way the staff dealt with her only made her more upset, the noise and hustle and bustle in the dinner hall is probably causing her sensory overload as it is. I have a son with AS and I work in a primary school kitchen. We have a year 6 boy at school with AS and I hate the way the dinner nannies treat him, they either totally ignore him when he is upset or become quite nasty towards him and see him as a irritation. Even when its obvious that another child has pushed him or called him a name they never take his side, it breaks my heart to see him so hurt and he is a lovely boy who is very misunderstood. School could supply her with mood cards so that when she is feeling anxious or angry they could let her go to a quiet place to calm down without questioning or challenging her. This has worked well for my son as he cannot explain how he is feeling, he says that 'his head gets too full and he can't think straight' You are definately not doing wrong, by giving her a get out clause, you know her best and school should accept this as fact! <'> <'> <'> gothschild x

Thanks Karen, I think have a few more questions for the LEA , they don't make it easy do they? gothschild x

Hi, As you may of read I am having a lovely time with my LEA at the minute and now I have another query about statements! Ive noticed that there is a part which includes any non-educational help that your child might need and how they will get it and was wondering what kind of help this is? The contract I have refused made no mention of this or how he would get any transport he might need without a statement.I would like some kind of life skills lessons to be available to him at some time in the future and was wondering if this kind of thing was included? I saw J's consultant this morning and told him all of my concerns, even he could see why I had to refuse the contract and he sits on the panel that sends these things out! I left feeling very proud of myself, to get everything out I needed to say to him and not cry( my lip quivered a few times) is a big thing for me, I am quite a nervous person and I tend to get really churned up at times like these, but so far I'm holding it together gothschild x

Hi, Feeling sorry for someone because you feel the same is showing empathy and in the best way. You are experiencing the same feelings as they are, you are showing genuine empathy. I dont know if J has had genuine empathy, but he is, trying to do what is expected, he recently told me about someone at school who could not do PE because he'd had an operation, he said that he didn't really care about him being ill, but pretended to anyway. With regards to family, when my dad died in January he was not in the least affected personally,but he could see that I was upset and he hugged me and said he was sorry for me, so I think he is making an effort to show empathy, but I don't know if it comes naturally to him. gothschild x

I think that some people will just never get it, I have family members now that insist that my son is just 'slow' (I hate this!) and that everthing will get better. J can come across as being NT at times and then he will remind you that he isn't, he has recently started straightening up items in shops like birthday cards and tinned goods ,its endearing to watch, but its also a stark reminder. I agree with NobbyNobbs, I don't think that you can outgrow autism and believe that some people are just misdiagnosed, this is why its so hard to get a diagnosis when your child is young because of the different rates of development. gothschild x