Flora

I want to moan about my vet!! (nothing to do with ASD though I do have a theory that all dogs are ASD anyway... ) Puppy has had plaster casts on legs for 8 days because she has weak tendons in back of front paws. Had to take them off tonight because the smell was revolting. She now has ulcers on the back of both front legs. Only had them renewed yesterday, why didn't they mention how bad it was? Grrrrr. and the cost!!! doesn't bare thinking about how she would have been after 2 months which is what they originally prescribed. Lauren

jools that's brilliant. I'm so pleased for you and your son. My DS 11 yo AS and dyspraxia learned to ride a bike in April. I was so pleased after years of watching him unable to even manage it WITH stabalisers. Congratulations Lauren

Have to sew bloomin' labels on uniforms. Hate sewing. Can't sew.

Becky, so sorry if this sounds harsh.... but... thank you for making me chuckle!!! Just read your post after returning from a BBQ where my AS son had major 'people I don't know' melt down, and couldn't help chuckling (and I hate to admit it but hiccupping too!). I love it when people can have a moan and make other folk laugh at the same time. Thank you! Lauren

Good luck with your appointment. Hope all goes well. Lauren X

Hi Jaded, thanks I've had contact with the DRC, they wrote to me in July and didn't think I'd have much chance of getting a hearing as I was so late with my claim. They did say to contact them though if SENDIST were willing to allow a late claim; which I will do first thing on Monday morning! I'm hoping they will provide me with a representative to go to the actual hearing Lauren

Hi Abby. I agree with everyone else. The psychiatric nurse, having worked with AS children, is probably fairly well qualified to spot the signs even if he isn't able to officially diagnose it. Some people have great difficulty getting a diagnosis, and others seem to get one very quickly. I think this depends on where you live. We got our diagnosis very quickly (an ed psych diagnosed at the school and this was very quickly confirmed by a child psychiatrist). As well as the area where you live being a contributing factor to diagnosis, some children are just so classic in their display of symptoms that the diagnosis is very straight forward. Maybe this is the case with your son, and possibly your friend found the process much more problematic when she was getting the dx for her son and can't understand why you are so near to a dx already?? Just a thought, though she should know what you are going through and would do well to keep unsupportive opinions to herself! Good luck, and welcome. I'm fairly new here myself and I believe you will find (like I have) that this forum is invaulable for sharing experience and giving and recieving advice. Lauren

Thanks annie and nellie. I will keep you posted as to how I can get on. Lauren

Morning all... this is a long one... sorry... also I'm a bit of a jabbering wreck! In January this year my AS son was rejected from admission to an independent school. (My daughter was already a pupil and as a result we've removed her.. but that's another story). I didn't do anything about it at the time as I wasn't sure what I could do and was just absolutely stunned at the rejection. I did though manage to get a long email from the school's admissions clerk explaining their reasons for his rejection; every single one of them related to AS. Months down the line and I decided to make a claim for descrimination on disability grounds. SENDIST wrote to me saying I was too late with my claim and they couldn't take it on. Their last para in the letter though informed me of my right to appeal. I did appeal and this morning got a letter informing me that they are allowing the hearing and it will be in December. Has anyone ever had experience of, or heard of a case similar to this one? I'm starting on my evidence gathering and have to start making my statement; but if anyone knows of similar cases, or has experience of this I'd be interested to hear about it. Also any advice re the hearing itself etc would be hugely appreciated. Many thanks Lauren

Is this terrible? A few weeks ago I gave my youngest ASD DS piriton for mild hayfever. I'd never given it to him before and was quite pleased with it's quick results to combat his runny nose; we also got an added benefit which I wasn't expecting in that half an hour later he asked to go to bed (before 8pm... so far unheard of!!) and fell in to a deep sleep, not waking until morning! Tonight, after a somewhat roller coaster of a day I forced myself to believe his nose was runny so I could feed him a spoonfull of piriton to try and get him to sleep early I'm waiting to see if it's worked, I've just put him to bed and will check him in a few minutes Feel a bit bad though Lauren

Ho hum, now for my next moan.... I feel really guilty for wallowing in self pity this morning! Funny old world innit? Lauren

I live in Oxfordshire where the schools have switched to 6 terms. The theory was that there would be longer half terms and shorter summer and easter holidays; but in actuality they've done away with the easter holiday and replaced it with a slightly longer 'April holiday', and what used to be half term and summer holidays remain exactly the same . So a waste of time that was! Lauren

Good luck elaine. Hope you and yours have a lovely week. Lauren

Thanks annie x I sent the letter off by recorded to delivery, I just copied the template on the IPSEA website. Feel better now it's done. Lauren

Update. I just rang IPSEA (got through straight away!!) and spoke to a lovely very helpful and knowledgable lady She informed me that it was much better for the initiation to come from the parent as the LEA have to respond to a parents request, whereas they can more or less just ignore the request from a school. Thanks for all the info and I'm off now to write my letter to the LEA Lauren

Thanks Nellie. I will try and ring IPSEA today. I've tried a few times this week but they are never available when it's convenient for me to ring. Holiday hours! Lauren

Just wondered if anyone here might be going to this conference on Aspergers approaching adoloscence and beyond. It's on 12th September, run by Bromley Autistic Trust. Jackqui and Luke Jackson are among some of the speakers there. Details on this page http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=114&a=5875 If anyone else is going please let me know and hopefully we can meet up there. Lauren

Hi Brook, I haven't read the book but probably will (when I can make time). However, I have done alot of research in to home educating and definately think that for many ASD children it is the best option (sometimes the only option). I was poised to home educate my 11 yo AS son, but as the school and LEA have provided us with the option to allow him to repeat year 6 at junior school (there's a long history to this but briefly... he originally started school one year later than normal as we'd been living in America...then he changed schools in year 4 when we moved down south and the new school moved him last September up to year 6 instead of year 5... big mistake). However, even though he has now been moved back a school year I'm still prepared to home educate when he's due to move up to secondary next year if I'm not satisfied that the move is going to be appropriate. You can click on the 'my website' link below which will take you to my website. On the links page there are many links to home educating websites, and loads of other links leading to useful info on other topics relating to ASD. Hope this helps. Lauren

Hi, can anyone tell me what is the best way of initiating a statement. I know that the initiating process can come from the parents or the school but can anyone say what is the most advisable; parents or the school? Lauren

Sorry all this is going to be a depressing moan, because I'm depressed. I'm sure most here could relate to this; I'm depressed and feel 'alone' with all the anxiety and worry for the future. I'm fed up with everything being a fight and filling in forms and making frustrating phone calls. I'm depressed and fed up with the comments of people who say they care but don't realise that their advice is sometimes hurtful, patronising, and demoralising. I'm depressed with feeling let down by a system that seems to view our problems as not important enough for them to put in place any policies that would ensure our children's future is paved with opportunities to allow them to find a niche in this world. I'm depressed by the anxiety that the needs of my children prevent me from working and building up some financial security for us all. I'm depressed about being depressed. Sorry this post is so depressing but that's how I feel this morning. Lauren

Tylers-Mum. All I can say from my experience of having 1 very fussy eater and 2 other fairly fussy eaters that's I've been the recipient of similar comments (though not so blunt as your sister). I've always blown my fuse immediately as I think it is totally patronising to suggest that us parents wouldn't be feeding our children meat and 2 veg if they'd eat it!! I would love to see my kids tucking in to healthy food, as I'm sure you would too. However, what I will say is that as parents to children with ASDs we have enough to contend with without other people sticking their oar in (particularly the people who in an ideal world should be supporting us), and that's what I think you should say to your sister. Sadly, I'm a bit hot headed and if someone said that to me I'd probably give them a mouthfull and then avoid them like the plague. I know I've had some serious falling outs with close members of my family for less than what your sister has said to you. Regardless of the food issue, the fact that she accused you of being cruel is way out of order. I probably haven't helped here and may even have fanned the flames, but reading your post made me really angry on your behalf. Lauren

Annie, I had problems. Maybe the server was down. Lauren

Minxy. I would be very interested in that. I'm fairly new here but I'd so like to meet up with other parents in similar situations. This is a fantastic forum for parents in our position and could only be better if there was a few faces to the names.... so to speak. Just let me know when and where!! Lauren

Well I'm not going to ignore the invitation to have a moan. I want to moan about my puppy which has plaster cast splints on her front paws to strengthen the ligaments. She is very bored because can't jump around as much as she wants and the kids keep leaving the kitchen door open so she gets to run upstairs and wee in the bedrooms. I've retrieved her about 7 times already today and what I want to know is...... WHAT PART OF 'REMEMBER TO CLOSE THE DOOR' DO THEY NOT UNDERSTAND??? Grrrrr. I'm fed up of wiping up puppy pee and repeating myself. Think we'll have to go out but I don't quite know where we can go without me being conned into parting with money!! If I suggest the park or walking the other dog do you think I'll get away with that without being hit by a tidal wave of whinging and cries of 'that's boring'.. etc. ooooooh.... I feel better already! Lauren

Amanda, most of the planes now (particularly Virgin) have games consoles and tv screens on the back of all the seats and you can chose what you what to watch/play. We've flown to California a few times and apart from the expected wobblers and the odd melt down our boys handled the flight quite well. Go for it and enjoy it. Lauren