Jill

Lucas I just wanted to say thankyou for that insight. We've never stopped The Boy from stimming, we don't even really notice it any more TBH cos it's just part of who he is. But now I feel like I understand a bit more why he does it.

Had a good skeg round the site & I do think there is some really useful information about speaking and listening. I agree with Ian though, speech is just one aspect of communication - a very small aspect. I've sent some feedback on the site, asking if they could include other methods of communication, otherwise it's really just a speech and listening forum, not a comms forum.

Now I feel really guilty.............we didn't get a letter from the LEA about statementing. We have six monthly review meetings with them & I have a contact within the LEA who rings me in between to tell me what's happening. The LEA got The Boy into a special nursery part time. The LEA told me that the nursery would assess The Boy on an ongoing basis, to feed into the statementing process. In February we all met & the lady from the LEA (K) told me that a draft statement was going to be prepared. K outlined the process and gave me a list of schools that she thought I ought to visit as possibly being suitable for The Boy (along with their phone numbers). She also recommended I visited a couple of mainstream schools with good reputations for including children with ASD - because (in her view) mainstream isn't an option for The Boy, but she wanted me to go and look to see what I thought, plus it meant I had the "arguments" ready, if the statement came back with a mainstream school suggested. Since this meeting K has rung me every three weeks or so, to see how the school visits have gone & to check if I've had the draft statement yet. K (who I deal with) would normally "drop" a child once the statementing process has started (she only looks after pre-school kids) but she's kept us on because she said she wants to see The Boy settled in his new school, before she hands him over. I told you they were a good LEA.............I wouldn't have a dx if it wasn't for them (they kick started the whole process off) and they've not only supported The Boy through this, but both hubby and me too.

PSA Don't know a great deal about this (not wanting to rub salt in the wounds, but our LEA are brilliant, so we've not had any probs) but have you tried to see if there is a Parent Partnership in your area? I understand they are really good at helping with the statementing process. BTW - my understanding is that the draft statement is prepared, then it is submitted to you for review, you add any comments / amendments / relevant info as appropriate and then (if relevant) the school you want your child to go to. Well, that was my understanding from our LEA anyway - we're just awaiting our draft statement as we "speak".

You can get a new copy of this (under the "new and used" section on Amazon) for ?4

You may recognise some familiar faces on the other site

Sweet (wish my hubby thought that of me!!!)

I don't know what to say - and that's rare for me. I hate this kind of bullying - even though it's not explicit, excluding people from workplace activities is a form of bullying. All I can do is send some of these <'> <'> and say that not all people are the same. Not much help to you when you are stuck with them in the office every day (and that must be pretty miserable) but you do have some friends on here at least. Not much help am I really?

We had a confirmation letter from the paediatrician of The Boy's dx. We take that with us if we go to a theme park etc. Once we are in the park, I ignore anyone who makes comments about any behaviour they may find odd. But then again, I am quite hard faced and couldn't give a flying fig about stranger's opinions of me / my family. Any issues they might have are their problem, not mine.

P'raps that's a way for Mrs TheNeil to endear herself to her new boss - take her the Daily Mail each day

Moor (a shopping area near where I live )

I've never watched BB before, just not my thing. But I did watch it last night to see Pete. He really impressed me, the way he is coping. He is proving to be an excellent ambassador I reckon. Just one question tho, who is that bizarre little man in yellow with the funny voice? The one that thinks putting all the food in the bin is funny? Have I missed something here? Like I say, it is the first time I've ever watched it.

Martin Brilliant! Unless someone sits me down and shows me how something works I am stuffed. Brilliant that they were able to work this out!

What utter . How do these people end up in jobs, when they know so little? It's not about having "social problems" it's about inappropriate social interaction - a completely different thing. It's wholly inappropriate to hug a stranger for example - something that an NT child would be highly unlikely to do.

Lauren, you are a pure-d genius. I never thought of that! I've rung the school & the HT is calling me back - I will ask if there will be room for The Boy in Sept, emphasise that I am putting their school on our statement and ask if he is willing to "pencil in" a place for us. Thankyou, <'>

She still doesn't get it does she? If the article had been well researched and written by someone with knowledge about the spectrum, no-one would have been "distressed". We're all pigged off because it's pretty much wholly inaccurate codswallop!

Do you find yourself sneaking off to this site to catch up on the threads? Yup, me too

Hear Hear The Neil. I totally agree with you. I think they should have just published people's responses - KG's response just clearly shows she will never be convinced she is anything other than right, even tho she clearly knows bog all.

Just spoken to the lady at the LEA. She thinks there is every likelihood that we will get The Boy into the special school we want (he starts reception in Sept). I know we're not there yet, but she sounded really positive about it and said she would back me in getting him in there because she agreed wholeheartedly that it was the right school for The Boy. We're currently awaiting the draft statement (due any day) and she said we put our chosen school on there and then the LEA apply to the school governors for a place. So, we're not there yet, but it's looking good & I will be so chuffed if we can get him in there cos I really do think he'll thrive there. They go through from reception to 19 years old too, if needed!! So, please keep your fingers x'd for us! Only thing is, I still can't believe he's ready for school, he's still a baby.............

Brook I am sooo chuffed for you - brilliant!

Ooh, I'm so angry on your behalf - but glad that you now have proof. In this situation I'd struggle not to throw in a Ner ner ner ner ner told you so.............luckily, you're probably a lot more maturely behaved than I

As usual, succinctly yet eloquently put. Paula, you really do have the knack of getting to the nub of the problem & I applaud you.

I'll let her know, she'll be chuffed to bits.

Curra There was a response to last Sunday's paper: (the journalist's response is first, scroll down to "it's not trendy excuse" byline for people's responses) http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,...2188147,00.html I found the original author's response extremely she's clearly completely ignored what everyone has said by hiding behind the banner of "Free Speech" when in reality it is "totally unresearched hogwash". I reckon she perhaps watched Rain Man twice and thought that made her an expert. Also, the first person's response (directly under the byline) has been severely edited (I saw the original submission) but they have at least given SOME room over to responses

This did give me a chuckle. The Boy does this - even tho I park the car on the drive instead of opposite on the road when we get home now, he still has to cross the road to go to the particular spot on the pavement to step off . It doesn't bother me any - I'm used to it - but hubby was a bit surprised & panicked that The Boy was running off so had The Boy crossing the road, quickly being run after by hubby, for them both to step off the pavement and cross the road back again . Luckily we live on a VERY quiet close. It did look a bit like one of those Benny Hill sketches tho, where everyone is running along in a long line.