thomastank

Fab news Gives me hope for when I start applying for SA next term. . . .

I'm pleased that you are finally on the way to answers and help for you and Liam. Good to hear you go back in 8 weeks, looks like they def. want to get things moving. Look after yourselves <'>

Hi, welcome. My son will be 5 next week and has been in school for a year. He is also in mainstream and the first ASD (diagnosed) child they have had. This week is his first full time week but it has been a very gradual and well supported build up. I agree with someone else's post, the school don't seem to be very ASD friendly to say the least. When my son bit his teacher, she said it was her fault because she held him wrong/mishandled the situation, that is the difference. She then called in Inclusion Support who advised us parents and her as a teacher about different strategies. If you get on with the head and assuming your son will be with a different teacher next year (?) would it be possible to speak to her about sending some teachers/TA/head on some ASD training and work with them to learn more? There is a huge amount available, my head got someone in to speak to the whole staff including lunchtime staff. We have someone coming in this afternoon to teach us how to do 'social stories' etc. We are waiting for a place on the Early Bird plus course too (NAS). We haven't got a statement, we are going to apply for a SA next term. Otherwise I would enquire about other schools in your area and hopefully there will be people more willing to learn and help your son. I hope I don't come across in the wrong way, I totally sympathise with you, I just want to say that there are schools out there who can help and I hope you find the right ones or at least the right teachers in your current one that can support you and your son. Good luck x

Well done Smiley

Welcome Graham, welcome and good on you for asking for a break, I'm sure you deserve it and will feel better once re-charged!

Hello, nice to see you back. Hope your appointment goes well. Mine was very low key, the paediatrician asked us parents lots of questions and a health visitor played with my son and observed his playing skills (or lack of! ) and eye contact etc. Our son was always with us except for when he was observed in nursery and he didn't have blood checks etc. Let us know how you get on.

We shall miss you Mumble, hope to see you back here soon. . . .x

Hello, welcome to the board. My 4 year old son was diagnosed with HFA last June. This link may help with your DLA claim? http://www.cafamily.org.uk/pdfs/DLA_factsheet.pdf Otherwise I'm not sure if there is any info on the National Autistic Society site? I can't help much with statementing I'm afraid, I haven't started mine yet but have been told that these organisations would be a good start - NAS, IPSEA and ACE. I'm sure someone will be along soon with some more info. Hope you find all the help and support you need here, its a great place to let off steam!!!

Our local Autistic Society runs a course on Sex Ed. (for parents) - maybe if you could find something similar you could opt. out of the school one and teach himself when you think he is ready?

Well done, chuffed for you and great that you are getting a follow up plan too.

<'> Big Hugs and take care of yourself. My son was diagnosed a year ago and is coming on in leaps and bounds with the right support x

Hello, welcome to the board. My son was diagnosed with High Functioning Autism last year, he is nearly 5 now and about to finish reception. When I was first looking down the Autism/Aspergers route I found this website very useful as it seemed to tick a lot of boxes for my son. www.researchautism.net There is a good list in Asperger Syndrome 'issues'. Obviously he might not be on the spectrum at all but it might help you to tick/untick some boxes and give you more info for your diary. Good luck x

Hi Andy and Kim, welcome. My Ben is nearly 5 and HFA too. We are very happy so far with our mainstream school with lots of help but have not started statementing process yet.

Brooke Hello, I think my son is the same. He's nearly 5 (hfa). He has never had a headache, tummy ache, sore throat etc. nothing that we can see. He has also never told me that he is hot/cold and this hot weather I have had to tell his teachers to take his jumper off when he starts getting hot as I know he won't do it himself. When he broke his leg just after his 1st birthday he started crawling around the hospital and the doctors didn't believe there was anything wrong (we knew there was because he could walk). I also remember him running through nettles when he was younger and not complaining, even though he was covered in a rash. I'm sure he does feel pain though as he will cry sometimes when he falls over etc.

Hello! My son is in his last term of reception year. He is about to start going full time but at the moment I am collecting him after lunch. He is having difficulties (understandably) in the playground. School are trying to find solutions to make life easier for him. Maybe having a buddy system so he gets to play with one child/small group at a time, being allowed to take a toy outside, having ear defenders (he doesn't like the bell - I'm not sure about the rest of the playground noise), maybe having a rug that can be his 'own space'. I just wondered what other people have used and what has worked for them, he does have a teacher with him one on one in the playground so I am confident that whatever we decide can be implemented. Today he played inside with one friend and a teacher but I think the ideal would be to get him outside if only for a short while. Thanks

Hi Lorraine, I just wanted to add my support <'>

Welcome Kristina! As ever Karen has already given some great advice (and Bid!) - I just wanted to add that Portage was our greatest support after diagnosis so check out that if you can. Also the National Autistic Society do good courses and have some great information. Hope you find all the info you are looking for.

Hi A and A, I'm glad the appointment came though, when is it? My son didn't have any bloods, fragile x test or anything like that. The paed. just asked us lots of questions first time round and observed him playing so ds had a great time. Later on he had appointments with speech therapist at nursery and at home and also more paed. appointments throughout the year. Did you have any luck getting through to Portage by the way?

Hi Anthony and Anna I just wanted to say too that I didn't realise that your son was non-verbal and my post on another thread re statementing (about waiting to see how he copes in school before applying for statement) was inappropriate. I think the others have given good advice as far as getting help now and you are doing a fantastic job especially as this is all so new. I really hope you find all the answers you need and there are some great people on here who can give fantastic advice and support. xx

Hi again A and A, (and everyone else who has replied on this post!), I have been reading with interest as we are just about to start ds' statement (last term of reception year). All the info on here has been brilliant so thanks for all the links, it has saved me having to post!!! I was advised to wait for my son's statement, he was diagnosed aged 3 and a half (HFA), just before he started school. Since he's been at school we have all learnt so much and his teachers have been fantastic. They have all attended Autism courses and there is an extra TA in his class purely to help him. She has been great and was a huge help in all the issues we had with toileting etc. Before we started school we were very nervous, we had told them that he would probably be diagnosed in the summer hols but that was all we knew. The school had no previous experience of Autism and because we didn't have a statement we didn't have a choice. Looking back, I'm glad we waited as we know so much more now about our son than we did a year ago and we have so much more evidence to go on re statementing. I suppose what I am saying is that if you have a good school you can get an awful lot of help without the statement. Your 'When?' question will depend largely on if you think your son will need a specialist school or mainstream. Maybe you could go and speak to your school and see what they think, do they have a close relationship with the nursery? My ds' teacher used to go and see my son in nursery during his last term to see him 'at his worst' and see what strategies were working for him. Portage were a huge help in transition to school and used to take him to school the term before he started so he was familiar with it. I hope you get as lucky as we have been, good luck!

Just to add that we got them for ds when he was 3. I would of thought that as you are waiting for referral to CDC you would qualify? Maybe ask your GP as he seems to be supportive. . . .You might also be able to get some continence advice before your diagnosis too. My son started school in nappies and is now out of them (with some accidents) aged 4 and a half. It is unbelievable considering a year ago we thought there was no chance, just to give you some 'light at the end of the tunnel'. Good luck.

Hello, Celebra have a form which lists the questions and gives you ideas to think about. Check out their website (if you can't find it I'll send a link). Don't be afraid to write lots (additional sheets are fine) or repeat stuff I was told. . . . .

Hello, have you tried the National Autistic Society or maybe your local one if you have one? Do you think it would help to go on courses and meet other parents/learn more? The NAS run courses which are great if that is the kind of thing you are looking for? I know how you feel, my son is nearly 5 and school are great but it doesn't really help the home life (especially as he is only doing half days). Hopefully you will get lots of support here. Good luck.

Hi Anthony, my son was assessed by a speech therapist (came to watch him at home and nursery) and peadiatrician (who we saw several times in clinic). We had a meeting with them both (plus our portage worker came for support) and they agreed the diagnosis before discussing it more with us.