krystaltps

Did Bard give it a chocolate orange?

Mumble - that's exactly how time works in our house! I use the Simpsons because it's a nice twenty minutes, so we can half it or double it, etc.

eleven (DH ate frog's legs once, he's a filthy man, lol)

I think I'll have to be with you on this one Bard. Poor Baddad tried... alas it is no clearer. Re the tech man - We give him cake. He fixes our printers.

Mmmmmmm

ohh, oh, oh forgot.... Bakewell Tart!!!!

frog (the lovely Kermit)

Yep! Had that appointment too. It's very frustrating isn't it? C's OT has seen him twice in the 20 months since he was dx, and has not been very helpful at all. She recommended things, but didn't provide them or any support. TBH, the school have been much better at providing strategies and support - they have started him on a "Speed-Up" handwriting course to try to help with the poor pencil grip and the pain he experiences while handwriting. I have noticed that OTs seem to provide the same for all children no matter what the issues are - the sloping desk, the pencil grips and an occasional fidget cushion.

Size doesn't really matter. The snoezelin at school is a converted store cupboard. Some people have made them in the understairs cupboard at home. So having a window isn't even vital - the darker the better really. High street stores: Look for mood-lighting, or nursery lighting - lights that cast patterns around the room, or fibre optics, lava lamps, even fairy lights and rope lights are good (so long as they're not the rapid flashing ones). A CD player, and some nice classical tracks, or story tapes. Aromatherapy oils from a health-store (different kinds depending on whether you're going for relaxation or stimulation)- can be used in hand/foot massage or placed in a burner. Even scented candles can do the trick. Carpet/tile/lino samples on the floor - different textures. Bubble wrap, sand paper, pebbles, rope - little bits pasted onto a board for tactile input. Bubble machines. Cushions and bean bags, with different kinds of covers - silky, furry, leather, etc. You can get really creative and you don't have to spend a fortune. It can be good fun too. Hope this is of some help... good luck with it. I'm sure others will have some good ideas to share as there are lots of different options.

Hi Brooke, have you read any of the Kathy Hoopman books? It may be worth a try. C and I read them together, and he was sooooo delighted to have found a character like himself he just couldn't get over it. The books, plus the chats we had afterwards- looking at all his positive attributes, really helped him to come to terms with his differences, and appreciate them. He's proud to be different now and pround to be AS.

Lovely idea . It all depends on how much you are willing to spend, really. We have a sensory room at school (or snoezelin), and all the products are from Rompa. Fantastic quality and some wonderful things available.... but very, very expensive. It is possible to get light/aroma/tactile items much cheaper from high street stores. What kind of budget were you thinking of?

Often wondered about that too. But what does it look like and where does it live? The server often goes down at school - sometimes it's the whole local authority, sometimes it's just the campus and sometimes it's one of the schools within the campus. Sometimes you see the tech-men going places and looking very important when the server goes down, sometimes no-one seems to do anything. I don't understand .

Hi, I'm not 100% sure on this one as we don't have Statements up here, we have Profiles, Support Plans (SP) and Co-ordinated Support Plans (CSP) instead. The last one is a legal document and I think is similar to a Statement. I have a child under my care at school who has a sensory diet 30 mins twice daily and the LA have provided a snoezelin (a sensory room) for this purpose. This requirement is documented in his CSP and SP. It makes sense that, if it is the recommendation of a professional body outwith the school, it should be documented somewhere within the school. The CSP has been devised specifically for this reason - so that objectives can be set by professionals other than teachers. I should think it would be the same south of the border. Hope this helps....

I love rounding them up and playing a game, it's such a "cosy" time isn't it? The kids and I love Cluedo. We never finish a game though because DD just doesn't "get it" yet. Monopoly's great, but it brings out the worst in C - he's far too material, and kicks off if he doesn't have the most hotels, etc. C very rarely plays with us anyway - he doesn't like winning/losing and only plays monopoly because of the money. He waits with baited breath for me to say "Imagine what we could buy if all the money was real" - I have to say it every time . He does like chess though. I taught both the boys how to play chess last year... and they love it. They get so involved in it, and their games are taking longer and longer to complete as they get more tactical and think through their moves. R and I do a lot of jigsaws together. He got a new one on Monday for his birthday - one of the 3D globes. We've only just started on it - it's going to be a lang haul.

<'> I'm so sorry. I have no advice to give, I'm afraid. But I agree with the others about the SS manager - scare tactics and bullying . The NAS and the GP, like Loraine said, sound like the best options just now. Chin up, hun. You're only human and you deserve some decent support. <'>

Hi and welcome to the forum. I think you are very brave... going cold-turkey with the TV and games consoles. Non-violent DVDs? DD loves musicals, and I dont think there is much violence in many of them. Everything Baddad said, especially the board-games- really good for turn-taking as well. It's something were still working on with C. Also, get them creating things - make up an art & craft box with loads of paper, card, paints, pencils, string, beads, glue, lollypop sticks, sparkly things, googly eyes, bits of old material, etc. We had a day during the hols when we drew round ourselves on a roll of old wallpaper then had a fantastic time decorating ourselves. You can get some fantastic kid's craft books on Amazon with lots of really good ideas. I've noticed with my lot - once the art box comes out TV etc is totally forgotten. C loves creating things and he finds it very relaxing and calming. Plus he's got something to show for his efforts when we've finished.

Roasted vegetable cous-cous... they do it at school lunches. The dinner lady always saves me some. It is the nicest thing I have ever eaten. Of course, mustn't forget chocolate, or sticky toffee pudding. Or cream eggs! Oh and humous - it goes with so many things!

Hurrah! Laptops are fantastic! Well done with school as well

Harper (as in "To Kill a Mockingbird")

Brooke <'> . As you asked about age... I found that age and period in C's life to be particularly difficult for him. He became aware for the first time of his differences and was very unhappy. His self-esteem plummeted, and his peers also noticed his differences and he was teased a lot, which made matters far worse. He was permanently stressed, his behaviour was abominable and any sleep that happened beforehand ceased almost entirely. I have heard other people say similar things about their children at this age, as it's a time when the gap becomes apparent. For C, it was a case of building his self-esteem and helping him to come to terms with his dx (he was dx during this period). We explained to him that many of the things he did that upset him and others was not because of something intrinsic to his personality (he used to refer to himself as a "bad boy"), but because of AS. We also told him about the positive aspects of AS and read the Kathy Hoopman books together, so he could have someone to relate to.

<'> <'> <'> I remember it only too well. Toddlerhood is the most difficult time (except, perhaps, puberty - but we've still got that to come ). With C, looking back, he didn't want to be near other children, even the twinkles, as they interfered with his play. We stopped mums&tots, as C just hit all the other kids over the head. The other mums hated us. C has an amazing long-term memory, and he is now able to look back and tell me how he felt back then - other children "freaked him out", they did things he couldn't understand, they spoke in silly baby voices and they touched him and his toys. Of course, he couldn't tell me that then, so he reacted in the only way he knew would make them stop. Sometimes he did terrible things to the twins because they got on his nerves just by existing. Other times he loved them so much. It's hard for a toddler, because they can't just take themselves off to their bedroom to get some peace... and they wouldn't realise that this would do them any good anyway. I always disciplined C in a way that I thought would help - it was never easy and I often wondered if he would ever understand why he wasn't to do certain things. I would say "NO!" then take him to his room, and time him out until he was calmer. If I let him out and he started up again, we'd go straight back to his room. Sometimes he trashed his room, sometimes it felt as if the pattern would go on all day. Sometimes he could tantrum for hours, fall asleep, then wake up and continue the tantrum. When he was about 3yrs, I introduced reward charts, which he responded well too, but I had to rotate the system regularly to keep him responding to it. As he got older, I would tell him to go to his room and get some peace and quiet, if he refused I would take him. Always, once he was calm, I would explain what he'd done wrong and why, then suggest alternatives. Now he takes himself off to his room when he feels the need. It's not easy, and it's hard to know what to do for the right. Trial and error, followed by consistency. But, it does get better <'> .

Don't do it... I mean even if he hadn't melted-down, you should refuse to co-operate with this. There are guidelines - suggested amounts of homework as per age of child. The most you should expect in year 1 is a few pages of a reading book (plus any vocab that goes with it).

David! How can I follow Piebald? erm... emm... Ha ha! skewbald (tis chestnut and white)

Can rotation is vital! Fridge rotation even more so. Top marks to Tally's dad.

horse (wanted "rootin' tootin'" or "Howdy partner" but thought they might be hard to follow)