carrieq

Once you have been once you WILL want to go back so you could do the other stuff another time. When we went it was a really long day. Ds wasn't with us as it wa his turn to go to his Gran. You will have plently to do in the resort. Camel riding is brilliant, I ended up with a bruised back because of the bit at the back of the saddle and the movement-you will find out!! We were camel riding in the desert at night time under clear star filled skies with the Bedouin men singing us back to their camp!! Feel I should get out the hundreds of holiday snaps and bore you silly!! Immodium is a must and bring much more than you think you will need. We had nothing major, tiniest dd was the one who escaped it all. We took anti-bac hand wash and used it often, especially after touching money. You will get a shock when you see the notes in use compared to the nice crisp ones from the travel agent! It was seriously hot high 40s to 50s when we were there but the sea breeze keeps you a bit cooler. Carrie

Thank you for looking all that up for me. Its working out which battle to fight first!! I have a meeting with school later this morning and I ahve contacted the Care Commission who have said I am entitled to see the form but need to apply in writing so I will do this. I did copy the form after I was given it but haven't told ASC I did this. Thanks again Carrie

ds is like this and it doesn't matter how late he goes to bed!!! When he was 3/4 years he was up at 5am every morning, he is now nearly 8 and sleeps in till nearer 6am!! Hope it gets better Carrie

I finally managed to speak to the Head late on Friday afternoon, after trying 5 times throughout the day. She said she was not aware of any such situation but was out of school at the time, as was the Deputy and should feel assured that nothing like this would happen. I told her about the incident form saying otherwise and that I am withdrawing permission for ds to be put in time out until this matter is resolved. It is Monday and I am still waiting on a reply as she apparently hadn't spoken to members of staff on Friday. I have a meeting with school staff and the Head of Behaviour Support for the authority tomorrow to discuss alternatives to time out as I had put them in a difficult situation not allowing them to use it. The girl from After School Club who told me about it and showed me the form has been suspended for telling me. She is in touch with the Care Commission and has a lawyer and handed in a grievence form. Am I right in thinking that under Data Protection I have a right to see all written evidence on my child? I feel awful for the girl who was acting correctly alerting me to the situation but is now being punished for her actions. Carrie

We went last year to Makadi Bay, near Hurghada and loved it!! I would go back like a shot. We didn't take ds, it was his turn to stay with my mum. He wouldn't really have liked it as he hates bright sun, heat and new places. You will have a great time, the sea is amazine, so many fish that come right up to you, its just like sticking your head in an aquarium. If you get a chance to go to Cairo it is well worth it. You would have to fly from Sharm, we flew from where were. It was a very long day but spectacular. It was really hot but the sea breeze and dips in the water keep you cool. You will have a brilliant time!! Carrie

Today at school ds was kept in his timeout room by a chair on the outside jammied against the handle. He was alone in the room. The playleader from his After School Club went in to get him as school staff said he was too aggressive. She found him in tears so got him up and walked him out. As they were going past his teacher she said that ds shouldn't be in this school , he needed to be in a mental school. I have not heard anything from the school, info from ASC and their incident form. I am raging. This is a child protection issue in my eyes. At the moment I think my course of action is to get schools version and place concern with child protection dept. Am I doing the right thing or is there anything else I should do? Carrie

Ds never calls his dad, dad, always by his name. He has done this for ages, we never thought about it until recently when we were trying to establish which David he was talking about (every male in my family is called David) Carrie

Ds walked at 13mths. He didn't talk until about 22mths when all he could say was "no". His speech is still very poor, he has troblw with clarity of speech and recall of words amongst other things. This has always puzzled me as I thought he would be defined as having HFA because of the speech aspect! Carrie

Ds dx forst with ADHD, then about 9 months later AS. He has gone on to be dx with dyslexia and sensory processing difficulties. It can be difficult to work out where one thing stops and the other starts and impossible to say if a behaviour is down to ADHD, AS or SPD. I think they are so interlinked and overlap that it is really hard. Ds OT said that the combination of ADHD and ASD is a horrible one as part of you wants to go one way but the other part of you doesn't, part of him is highly impulsive but the other part hates change. Carrie

The loudness might be his aura before a seizure. Some of the kids I work with are really happy, vocal and giggily before a seizure. This is a bit sad as people who don't know comment on how cheery they are and you know what is coming. We keep seizure diaries so we know time of day, where and what was going on before to see if there is any pattern. Hope you get it sorted out! Carrie

I called yesterday and ended up speaking to a lady in the valuable section which is where recorded delivery stuff goes to. She seemed very uninterested and non-commital as to when someone would start looking for it and kept telling me she doesn't make the rules. She said I would probably have to fill it out again as it is coming closer to the renewal date if I want my claim processed. I will be keeping in daily contact with them to try to encourage them to look a bit harder!! It is really quite a thought that so little care is taken of official forms and confidential reports by a government department Anyway fingers crossed!! Carrie

Thank you!!! It is a lovely day here so when I pick the troops up from school we are all going out for birthday ice cream!! Carrie

I hope this happens as I really couldn't face it again so soon!! Oh well lesson learnt I WILL COPY ALL FORMS Carrie

I sent off my renewal DLA claim last month and thought I would phone today to see how it was getting on. I was told they haven't received it. Luckily I sent it recorded delivery so have a copy of the signature of it being received by the DLA office. Unluckily I didn't copy it as I needed to get it off quick. Will I need to fill it out again, does anyone know??? The DLA were very non-specific and said they needed to check that they had received it before they could let me know what would happen next. This is the last thing I need to do just now, I am trying very hard to finish off a 10,000 word assignment Has this happened to anyone else and what did you do?? Carrie

End of July is great, just not 28th as hearts are playing Barcelona and am taking ds to the match, its his dream combination and he will be wearing both strips!! Carrie

Ds head size not checked regularly but at birth it was off the scale and before he was one i remember getting him a GAP cap and having to take the up to 3 years one back and changing it for a 3-6 years!! He was not a big baby, 8lbs and even now height and weight wise is quite small Carrie

Yep, count me in!! Carrie

I teach in a special school and our pupils are transported in. The vast majority of kids are on emergency meds for seizures and none of the escorts are trained, they go by the advice you have been given, either call 999 or get to school. They are told what to look out for but no formal training. Luckily nothing has happened but it is something that I worry about! Carrie

Hi, We go alot but mainly to the ones abroad. They are very similar but MUCH cheaper. The set up, villas is the same but the pools are huge. Ds has coped well with going to different parcs so as to add a bit of variety for us as when you've been to one.... This summer we are going to 2 Center Parcs, one in Belgium and the other in Holland, Have also been about 5 times to Whinfell Forest, he has been able to join in activites with either dh or myself with him. He can become very distressed and anxious which makes him aggressive but it is easy enough to remove and get back to safety if you have your villa near where everything happens. I am sure I read here that if you mention special needs when booking you can pick your villa location without having to pay to do so and you get early entry and late exit from villa which may help!! Happy Hols Carrie

Caroline, I could have written your post myself as I am having the exact same thoughts. I work part time teaching children who are multi disabled visually impaired and feel I give more to my class than my own kids. Ds hates school and beiing in breakfast and after school club just extends his day. He is moving to a communication unit next term and I want him to have the best start and feel it can only be done if I give up work. By the time I take childcare costs off what I earn I come out with very little. Like you I am waiting to see what DLA say and am hoping he stays on higher care!! Like I am sure you do I get alot from my work as it is challenging but so rewarding but ds and his sisters come first! Hope we both get the outcome we want, you are not alone!!! Carrie

The weekly boarders at the residential special school where I work get taxied home for the weekend with an escort. We have only had one child go by train and he had an escort who took him door to door. Carrie

Hope it arrives today!!! If not would get them to email it out to you!! Carrie

Hi, Both my kids are dyslexic and both dx in different ways. Dd I paid for private dx with Dyslexia Insitiute as aschool was dragging their heels. When she was found to have dyslexia school put in extra support. The report was very full and detailed and I fel it helped geting it from a more reputable source in that dyslexia is the main concern of the organisation rather than just going to a private ed psch if that makes sense!! With ds I was told by ed psych he would take years to dx but his difficulty was so apparent anybody could see it. I was told until his behaviour etc settled down he would be recorded as having dyslexic tendencies. Ds attends a communication clinic run and the dr there is great and she tested him(ed psych said he is impossible to assess) and she has said he is clearly dyslexic and needs to be treated as such. I am a firm believer in if you have doubts get them checked out. Some schools don't accept a private dx but if you have it it is more evidence that can help your case! Carrie

Oh yes can relate!! Ds makes really odd noises, kind of like a bark when anxious and a high pitched screech when nothing is going on. He also crawls when he is stressed or under pressure, generally in shops!!! Phew, so glad we are not alone!! Carrie

I too feel very strongly about this as from watching my son I think it must be a very hard way to exist as you are pulled in two opposite directions by the 2 conditions and each end can be very extreme. I can't imagine what it feels like but get some idea when ds is in utter turmoil and he just doesn't know what to do. No advice is given and each condition seems to be dealt with separately as he has a consultant for each condition but even though the 2 things pull him in different directions they are so closely linked. I wish there was more info on how the two conditions impact and what the effect can be and also more recognition and support. I feel alot of the problem lies in the fact that people are unwilling to dx more than one condition unless pushed and we have been questioned by education as to why we have looked into different avenues which was clearly necessary to get the full picture of ds. I think AS kids are so mis-understood and people are quite happy to see them as odd as this means they don't need to delve into what makes an AS person tick. Alot of ds interests, rituals etc are not accepted at school because they feel he is trying to control which in essence may be true but the reason he needs to control is very different from the meglomania he is accused of. I so agree about the benefits of a support group where our kids can just be themselves without fear of being judged or viewed in a negative light, places like this are few and far between. Sorry think I went off at a wee tangent but I do feel very strongly that kids with a dual dx are not getting the support recognition or understanding they deserve!!!! Rant over!! Carrie