Give me a clue

Hi, Thanks for the info, that has put my mind at rest. I don't think I could go through all that again. Regards Mich

Hi, After a 2 year battle, we have finally just got a statement for Callum. My husband has recently been made reundant and due to the lack of work within his field near to us, it looks likely that we will have to move house to a new area for him to get a job. Does anyone know if the statement will go with Callum to a new LEA/school or do we have to go through this battle all over again? Thanks Mich

Hi, My son's (aged 8 AS) favourite colour is also blue. He detests the coulour red and one day went through the whole of his room throwing anything with the colour red outside his door. It was a funny sight. He does get very distressed if anything red is near him and I have to make sure his drinks are not served in a red cup or else my life is not worth living. I think he finds blue a calming colour as well as green. Red is literally like a red rag to a bull!! Michelle

Hi, Thanks for the tips/moral support. I think we will have to go out separately more! DS never wants to go out anyway so is it really worth all the stress!! It's just that we try and do some things together, as hubby is away a lot and we rarely get time together so we tend to be overly optimistic about how a trip out will go. I think similarly, friends that we did have tend not to want to visit us/invite us to their house as they know what to expect from past experiences. I have no contact at all with my parents and hubby's are not physically able to help so I guess you just have to get on with it. It feels that we are so isolated. Every once in a while it all gets too much but it certainly is a real boost having such sympathetic people on here who really understand the situation and who have such empathy. Thanks Mich

Hi, Having just returned fom another attempt at taking ds (aged 8) out for a few hours it has yet again resulted in me bursting into tears/ Ds running riot & causing mayhem. We thought a trip to the local airport to see all the planes would be fun for him but instead we are probably banned for life from ever entering there again Because we have no help whatsoever we never get a break and sometimes you have to go out as a family or at least attempt to, for the sake of my other 2 kids (NT). As I am feeling sorry for myself, I just wondered how many of you never get any help from family or friends at all. My hubby and I are at breaking point with it all. Does anyone know of respite care available and how to go about getting it? Thanks Mich

Hi, Thanks for all the replies. It really has made me feel better, as I was feeling so low about it all yesterday. I was a gibbering wreck. Today, C has gone to school without too much fuss. I sat and talked to him last night and it appears that he does find numeracy a big struggle and feels that he can't really keep up or understand things like the rest of his class. I think he is generally unhappy with the move to Junior school and he wishes he were back at Infants school, where we never had problems with him refusing to go in. I am due to go into school and will discuss these things with them. I can't see it getting much easier though, as the older the child, the more seems to be expected of them, with regard to concentration, organisation and independance. C struggles with all of these issues so I will keep fighting for a statement, though school think that because he is coping with most of his work it may be harder to get one. Anyway many thanks, it helps knowing others are in/ have been in the same boat. Michelle <'>

Hi, Thanks for you all your replies and support. Unfortunately my son was declined for a statutory assessment! I was awaiting several replies from his Occupational Therapy assessment and from CAMHS in order to appeal against their decision but these arrived after the deadline. I am due to re-apply at the end of July and I am currently having some help from the Parent Partnership. School have asked an Asperger's Specialist to go into the school and they have been in touch with the Education Welfare Officer so I will see what they have to say. Some days, he will go into school with no problems and others days are absolutely awful. There appears to be no pattern and he is not mentioning anything specific. He just seems to wake up in a different frame of mind some days. It could be, like others have said, that he is generally unable to cope with school life. It has become worse since he started Junior school last September. I also agree that it is the most stressful thing I have been through with him and it is very distressing for all concerned. I have said to school that I am not prepared to risk anyones safety and if that means he does not attend when he is in this frame of mind then so be it. I just take each day at a time and hope it is a passing phase. Thank everyone Michelle

Hi I have a son, 8 dx AS/ADHD. Over the last 3 months he has started refusing to go to school. At first I could get him to school and he would just run off within the school grounds and I had to get help from a teacher to get him into the classroom. The school and I have talked to him and there is nothing specific that is bothering him apart from not liking school generally. Last week he ran all the way home from school (just over half a mile) and 2 teachers and myself had to chase after him and then try and get him back by carrying him,whilst he became very agressive and lashed out and kicked us. Today I tried to drive him to school and he tried to jump out of the window as the child lock is always on, as he has tried to jump out of the car before now. My eldest son had to try and restrain him. He managed to jump into the boot of my estate car and then starting throwing things at my head whilst I drove. He threw his shoes out of the window and after stopping several times, we eventually tried to carry him into the school. He lay down in the road and I had a real job getting him up and out of danger of passing traffic. When we got to school he then proceeded to punch me in the stomach and say that I kept hurting him (in front of the teachers/deputy head.) The only time I use force or restraint is when he is danger so you can imagine how I felt! School have not come across behaviour as extreme before and I just wondered has anyone been in similar circumstances? Does anyone know of any instances where transport has been arranged for their child to be collected with some sort of assistance? i.e SAS style help or massive bodyguards LOL. School are trying to get some advice on this but these things take time and I am at the stage where I can no longer manage physically or mentally. Any suggestions would be gratefully received. Michelle

Hi, My son aged 8 (AS/ADHD) has just been prescribed Prozac, starting on 10mg per day initially. I have been told by the Pyschiatrist that this may increase to 20mg per day if there is no improvement in his behaviour. He is also on Strattera 28mg but we have seen little effect after taking this for 5 months. He has now been taking Prozac for 14 days and we have had no bad side effects so far. I was similarly a bit worried about him taking it but we have tried everything else (gfcf diet/alternative therapies/ chiropractor etc etc.... and his anxiety and difficult behaviour is so bad it is seriously affecting family life. We will see how it goes and if there is a big improvement I will post it on here. Good luck! Michelle