Valiant_Skylark

I have only one ear that works and the other is variable so we always have subtitles on where they are available. All the family now listens to the TV and DVDs with subtitles and on mono rather than stereo as a matter of choice, as otherwise they admit that they seem to "miss a lot". As you mention, there are all sorts of subtitling and audio description that can be found on DVDs, for example, and my boys have used these to make more sense of the stories and to learn about all sorts of things (eg types of accompanying music) that would otherwise have passed them by. Narnia was watched at the cinema and I'm sure they understood just a small fraction of what they subsequently understood by watching the DVD with subtitles, hearing impaired, audiodescription etc In fact, they watched it at home several times as the audio description was brilliant for describing the facial expressions and emotions that the young actors and actresses were portraying. I've found all this an invaluable aid to learning and I won't, personally, be looking to wean any of us off it. My boys can even spell better because of subtitling - and have realised how often they mis-hear names and the like. Who cares what medium one uses to learn the information so long as it is a successful method? Call it flexible, innovative teaching instead! VS xx

Went to the dentist today and the receptionist asked DS how old he is now. DS couldn't remember at all (he's 12 next month!). Dxd with <2nd centile auditory STM, but also tends to go "blank" when under stress or put "on-the-spot"! VS xx

Goodness! Hope you all make it back in one piece. Poor Com. Thinking of you <'> <'> <'> VS xx

My eldest (ASD, 11) has been called for the Mantoux test (a screening tool for Tuberculosis). We don't have a good record with vaccinations. May I ask if there is any reason that ASD kids (as a group) might need to be careful about this particular test? Many thanks, VS xx

My youngest son had painful knees, flat painful feet, odd gait, joint pains etc etc (partly due to a nasty fall as well - although that was never the full story) We saw 4 Paeds, OTs, physios, chiropracter, orthotics and paediatric cranial osteopath. Improvements were most noteable in the reverse order of this list ie private paediatric cranial osteopath helped the most - NHS paeds least. OTs dxd dyspraxic tendencies but did very little for the pains. Yours may be more successful, of course. VS xx

I would never advocate "dropping out" of life, but I would consider the notion that there may be a case for "taking the path less travelled", or for taking a different path, which may or may not end up at a similar place in the end. For example, I took some unusual steps in my career, following a less usual exam route, eventually re-joining the more usual route a few years later. The plus was that I then found myself way in advance of my "peers" and was able to fast-track in my career. I learned again and again that the obvious route is not always the best or the only route - It all depends on your individual circumstances and what you need to learn. vs xx

I don't want to upset anybody either, but having just survived the past weeks spending every waking minute working on getting through an Annual Review, with little extra to show for it at the end, I had been, more and more, thinking along the lines of Canopus's posts. I've had very dedicated, knowledgeable supporters - thanks to those, who know who they are - (although not lawyers), who have worked incredibly hard to keep the pressure on me minimal, but I've still ended up with sky-high blood pressure (which I'm now under the GP for) and at risk of all the nasty, nasty diseases at which Canopus hints . I must be positively SWIMMING in cortisol and my adrenals must be at least as "fatigued" as I am! So the gist is that, right now, I'm "paying a very dear price", in terms of my own health, for my "successes". In that, I can identify with Canopus's warnings and I , personally, would do well to take his warnings on board. For me, Canopus's warnings are as "timely" as could ever be possible. I don't really want to have a stroke. We have also spent so much time, effort and money trying to get the school, EP, lea etc to admit that the provision on the statement is not actually being met (Senco lies), that I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that a statement, without the goodwill of those who implement it, is not worth the paper it is written on. Yes, there are legal routes, but without qualifying for legal aid we risk vast fees, which we can ill afford - and even appeal to the ombudsman takes so long that the child can be without provision for months - with no compensation for the child at the end of it. And even if my child gets some exam passes (my lea seems only interested in academic support, judging from their last letter to me), what good is that if the child cannot cope with the demands which are "taken-for-granteds" in the work world - like the ability to get oneself up, cross a road, drive, present oneself appropriately in word and deed, have the stamina to get through a day's work etc etc? Would we be better off spending our limited cash on educating our child ourselves? Could we afford it? Would we at least know what provision the child had actually received? Time is running out for us; our son is already at Senior school. I have the sense of fighting for crumbs when, as Canopus points out, there may be a whole bigger picture to consider - like the health of the whole family and the completely different demands that the world of work will present. Have I got to the stage where I can't see the wood for the trees? Emotionally, I feel like Lauren, and regularly pick myself up to "fight another day", but I have rarely felt more impotent or worn down by a system as with the current educational system as it stands. When I look at how much I used to acheive with such little effort and I compare that to the efficiency of how I work now, I feel nothing but shock: There has to be a better way. Is this hooked-in "I-will-change-them" psychologically healthy... or am I becoming a "Woman who loves too much" and becoming a "Co-dependent" in a system the purpose of which is to lock one into a nightmare merry-go-round designed to ensure that only the very few manage to jump off with any sanity in tact? (I'll include in that not only the cat-and-mouse tactics of the schools and leas, but also the fiasco of trying to get needs recognised... and that Holy Grail... "The Diagnosis") I admire all those who ARE fighting (and currently I hope you won't mind me including myself among you?), but I'd be lying if I didn't also admit to having a leg, torso and possibly my head in Canopus's camp too. If you can get more than crumbs and then spend little time having to police that provision, then I really do have open admiration for you (unless you simply paid lawyers to fight the case for you... in which case, "Good for you", but I wish I had that kind of money...) You'll guess from this post that I'm a bit "worn" at the mo. We may decide to disembark from the Mad Merry-go-round, or, given a few days off, jump back on for another jolly spin - who knows? But is it all worth it...? I guess each of us must answer that one for ourselves. "Go with your gut insinct" seems appropriate here. vs xx

Relief, pure relief to see the forum up and running again. Many thanks to all those behind the scenes who made it possible to continue. Thank you! Valiant-Skylark xx

We always chew a largish chunk of banana until just ready to swallow... and then pop whatever tablet it is inside the banana (with your tongue - so you can't feel the pill at all)... and then swallow. We follow up with drinking some water. This is the only way I can swallow biggish or sour-tasting tablets and works for those that don't need to be taken on an empty stomach. vs xx

Hi Karen, My two boys and I were also taking fish oils (MorEPA) when we were tested. The boys didn't get the additional peaks though, only the IAG peaks (spectacular ones). Probably unlikely to be the fish oils then. Good luck with test number 2. It'll be interesting to see if the rogue peak still appears a second time round! vs xx

Hi Karen, I had some unusual peaks too. It was suggested that they may be the results of medications (eg thyroxine) [or possibly food supplements? - my suggestion only]. These peaks were actually bigger than the IAG peak, so it was suggested that I don't go GF. Was J on any kind of meds, even just something as innocuous as an over the counter remedy? Did you mention all food supplements? Best of luck with test number 2! vs xx

Oh NOW I get it!!!! Thanks, Lucas, brilliant. vs xx

No problem, Stephanie, I understand what you are trying to say. Florrie, I think I might also understand where you are coming from. And I do hope you can tap into some more enlightened support very soon. It can be very hard without it. May I send <'> <'> <'> ? Thank you for posting. vs xx

Thank you. You are a star! vs xx

Thanks, on the edge, for posting that. Interesting. Any more suggestions on what they CAN eat? We have a banana a day-ish (or other fruit) and a GF/CF muffin in the lunch box. It had occured to me that the sugar adds up, but I'm only just weaning mine onto boiled spuds and "jackets" as it is! We have cut out crisps (yeah), so got something right. It just gets hard to know what you can eat... and how on earth does one bake with chickpea flour?! All good fun, Take care, vs xx

My eldest was vaccinated with the triple jab, and stopped talking at 18 months, which I put down to coincidence at the time. He went on to catch measles at his private nursery, age 3. His brother (below the age of immunisation, caught it too.) Eldest son went on to get "complications" including "suspected encephalitis" and was very ill and weak for the next year. He lost many of his skills. My son was vaccinated. I was told at the time that immunisation does not neccessarily give full immunity and that about 3-4% of children, maybe, only get partial immunity or none at all. This ties in with the proportion of children at the nursery who came down with measles, despite being immunised. Many parents were shocked, and, most, being "well off" financially, followed it up in some detail? Measles was confirmed as the illness. (We only went back briefly before having to remove our child as he was too weak to attend after that.) I was left with a "damaged" child whatever I did. At the time, it was very distressing to see my child so ill, and, whilst I don't want to upset anyone, I did ask myself whether it would have been kinder to have a child who simply died of measles, rather than a child who survived in a very poor state, with little or no support to deal with the consequences afterwards. I believe that quality of life (and my child was in constant pain with ongoing exhaustion and stress) is important, and, because I love my son so much, it broke my heart and soul to see him struggle so terribly with so little understanding of what he had been through. He has had to relearn many skills and is not the child he was. For the record, my youngest had the 18 month MMR jab, but, we agreed with the doctors to miss the booster, as things were pretty obviously "different" for us. Something is "different" with our family re our immunity and the measles virus. Have no answers other than to say that. For us it was a case of "Damned if you do...damned if you don't". Very difficult. vs xx

I had, perhaps, a similar problem for two whole horrible years, just a few years ago. As Ian says, it was a vestibular problem. Nothing showed on an MRI scan. It was put down to "a virus", but went on and on ...and on. I felt like one of those old TVs where the picture used to go into spinning lines and you had to bash it on the top to get the picture to stabilise again! Eventually, the symptoms only subsided when I found I had sub-clinical hypothyroidism. A "child's dose" of Thyroxine "cured" the vertigo and sensory abnormalities within 1-3 days. It took over a year to lose some of the more conventional symptoms of hypothyroidism, and some plague me still. Suggest you mention the symptoms to the GP to rule out any simpler causes for the problems. Mine were pretty severe (couldn't stand up during an attack and threw up everywhere, for example). Had a lot of difficulites with day to day living including driving, watching TV/computer screens, coping with any kind of motion. Not nice at all. Nerve wracking when you keel over when the kids are in need of supervision! Docs had "no solutions", but we came across our solution by accident, as it were. Hope the situation resolves quicky. I feel so sorry for those with Meniers Disease. It must be unbelievably tough for them. vs xx

Brilliant news. I'm so very, very pleased for you. Can uncross the fingers at last! vs xx

My son's statement includes "x hours of dedicated support assistance per week". I've recently learned that, for many lessons, including "higher risk" (cos of mod/severe dyspraxia) ones like science, DT and PE, he has been made to share an LSA with another statemented child ie 1:2, for some time. The LSA is struggling, and so are both boys, but the SENCO, when challenged, denied that there were any problems, stating that the other child was pretty independent and my son had the larger share of the help anyway. She went on to argue that "dedicated" does not have to be interpreted as 1:1. I stuck to my guns, saying I wanted my son to get the 1:1 as the provision detailed on his statement and that "this is the law". I was pretty gobsmacked when she said they tried to decrease the boys' reliance on their TAs "to get them more independent". I countered that an identified need was just that and it was law that the provision of the statement must be met. You cannot take a disabled child and ignore the provision in a ill-conceived attempt to make the child "independent". It merely puts the child, and the school "at risk". This SENCO is a nightmare, basically. I've left a message with the NAS ed advice line to get their view on this and some other dodgey "interpretations" from my son's SENCO, but can anyone give me any advice, especially on whether "dedicated" means, in law, 1:1? Many thanks, VS xx

We tried everything in vain to get eldest son dry at nights. He was still wetting at 10 yrs. Only had success after going GF/CF... which may have been coincidence, of course. Perhaps it was just maturation. If you contact your health visitor you may be able to get free nappies, as your child is over 4. vs xx

Zemanski The type of soy matters. These cultures are discussed on the Mary Shomon website (or links from it) if you want to know why. One of my sons was born with mild hypospadias and I know of another boy, whose mother ate a lot of soy products (which helped give her her hypothyroidism) whose son had severe hypospadias. I was worried and sad to read of this link. Both my boys were breastfed but had WYSOY instead of cow's milk on cereals etc. They had a lot of soy in their young lives. Ho hum. VS xx

For masses of info on thyroid conditions, including explanations of the different thyroid hormones, what they are and what they do, and, in particular, when to treat, check out the "Mary Shomon" website. It is just fantastic. In particular, note the role and "normal" values of "TSH" (which is what docs normally measure) and note the arguments for treating at a TSH above 3 (rather than say above 5 in the UK). I argued for treatment with a TSH at 4.7 using the downloads from this website... and got it. VS xx

Hi stresshead I believe there is a problem with how the thyroid hormones are working at the tissue level in some children with ADHD. To get up to date perhaps you could look on "Medline" and put in your keywords like thyroid or hypothyroidism and ADHD to get the most up to date picture? Perhaps you could feed back to us what you find? I'm well out of date on this now, sorry. Best of luck VS xx

More bad news on soy... http://thyroid.about.com/b/a/250645.htm?nl=1 VS xx Sorry if this has been posted before. I'm having trouble keeping up with all the posts!

Zemanski Thanks for pointing out that "red ears", if they blister like mine (and itch like hell), can be very painful, distracting and make one downright miserable. I'm so glad I know "why" now. I'd have hated to go my whole life without having a way of controlling the pain and discomfort. My skin reactions have been pretty severe at certain times of my life and I'm glad my GP sent me to a specialist as these reactions DID impact on MY life... BIg Time. I had to change degree courses and jobs because of them, for example. On a more personal level, it's not, for example, too "cool" to have to dunk one's head in a sink full of icy water (to take the pain of the blistering away) after an evening meal out, when one would rather be "getting to know" the boyfriend!!! I guess what I'm trying to say is that if your child has a very adverse reaction like mine, it may be worth taking the red ears seriously and get help to see what may be causing them. If the red ears are merely "decorative" and your child has no other symptoms that cause you (or him/her) any concern then just use them as "mood indicators" or whatever and be done with? One caveat. I do think the point that there may be more "damage" being done "inside" than might at first appear is a "possible". I got more and more extensive symptoms as time went on, some of which reversed when eventually off casein. Re gagging with mashed potato: Our OTs suggested having a supply of ice cubes which could be given out and chewed up prior to the problem food being attempted. The idea is that the ice cube will desensitise the mouth and make throwing up less likely. We gave this a go and eldest son can now eat more foods than he could before (eg boiled spuds) but mash is still left on the plate. Worth a try though? Finally, as it's Shrove Tuesday... We tried out the following receipe for GF/CF pancakes/crepes and they were fab: 125g/4oz Doves GF flour pinch salt 1 large egg 300ml/10fl oz rice milk sunflower oil for frying Just bung it all together and whisk by hand. Fry like any other pancake. Top with whatever you like. Yum! VS xx