Teacher & LSA taken Glen to School

[JeanneA]

What a morning, as I am unable to get Glen to School at the moment, Glen's teacher and lsa came to the house to take him. Glen went ballistic I felt dreadful. I had to get into the lsa's car go for a ride then they dropped me off and then they took Glen to School. I really didnt' want to go through with it and have a feeling that I am going to regret it when Glen gets home this afternoon. They are also bringin him home. This arrangement is continuing until a taxi is sorted out which they are trying to organise at the moment.

[coolblue]

Why doesn't he want to go to school?

 

cb

[call me jaded]

How did it go?

[Karen A]

<'> <'> <'>

Hope things went better than expected yesterday.

Karen.

[JeanneA]

Hi for those who do not know of Glen, he suffers with severe anxiety and goes through phases when things get really bad for him and he becomes aggressive. At the moment he is frequently hitting his head with force. School has always been very hight on the list of Glen's anxieties throughout the years so when he is particularly bad the worst of his behaviour will come out at School.

Recently I have been unable to get him to School on my own hence the teacher suggested himself and a lsa come to try to take him in the mornings which they have the past 2 days. Yesterday was awful it was very difficult to get Glen to go with them, in fact I had to get in the car with them have a ride round then they dropped me off and took Glen on to School. Today thankfully Glen was calmer so although you could see he was clearly anxious he did go with them ok.

[coolblue]

Thanks Jeanne. Just wondering what it was about school that makes him anxious. Is he able to say?

 

cb

[JeanneA]

Hi coolblue, no Glen isn't able to say, he hasn't got great communication/understanding skills. Glen has always been an extremely anxious child especially when at School. He looks very depressed at the moment has no interest in anything he's been like this for a few weeks now. We go to see the psychiatrist tomorrow hopefully perhaps she can tell us how long we have to wait for the mental health assessment.

[coolblue]

Has anyone at school tried to find out? Even people with no speech can communicate their mood, what they like or don't like, using symbols. I'd want to know what it was about school he was anxious about. I'm not suggesting he isn't being treated well - it might be a simple problem that is easily solved. In other words, Glen might not be trying to avoid school because he's 'anxious' - it might be something about school that makes him anxious.

 

A couple of researchers were doing some work on communication with severely autistic adults and found two guys in residential accommodation who could read - this had never occurred to anyone, because these two couldn't speak. They'd learned to read because they'd had magazines in common rooms and there were subtitles on tv. One of them had been diagnosed with catatonia because he often became temporarily paralysed in the dining room. It turned out that the 'paralysis' was the only way he could draw attention to the fact that he needed help with his tray.

 

Just a thought.

 

cb

[JeanneA]

Hi saw the psychiatrist today, haven't got any further really they are still pushing for this assessment and there is another meeting which I am attending on Monday when they should be able to give me some answers, i.e. when the assessment will take place.

[Mandapanda]

He looks very depressed at the moment has no interest in anything he's been like this for a few weeks now. We go to see the psychiatrist tomorrow hopefully perhaps she can tell us how long we have to wait for the mental health assessment.

 

Huh? What does the psychiatrist do then!

 

This drives me mad! If you're seeing an actual psychiatrist it is their job to assess his mental health and refer to specialists as appropriate.

 

I have been through having a child severely depressed and anxious and suicidal because he hated school. He is verbal but still couldn't tell us what the problems were - he just hated all of it. The reasons have become clearer since he stopped going, and they really were too many for him to overcome in any school environment.

 

I feel for you, it is a very worrying and upsetting time. Keep him safe <'> <'> <'>

 

[Sally44]

What a morning, as I am unable to get Glen to School at the moment, Glen's teacher and lsa came to the house to take him. Glen went ballistic I felt dreadful. I had to get into the lsa's car go for a ride then they dropped me off and then they took Glen to School. I really didnt' want to go through with it and have a feeling that I am going to regret it when Glen gets home this afternoon. They are also bringin him home. This arrangement is continuing until a taxi is sorted out which they are trying to organise at the moment.

 

Does your son have a diagnosis of an ASD?? And what type of school is he in?

 

[JeanneA]

Hi yes Glen has a diagnosis of ASD, he is in a Special School, has been since he was 7. Glen has often been reluctant to go to School but we have never got to the bottom of why.

I am hoping the on Monday at the meeting of The Team Around The Child, that I will have some answers to what is going to happen next regarding helping Glen. It is just so distressing to see Glen hitting himself frequently and looking so depressed and uninterested in anything around him.

[Sally44]

With my son I think a combination of issues affect his behaviour.

If the school think he is able to cope without one of his supports they will remove it. Eg. his personal visual timetable. He now has to use the class one. This still causes problems because he cannot accept anything 'new' or 'different' being introduced into 'his' schedule because it isn't on the classroom timetable.

Concept of time. My son can often get upset if he is unable to do something because he has not understood that time is running out. Eg. doing something before he leaves for school. Or not finishing something at school. Or having to go to bed before he has watched at least one TV programme of his choice.

The work being too difficult for him and he understands that others can do it and he can't.

The work being too boring and not stimulating enough.

 

The last two reasons are difficult to get a balance with. My son really struggles with some basic concepts around reading/writing/numeracy etc. Yet he can talk about gravity and how electricity travels down wires etc. How do you pitch a lesson to a child with such varying degress of difficulty and ability?

 

Does your son have problems with facial recognition? Could he be struggling to find anyone or anything familiar because of that. Does he have a cuddly toy at home that they might let him take with him into school and which sits somewhere in the classroom and which he takes back home with him?

 

It must be very distressing to see him like that. What is he like when he is in school?

[JeanneA]

Hi Sally Glen isn't into cuddly toys Im afraid, no he just is most definately depressed in our eyes, you can see it. He needs specialist help, he hits himself anywhere including School. He has had swimming this afternoon, one of his favourite things and he still hit himself I was told, its like a ritual with Glen thats how it appears.

Like your son Glen has never been very accepting of 'change' but I've been told that there has been no 'change' at School and there hasn't been any at home. I just hope I get some answers at this meeting on Monday.

[Kathryn]

Poor Glen and poor you. It must be tough for all of you. Hope you get to the bottom of what's causing his feelings.

 

K x

[JeanneA]

Hi Kathryn, I do hope things get sorted out I really do, it is so upsetting seeing Glen the way he is at the moment.

[Suze]

<'> for you and Glen, have the staff at school been able to point in any directin regarding his anxiety??...does he use visual cards to communicate at school?

[JeanneA]

Hi no the School don't know why he is anxious, but this anxiety has always been on-going with Glen, he is anxious in any setting. He looks like a child severely depressed thats why he needs this mental health assessment and quick. Seeing his face every morning when I go to get him up is so upsetting, I think if I left him he would just lay in bed all day. Glen is disinterested in life generally.

Glen has used visual cards but at the moment nothing works.

[coolblue]

Jeanne, you obviously know your son best, but I really think you should get his physical health assessed as well. My daughter has had a post-viral syndrome for years. All she wanted to do at first was lie down all day, but she can communicate very well and so could tell us how she was feeling. Two and a half years later, after a series of blood tests, she was found to have had glandular fever. She's also dairy intolerant and was deficient in vitamin D, and her white cell count was low.

 

Physical illness can lead to depression very easily. I know I keep going on about this, but you did say Glen had a number of viral infections earlier this year, so I would suspect his physical health before his mental health, if you see what I mean.

 

cb

[lisac]

'so I would suspect his physical health before his mental health'

 

I would say this too . However, I know from experience how reluctant health proffesionals are to investigate anything physical in people with severe learning disabilities . Ive asked before for a kind of body MOT for my son ( under sedation) yet no one seems to take my request seriously. I dont quite know why this is . I suspect its to do with sedation /they think its a minefield/ or dont want to be held accountable for anything, not sure.

[JeanneA]

Yes you could be right Lisa, Glen was checked over by the doctor not so long ago and he found nothing wrong then but of course thats not to say things haven't changed and Glen does have a health problem now. He has had 3 virus this year already although does seem ok again now he is eating normally again (if not more than normal) but then that could be the respiridone as it can increase appetite apparently.

[JeanneA]

Good news, the temporary transport has been sorted for Glen, it starts tomorrow. A taxi-bus is going to pick Glen up, there are 3 other pupils on the taxi already, Glen will be the last to pick up and the first to be dropped off in the afternoon. So pleased something has been sorted for now, just hope Glen goes off ok with the escort, he did meet her at School today so hopefully all will be ok.

 

 

Edited March 22, 2010 by JeanneA

[call me jaded]

Have you looked at other Rispiridone side-effects?

 

Hope your TAC meeting goes well. If they're unable to help him you should really be asking for help for you.

[JeanneA]

Glen went off ok in the taxi this morning, the escort is Sally and the drive Janine. I hope this works out ok and although it is only a temporary arrangement perhaps hopefully it could become permanent.

[JeanneA]

Glen was fine on the taxi travelling to and from School today so that was good news! The driver said Glen sat at the front coming home this afternoon.

[Karen A]

Glen was fine on the taxi travelling to and from School today so that was good news! The driver said Glen sat at the front coming home this afternoon.

 

That is good news.

Karen.

 

[JeanneA]

Thanks Karen just hope all continues to go well this week.

[Kathryn]

That's better news - hope it's part of a more settled pattern.

 

K x

[JeanneA]

Glen looked very anxious whilst going out the door this morning but went with the taxi lady ok.

[oxgirl]

Really pleased that the taxi is working out well for you all, hope it can become permanent for you. <'>

 

~ Mel ~

[JeanneA]

Hi Mel yes I do hope so its only until Glen has this mental health assessment after all so you are only talking a few weeks where the taxi is concerned, at least this way Glen is getting to School and staying there all day.

[JeanneA]

Hi guys Glen's still going on the taxi ok, but when he got in this afternoon he was hitting his head so much asking for pyjamas which isn't a good sign. I've now got him to lay down in his bed for a while to calm down. I guess he's had a bad day at school. All that was written in his home/school book was: Glen's been hitting a lot today. He wasn't like this yesterday so something must have happened today.

[lisac]

Jeanne , can you go in and sit in on the class? Maybe it will give you some clues as to what (if anything) the school are doing wrong . I did this a few times and the list was endless . My son doesnt like to be touched and the staff were still grabbing/pulling him (even though it was gently) by the arm on occassions . Ive just noticed this happening at the college hes started ( why on earth do staff do this) I wouldnt like it ! It might be something minor he isnt comfortable with .

[JeanneA]

Hi Lisa & all

 

God what a start to the day and a bad evening last night. As soon as Glen got him he was constantly hitting himself, asking for pyjamas (which isn't a good sign). I had to let him put his pyjamas on, got him to lay down in his bed for a while and after hitting his head a few times in bed he then calmed down and was ok after that.

However this morning he wasn't good again, got him dressed had breakfast then he wanted pyjamas then bed. I let him put his pyjamas on, warned the taxi ladies via text message, but somehow by telling Glen he is at home tomorrow (Saturday) he put his clothes back on and went on the taxi which I really didn't expect him to do.

It wouldn't be a good idea for me to go into the classroom due to past experiences, Glen would just want to go home as soon as he saw me. I have spoken to the teacher this morning and explained what Glen was like last night and this morning and he said they are changing things in the classroom, where before an lsa was sitting either side of him now there is only one which was suggested at the meeting on Monday.

I am feeling so stressed at the moment its so hard to deal with, just relieved it is Saturday tomorrow.

Edited March 26, 2010 by JeanneA

[lisac]

Hi Lisa & all

 

God what a start to the day and a bad evening last night. As soon as Glen got him he was constantly hitting himself, asking for pyjamas (which isn't a good sign). I had to let him put his pyjamas on, got him to lay down in his bed for a while and after hitting his head a few times in bed he then calmed down and was ok after that.

However this morning he wasn't good again, got him dressed had breakfast then he wanted pyjamas then bed. I let him put his pyjamas on, warned the taxi ladies via text message, but somehow by telling Glen he is at home tomorrow (Saturday) he put his clothes back on and went on the taxi which I really didn't expect him to do. Jeanne your son sounds quite similar to mine, just a thought but ..

Is it possible because the day was made very clear to him, he was able to accept it ? If he is worse at school maybe it is because school confuses him because they are not clear enough with him .

It wouldn't be a good idea for me to go into the classroom due to past experiences, Glen would just want to go home as soon as he saw me. My son was exactly the same .

I have to say as soon as he left his anxieties lessened and he is a much happier person now he isnt confused . School just isnt for everyone .

[JeanneA]

Hi Glen was exactly the same this afternoon as yesterday, he is currently laying in bed with pyjamas on. Today though he is hitting himself lots of times in bed whereas yesterday he only did it a couple of times and then was fine.

I was wondering whether the risperidone could be making the situation worse, he has been on it 3.1/2 weeks now and it doesn't seem to be helping, what does anyone else think?