jackamol Report post Posted September 6, 2012 Hi all I would really appreciate some advice, my son 11 yrs old is due to see CAMHS next month. I know he has some issues. He has just started senior school and things are not going well. He has severe anxiety as in when he get worried he shuts down..he silent crys and is unable to speak to explain what is upsetting him. Noise and commotion make him feel anxious. He is a high achieving boy who is never ever naughty..... If he gets frustrated he take it inwards and crys.. He has "friends" but not real "friends" as I think he does there heads when he talks on stop about what he is interested in.. At the moment Lego mini figures... He spends hours painting and adapting them.. His senior school is huge!!! I have spoken to the second etc He did transition but that wasnt really that helpful. He started school today and by lunchtime the schl had rung me. He was in canteen in floods of tears but couldn't speak. I had to go to the school and speak to him..it was the noise and commotj in the canteen that made him feel odd and faint. He hates change and only really is settled in his own space and rountine. Sorry to be so long winded but my question is How long do I perservere with sending him to school.. Am I causing him more upset by forcing him to attend school. Is it best for him to try and overcome his fears.. I am so lost.what do I do for the best? I am willing to home school if it's the best for him but now long do I keep trying to settle him.. Am I being cruel Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suze Report post Posted September 7, 2012 does he have a diagnosis??..................if its a large school they will have good sen provision , make an appt with the senco today, its advisable that your boy spend break and dinner within the special needs base (he,ll need packed lunch )....and that he leave each class a minute earlier to avoid noise and the crush on the corridoors etc...this will certainly lessen his anxiety, I would suggest also he have a key member of staff in the sen base to make contact with . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sally44 Report post Posted September 8, 2012 How long you persevere depends on how able the school is to meet his needs and how your son is coping. You can also phone your local authority and ask to speak to the Autism Advisory Teacher. She should be able to give some advice to school. If he has alot of sensory issues [which it sounds like], you really need an Occupational therapist to assess him for Sensory processing Disorder and to make recommendations on how to adapt the things he finds overwhelming for him - Suze has mentioned some ideas. But at the end of the day how is he coping. How does her perceive himself. Does he have low self esteem. Is it making him more anxious and is he showing physical symptoms of that anxiety? You are going to see CAHMS. I presume it is a psychiatrist that has experience of working with children on the spectrum? Get them to give you and school advice in writing. If it does not work you have a number of options. You really need to ask the Local Authority to asses your son for a Statement of Special Educational Needs. If they refuse you can appeal that decision to SEND {special educational needs tribunal}. If they do assess and produce a Statement you need to go over it word by word to make sure it is legally binding. If you get to that stage you can post here for advice on how to get the Statement right and we can give you links to more information. My son did not cope in mainstream primary. He was out of school for most of year 5. He was eventually diagnosed with an Anxiety Disorder and now has OCD as well as ASD and Dyslexia and Sensory Processing Disorder. When your son cannot tell you what is upsetting him that is real. He is being totally bombarded with sensory information that he cannot screen out and may not even be able to make sense of. My son can just 'feel sick' in a room and cannot identify what it is about the room that makes him feel sick. It could be the colour, the smell, the amount of noise etc. Anyway. My son now attends an independent school for children with an ASD who are average cognitive ability. It is part of the SENAD group. By law, the LA has to provide whatever the Statement says. So you need the Statement to identify all your sons needs and quantify and specify how to meet each of those needs. That should be provided in reports that professionals carry out. The Statement is basically a 'cut and paste' job of those reports. Alternatively you can home school and try to build in some social activities into that. But if you do want him to continue in a school environment, there are private schools that can meet his needs and if you have a Statement that specifies that type of school, then the LA have to pay those school fees. In the meantime I would keep a daily diary of events and what your son is telling you. And get written advice from CAHMS as to how much force you should use to get him into school and also for them to give their findings and recommendations on how his needs should be met in school. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted September 15, 2012 Sounds like the sensory overload is getting too much for him and he needs some sort of sensory calming techniques to help. Can you get OT referral for a sensory assessment for your son? They might prescribe wallberger protocol brushing for the skin or weighted vests for the sound problem. Also look at 'visual stress' because my colorimeter lenses used to reduce (i dont need them anymore) my sensory hearing down to a more tolerable level. Try this thread for more information on sensory issues...... http://www.asd-forum.org.uk/forum/index.php?/topic/14710-sensory-integration/ also this thread for colorimeter/irlen lenses...... http://www.asd-forum.org.uk/forum/index.php?/topic/3082-cerium-prescision-tinted-lenses/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special_talent123 Report post Posted September 16, 2012 I was at a school for people with learning disabilities and I was diagnosed with autism age 14 any way the lunch hall was too crowded too noisy and children miss behaving. I could not handle it and got special permission to eat my lunch in the library because it was quiet Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted October 12, 2012 i think this is a good idea, for your son to eat somewhere else at lunchtime, but there is a danger that other kids will have a problem and take it out on your son. i have really painful and upsetting memories of school and also found the dinner hall a bit much, however the secondary school was different lunchwise because there were smaller canteens to eat in. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
