Working as a 1:1...

[bid]

Hi All,

 

I've been asked to cover long-term sick-leave as a 1:1 LSA for a non-verbal Autistic child at a local primary school. I know the child and mum slightly.

 

I'm really looking forward to doing this, as working within school like this is my long-term aim, so I hope it might lead somewhere. Good experience, anyway!

 

What I wanted to ask was...please could any of you guys whose child has a 1:1 LSA post your 'LSA Wish List'?!

 

My son never had 1:1 support, so I don't know what a parent would be looking for...

 

Thanks in advance <'>

 

Bid

[katkin]

Someone who talks to you, not at you and is willing to listen to you, not just hear you. Kat

[Mother in Need]

D needs his own Learning Support Assistant (LSA or TA):? D must receive 1:1 support in all lessons.

? Ideally this should be given by two different LSAs ; 2 so that if one is off sick or not available Dwill still feel safe and secure with the other, having built up a relationship with both there will be continuity of care and as little change as possible.

? D should not be attached to more than two LSAs, as this confuses him and takes away his feelings of security. Others also would not have understanding of D's complex needs that is needed to care for D.

? D also needs help during lunch and break times (while in the LSU he should have the support of his LSA) and while moving around the school from class to class.

? The LSAs working directly with D must have specific AS training.

? He needs an LSA who has a basic training in diabetes management and who can keep an eye out on him at all times and in whom he has total confidence and feels safe and secure.

? Daniel does not take well to change whether these are small changes or big ones. Some samples of changes he finds difficult are: changing clothes, clean bedding, changing from weekend to school routine, from holiday time to term time, change of the location of an item in his medical kit, a sudden change of teacher or LSA (hence he needs two, so if one is not available there is another he is familiar with and who is familiar with him), changing from a normal school day to going on a special outing, changing of the seating arrangement in a class room etc. As you can see, most of these changes are pretty unavoidable and D needs help to be prepared for these changes and he needs to be with someone with whom he feels safe and secure to be able to cope with these changes.

? As D's organizational abilities are very poor, he needs help in organizing himself, he needs help in the writing down of his homework, making sure he has everything with him that he needs for the day, and with anything else that is out of the normal routine. This should be his 1:1 LSA. He should not be punished or even threatened with punishment if any of those items are missing.

? D's sensory difficulties are not always apparent, but they become worse as his anxiety levels rise. He then become over sensitive to sound levels, light levels and temperature. He gets extremely upset if sprayed with water. He can become oversensitive to pain, and even a small brush can become a painful experience for him. On the other hand, he often does not have full control over his own physical actions. He may think that he is just brushing your eye, but in fact it ends up rather blue; he may think he is only just touching someone?s leg, but it ends up bruised. He thinks he is only giving you a gentle punch on the shoulder, when it really feels like a full blown attack. This obviously quickly leads to a misunderstanding on the part of the receiver of these ?touches?, and D then becomes vulnerable to retorts and being attacked. His LSA needs to quickly spot these moments and make everyone understand that what really happened was non-intentional.

? D can get confused very easily. Especially if he is given two instructions within a short space of time, or a more complex instruction. When D is confused, he often just shuts down and nothing one says or does can take him out if it. To avoid this, he needs his 1:1 LSA to check that he has understood the instruction, and if necessary break down the instructions into smaller steps, to be worked on one by one.

? One of the problems for children with Asperger?s Syndrome is that of communication. D appears to be a good-communicator, speaking loads and on a much higher level than other children of his age. HOWEVER, D's communication skills are actually really poor. He rarely reacts to what another person says, and even when they say 10x ?no, I don?t want you to tell me? he will still tell it to them, several times over. D does not understand non-literal use of language, like jokes, sarcasm, teasing or metaphors. D may talk about a lot of things on an extremely high level, but one of D's problems is that he cannot apply his knowledge. He also finds it very hard to transfer strategies that he has learned into another situation. D cannot understand subtle language nor non-direct language. I.e. when saying ?D you talk too much? he is more likely to reply ?yes I know? than to understand that you?ve just told him to be quiet. He also is not good at understanding non-verbal communication, and will not recognize it when someone is getting angry or upset or whatever. His LSA may need to translate subtle language and non-verbal signs to him.

? D should also be given speech and language therapy to help him with these issues.

? D can often not recognize his own feelings and has little awareness of the feelings of others. D lives in a world of his own, on which other people only touch but do not take much part in. His awareness of others is often very limited and he would usually prefer to be left alone so he can get on with whatever it is he is doing. His LSA needs to make him aware when his actions are affecting other people, and teach him appropriate methods of dealing with situations as they arise.

? D communicates much better with adults and feels safer with them. He is very gullible and could go with any stranger once they?ve had a little chat with him. His personal safety is therefore at risk and he cannot be left alone by himself.

? D does not feel he wants to be different from the other children and will not tell the teacher when he has a problem but will become anxious and stressed; therefore he needs his LSA to support him when he needs this.

? He needs individualized help in understanding the hidden rules and also that other children do not think the way he does. Smoking is bad and hence he won?t do it. But he cannot understand that others would.

? He can also not imagine how other people could feel, or what they might have done, or what they might be interested in, or how they might react to something that has happened to them. I.e. he will not ask if someone had a good holiday, a nice birthday etc. This makes it difficult for him to hold a conversation that is not one-sided. D needs guidance as to how to communicate with other people and how to have a conversation without people feeling trapped and wanting to run away?his LSA should give pointers as opportunities arise.

? D needs teachers that he can relate to and don?t frighten him; where this is not possible D must have access to someone he feels safe and secure with to help him develop social skills and an understanding and ability to express his emotions appropriately ? his LSA.

? D's LSAs and all those closely involved in his daily school life should get to know D well so that they pick up on the small signs that may lead to melt downs or shutdowns, and also to his bloodsugars becoming too low or too high.

? D's LSAs have to be able to do a blood test should D's sugar levels seem to become too low, and to be able to take the necessary actions when he becomes hypoglycaemic.

[bid]

Thanks Kitkat...I will try hard to remember that

 

Wow, MiN...I wish I had been as knowledgable and as articulate about my son when he was younger Some really good food for thought...thank you for all that typing!

 

Any thoughts from anyone with a child who is non-verbal?

 

Thanks again, Superdudes!

 

Bid

[Kathryn]

Bid,

 

No advice to add here, but it sounds like a fantastic opportunity and lucky child to have you as an LSA.

 

K x

[katkin]

For a non verbal child find out what communication aids parents are using. When speaking to the child make sure you use the same language each time and the same language parents use. Particularly for toiletting - saying toilets when child understands loo or wee is going to be no good. You won't go wrong if you talk to parents, but than you know all this! Think confident, you'll be great. Kat

[Guest flutter]

go with u instincts with the child

if there are no communications sytems in place see what you think wil work,or even make u own

u are gonna be great

[Helen]

Hi Bid <'>

 

My personal opinion is that an LSA should -in order of priority- remain loyal to the child, be loyal to the parent and show regard for the school.

[pumpkinpie]

Mine would be someone I could trust and who is working towards what is best for my child not the school. Someone who talks to me and not at me!

[pumpkinpie]

That didnt sound right. Who wants what is best for the child and will speak up if that is not what is best for the school.