General Chat

I thought I would nudge it up

Can I just say (although I won't put it on the relevant thread) that although 'Jamies school dinners' is a fantastic idea and its great to get kids to eat healthily - our 'special' kids would find those changes EXTRA hard. Please don't feel guilty if your SEN child always eats the same few foods, that is part of the diagnosis! This is what I have just read in 'Asperger Syndrome - What Teachers Need to Know' ... 'Children with AS are sensitive to both the taste and the texture of food, and tend to be wary of new things and resistant to change. They are often creatures of habit where food is involved and often prefer to eat the same thing day after day. You can help them with this by adopting the following approach: ~ Get the child to taste just a very small amount of something new ~ Be prepared for a negative reaction to new foods. ~ Do not push the issue of trying a new food. ' I think this applies to most on the autistic spectrum - they can also be very sensitive to smell - any sensory input really. Jamie can't stand bright sunlight - wears his shades a lot. Just thought I would pop this on as its topical!! Maz. XX

nudge for newbies - join us and let off steam!! Maz. XX

Just thought I would nudge it up

Just to let you all know my youngest is 6yrs old and has Dysprixia I have been given an appointment for Vranch House they will assess him on the 12th May so we will soon know what can be done to help him will keep you posted

I work in a local primary school which has lots of children with different sp.needs. I have just started a project called 'toe to toe', which helps children with reading difficulties and Dyslexia, I would advise anyone to push their school to try it, its has an amazing improvement success rate. My main advice to any of you is to push for your childs rights. We have some very vocal parents and it does seem to work if you keep complaining to your LEA. If I can help anyone, please ask.

ps... alwats insist that the Teaching Assistant is fully qualified and attends specific training for Autism or other conditions. I am a qualified TA but there is an unqualified and untrained TA at my school who works with a boy with autism. Which I think is disgusting. She doesnt understand the ins and outs of how that child sees the world and copes with everyday things.

Hi Val, good to hear you have an assessment date. My boy's is over 3 days in June. Will be thinking of you next week - please let us know how you get on. Maz. XX

hi,ive posted on here a couple of times has i have 2 children with asd and behavioral problems. i just wanted to reccomend a site which ive found usefull,its called rosies corner and it links people from all over the world who have children with asd,adhd ect. hope its helpfull have a look and see. http://groups(.)msn(.)com/RosiesCorner luv debs

Some info on that Raviv System is at http://www(.)thelearningsociety(.)com/en/raviv/index(.)aspx Don't forget to take out the brackets! Thanks Christopher! Maz. XX

No problem Maz will let you know and have a good sleep lol

I didn't see that Marly - wish I had! Asperger's kids tend to have an 'obsession' so I suppose he used that as his 'specialist subject'?? Is it repeated at all do you know?? Maz. XX

Thanks Marly - didn't know the final was tomorrow, will look out for it now :~)) Maz. XX

I'll be watching tomorrow as well - a great nephew has Asberger's. His mum has been through it all 'pushy middle-class mother who can't accept that her son isn't bright' - fighting for statement, etc. He's doing three A-levels now and has just been accepted into his county youth orchestra so we're all very proud of him. My son has Down's so I've been into the mencap world for 34 years - very little inclusive education when he started (in fact they'd only just started calling junior training centres 'schools' and acknowledging that our kids could be educated at all!!) He's taking part in the Special Olympics in Glasgow in July. Autistic spectrum is a different ballgame, I know. It must be very, very tough for you all on this thread.

- should have added 'and ADHD' in that last paragraph. I just can't begin to imagine how anyone copes with those hyperactive states. Liz

Liz it is very hard when they start kicking of but it is the damage they do

Val Yes, however do you keep sane? I'd find that horrendous. Liz

I do try keeping sane but very hard lol I just send to there rooms to calm down thats why John's door was his hinges and a hole in the wall but we tried to mend them

I have a view point on both sides. I have a son who is 16, and after much pushing, from his School and myself, he was diagnosed with Aperger's Syndrome, when he was seven. If I hadn't asked for a second opinion, He might have just been treated as a naughty boy and his life would have been so different. Children used to describe him as the naughtiest boy in the School, but that was because he was so afraid of so many things then. He was terrified of crowds and of loud noises, so Assemblies were an absolute nightmare for him. With help from a local support group, I applied for a Special Needs statement, which has meant some support for him and people realising and recognising that he is a bit different, but not bad. Over time, he has learned to cope with School, ( as routine helps them to settle).He is now a very quiet boy, who has managed to stay in mainstream School and I am proud to say he will be taking his exams from next week, like all the other children in his School. I have been a Special needs Teaching assistant for over five years. I know that most of the children that have a Special Needs Statement, do so because they have pushy parents. Parents that don't like to be fobbed off, and who will do all that they can to get the best for their child.I am glad that I knew a lady that worked at my son's Primary School, who identified my son's condition, as I'd never heard about it until then. I knew that my son was different, from the age of two, but it took five years to get a diagnosis. Don't despair though, and keep pushing if you want the best Education for your child.The good thing about these children is that they are very intelligent and if given the right encouragement, often go on to have very successful careers. Sir Patrick Moore has Aspergers, and it is strongly believed that Einstein also had it.

I agree with every word if the doctors would listien to mothers they would know quicker that something is wrong instead of fobbing us off who is the one that is with them from day 1 we know our kids and we know when something is wrong