General Chat

I really must take my hat off to you Lisa. You must be very special yourself to cope full-time. Kieran is so lucky to have such a devoted mum like you.

As much as I love Allan, I can only deal with him for small periods of time. He is extremely draining when he's here with me and OH.

Allan wants to count the pebbles around the pool whenever he's here. He will be out there for hours if we let him. he won't let me move him and if I try to put sunblock or a hat on him, he screams. My OH usually has to pysically pick him up and carry him indoors.

His favourite card game at the moment is cannasta. It's impossible to beat him as he counts the cards that come out and knows what's left in the deck.....................lol

I'm worried about the other children in the school making fun of him. Allan is totally without shame or modesty. He decided that he didn't want to wear his uniform anymore and stripped naked. He then went back across the school to his classroom.

I really do look forward to his visits, but I have to be honest and say that I fall exhausted into my armchair when he leaves.

I love him heaps. He's my special little man.




Deb:)

Bless your nephew Allan.
My son Kieran used to go to mainstream school but his one to one worker took loads of time of school as her family where telling her that she was spending more time with Kieran then she was with her own children even though her children where at school when she was at work.
I also witnessed her been quite nasty with Kieran when he didn't want to stand up and walk with her support.
She did get the sack in the end but that meant Kieran could only go to school if there was someone who could be with Kieran.
We ended up taking Kieran out of mainstream school and he now goes to a fantastic school and he is coming on in leaps and bounds now.
Kieran gets really angry when he does signing to people if they don't understand him.

Lisa xx

My beautiful nephew Allan is high functioning autistic. He's 9 years old and goes to a main-stream school which has a special education class.

Allan isn't very vocal so signs most of the time. He gets frustrated when someone doesn't understand sign language. He can be quite aggressive when this happens.

He is regimentally repedative in his daily habits. He will only eat off a particular plate and he won't eat a meal if it's been put on his plate for him. He has to put it on himself.

He has a collection of things.............marble, ball point pen, plastic spider etc.....that must be in the right position on his study desk.

He counts the road guard rails whenever he's travelling in the car and doesn't like anyone talking while he's counting.

Allan is very loving and give the best hugs ever, but he has to give them. He freezes up and starts screaming if someone gives him a hug.

He loves Beyonce, Brittany Spears and Gwyn Steffani.

He's brilliant at maths.

He lives in his own little world.

Bless him.





Deb:)

Bless the people you work with Gillian.
And bless you as well for doing what you do.

Lisa xx

and a massive cheer for you too Gillian Jennifer - you so deserve it

I guess I have four special children (young adults) who I work with. Yes they each have their own problems and are sometimes hard to cope with, and I know people say at the end of the shift you can walk away, but it is not like that. When I am not on shift I still worry and care about them. But the best bit about this job, is the reward you feel in your heart when you see them smile, or laugh, because you have given them a little something of normaility. A simple little gesture means so much to them. My family even get involved in a funny way, as R loves my hubby and thinks my Derek is the best, just cos he makes her cd's. They love to call around mine for a coffee and a chat. I think you all do a fabulous job and deserve a great big cheer. May you keep up your good work.

I have 'had' many special children over the years as the Senco for the Pre-school. I would love to have been able to follow some of them through life to see how they did.

I do meet parents at times who give me updates which is great and has so far been very positive with many children going on to achieve higher than they were given credit for when their futures were being talked about.

I know things have come on a long way over the years and have improved quite drastically from even 2 years ago. I get more support in my setting and all the hard work and assessments that the children and ourselves do, is now carried forward and used rather than schools starting again with their own systems and assessments which can often delay help, support and statements.

So well done to all the parents and children who need that little extra support, for fighting for what is out there and should be available easily.

But of course all children are special. Some just need a little more help, love and understanding to get them through life :-)

Jacky

((((hugs))))
for everyone who has posted on my thread.
You are all fantastic people, as are your children/Grandchildren.
I think it is good been able to talk to people with special relatives.
My OH and I where never given any help when Kieran was born we was just told to go home and get on with raising him.
We have had to fight a lot to get help with Kieran who has a slight heart murmur, asthma, recurring chest infections and he has had pnumonia a few times as well.
We nearly lost him once as he was sent home from hospital and he still had pnumonia on his lungs.
I had asked them to check to see if the pnumonia had gone before he was sent home but they refused to.
I was once phoned up so that I could rush back up to the hospital to sign a consent form so Kieran could be taken to theatre to have a TPN line put into his groin which they then had to remove as it became blocked.
He also had to have a blood transfusion.

Lisa xx

(((((((((((((((((((( Hugs )))))))))))))))))))))

Wishing all of you a very very Merry Christmas.

Thinking of you all.

Gaynor xxx

Bless your grandson Annie,
My sister is diabetic and was recently rushed into hospital as she was not well as she has another condition which can kill her,she has to watch what she eats and drinks as well.

Lisa xx

all children are a blessing xxx

My First Grandchild died 10years ago, at the age of 3, (encephalitis/meningitis)
When my daughter went into labour & gave birth to her second son, at 27weeks, we all feared that he would be joining his big brother. He nearly did. Thankfully that tiny lad fought for life, he is now a healthy 8yr old, but his traumatic start to life has left him with scarring on his brain & he has Dyspraxia. We are just very thankful that he survived. He is extra special to us & he is just ‘***’.
There have been many days when he has brought my daughter to tears, so I know firsthand what it is to be coping with a special child day after day.

I agree this is a lovley thread lisa and i really feel for you all as i know what its like too. my little girl has cerebral palsy although she has no major learning difficulties she has the physical disability to contend with but she rarley moans about it, just last week we were choosing her christmas outfit and all she wanted was some shoes to match but she cant wear normal shoes with her splints but weve agreed if she works really hard with excercises i said i will buy her just one special pair to wear over xmas when shes at home and not having to walk about too much, i cant bear it when i see tears in her eyes.im far too soft with her but we both know its for the best.

Lisa hopefully as with Pusses son David, Paul will get better with age and now hes not in school and feeling threatened will feel more at ease with himself bless him.

Annie i can understand why you stayed with your grandson you can never be too careful and im sure he was pleased to see you and spend time with you too. It must be hard for him not being able to eat what he wants i know my dad struggled with that.

Deanna this is a lovely thread as many of us dont realise till there is a thread like this that there are people you can talk to going through the same or similar experiences. It is a battle getting teachers, doctors and educational authorities to take your childs problems seriously and can at times feel overwhelming and my Boo only has slight problems so i too have so much respect for those who have to go through much more than me.

Jax xx

doesn't all this just put everything in perspective? some people are given such heavy burdens in life and those without burdens don't always understand how hard it can be. I am fortunate in that I have none of these burdens, only burdens I have created myself - pushing myself into depression. However, having worked in a psychiatric hospital for nearly thirty years I quickly became aware of what people can suffer and do feel that generally people are becoming more educated and understanding, but it is a very slow process. I wonder too how all these illnesses came about - when I was a kid, sure we had Downs Syndrome but none of these ADHDs and the like - is it all down to food?

I think this is a lovely thread Lisa.

I don't have a special child, not as you all do.... but I have such respect for those of you who do.
You humble me.x

you have so much to do, and so many times you have to fight for your child's rights.

You are all wonderful parents, and I wish you all the very, very best of everything.

Deanna X

I am staying with my almost 16 yr old grandson this weekend as his parents have taken grandaughter away.He did not want to go.He is old enough and big enough to stay by himself,but he has been diabetic since he was 4 and has 4 injections a day.My daughter wanted someone with him over night just in case something goes wrong.He also suffers with depression mainly watching other people eat all the lovely food,drinks and sweets he is not allowed. Annie

Paul had been slapped by a few teachers at his school when he did something wrong but they also swore at him and literally dragged him out of his classroom.
His mother was always going into the school yet nothing was ever done.
I know that my Brother in Law can be violent as he has attacked his parents and younger brother but he never actually hit anyone at his school.
He is pleased to be away from it all now.
I am pleased that your daughters school is a good school and that they understand your daughter.

Lisa xx

I just thought I would let anyone who posts on my thread that I am just going to get Kieran up and changed now he is awake as I didn't want anyone to think that I was been ignorant by not replying but I will be back soon.

Lisa xx

Thats terrible Lisa, there are so many children about now with difficulties you would think the teachers would be a bit more understanding. Yes by all means discipline the child when they are having an episode but to suspend them or slap them is dreadful. Im lucky that this is only a small school that Boo goes to so they get to know the children and their problems. It may get alot harder when she is ready to go to the comprehensive school as its alot bigger but i know they have special needs teachers and a progress centre where if any child has had learning or behavioural problems there are teachers and councellors there to help them.

Hope things work out for your bil xx