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Original poster

What to do re SEN child?

32 replies

ToastTheCat · 19/04/2024 13:19

Hi all,

I have a three year old little boy who has a genetic disorder that causes developmental delay and mild intellectual disability. He cannot walk but crawls and "walks" on his knees, he also can't talk bar a few words and is on the ASD pathway.

He's in a normal nursery setting but we are awaiting his EHCP which is going to take about a year to complete.

My issue is he's moved up into the pre school room and is not having a good time. He really doesn't like being around the children, he becomes territorial and distressed when they come near and starts hurting himself physically and has caused quite a bad injury to his face. He's distressed doing the things he used to do like going outside or drawing and playing and he's just not having a good time.

I'm reducing his days from 5 days to 3 days and then we're going to try and slowly build him back to 5 but if that doesn't work then leave him at 3 but If he continues being in so much distress then I don't know what to do because of his EHCP and I can't pull him out completely.

Has anyone had any similar experiences and can advise anything?

I'm just so upset and stressed about it all, and it's hard because he's such a lovely little boy and the staff love him but it must be so hard for him :(

OP posts:
Littlefish · 19/04/2024 14:12

Does he have 1:1 support at the moment?

EliflurtleAndTheInfiniteMadness · 19/04/2024 14:10

ToastTheCat · 19/04/2024 13:57

He was moved up because it's a smaller class (and a birthday). He's been okay (in the sense of just avoiding the children) the last few weeks with it being half term and not as many children but now all the classes have too many kids for him to cope with.

In the previous class he was really withdrawn and just ignored the other children and would be at the other side of the room to wherever they were so I don't know if it's a better option but I'll speak to nursery about it. Thank you.

I think ignoring is probably better then hurting himself. Ignoring can be he's overwhelmed but, it can also be a lack of interest whereas hurting himself Id think of as he's not coping. My oldest DS completely ignored other kids at playschool till he was about 5. At 3 his brother would get up and move to another activity if a child sat down beside him.

Sprogonthetyne · 19/04/2024 14:09

My DS was slightly older when we did his EHCP (reception), but the school was able to apply for interim funding, to get support in place while the ehcp assessment was ongoing. Not sure if it's the same for nursery age, but might be worth asking, if they can get funding for some more 1:1 time, they could maybe take him to a different area when he seems overwhelmed

EliflurtleAndTheInfiniteMadness · 19/04/2024 14:01

Im sorry OP. no advice at all, but didn't want to just click away. My DC are Autistic and my middle boy especially had a lot of struggles at that age, used to crash himself into the walls and hurt me and his little brother. It's so hard, not just on him, but also on you. Im sorry you're both having to tread that road.

I think PPs idea of seeing if they'd put him back in his old room could be good. My friend's youngest is Autistic and non verbal and he finds the inability to express himself very frustrating and this itself can lead to hitting out or hurting themselves.

Original poster
ToastTheCat · 19/04/2024 13:57

He was moved up because it's a smaller class (and a birthday). He's been okay (in the sense of just avoiding the children) the last few weeks with it being half term and not as many children but now all the classes have too many kids for him to cope with.

In the previous class he was really withdrawn and just ignored the other children and would be at the other side of the room to wherever they were so I don't know if it's a better option but I'll speak to nursery about it. Thank you.

OP posts:
LittleOwl153 · 19/04/2024 13:49

Is there a real reason (not jist a birthday!) he has moved up to the preschool room? Does he really need to be in there? He is crawling not running so the danger development of haring around isn't a problem. Especially if he's only just 3 I'd ask for him to be moved back for now.

Original poster
ToastTheCat · 19/04/2024 13:44

Hopeful bump

OP posts: