toask you if you would have a problem with someone who has Aspergers Syndrome looking after your children?

[AtYourCervix]

Babysitting, nursery or nannying type childcare.

Would you want to know?

Would it be an issue?

That's really useful to clarify that.

One of my work colleagues is epileptic and tbh I dont know why anyone with uncontrolled epilepsy would not want to disclose it to the people they work alongside. My work colleague had a siezure at work last year; it was pretty scary and that was with those of us in the office knowing he is epileptic. Goodness knows how we might have reacted had we known nothing. Same with Any other condition which might in some way impact on things at work. I cant see why you would not want people to know. People can only be enlightened if they are allowed to be

My ex has Aspergers and I'd certainly trust him to look after children.

He is very patient, calm and good in an emergency. And he has endless physical and mental energy.

Depends entirely on the individual.

Precautions with toddlers - toddlerproofed room, with stairgates, special childrens' remote with pre-set channels on, teach dc 999 as soon as they can count, use a wrist restraint when out of the house, press number 1 on my phone when I have a seizure (speed dial to my emergency contact), potty in room for toilet trained dc. As soon as they are strong enough, they egt taught the recovery position - which at age 8, my DD put into practice in the street with someone else that had had a seizure - she got a first aid award for that - and she could do it no probs at 8yo even WITH her own SN.

For the last time - I would disclose, I always have and I always will (at job offer stage, and I work in retail, not childcare) - BUT, and it's a big but, some people with epilepsy might NOT, especially if they were working in childcare before their diagnosis, and have no other qualifications AND no spare money to go and GET other qualifications. I do know of someone personally that has done this, while working in a Nursery - I don't agree with her decision, but she can LEGALLY take that decision.

Ahh right, I see what you are saying.

It was this, from your post of 16:23:15, that I was challenging:

"BUT there is NO legal obligation for me to do so. If I didn't WANT to tell you, I wouldn't have to. And if I had a seizure at a later point whilst employed by you as a nanny, and you sacked me due to feeling that I wasn't 'safe' to look after your dc, I could take you to tribunal for unfair dismissal. Not that I would, as I'm quite upfront about my epilepsy, but it's something to bear in mind - legally someone with epilepsy cannot be discriminated against in that situation..."

As you can see, from my above quote, it is quite untrue.

I will clarify that with the lady I had been speaking to at Epilepsy Action then. Thank you.

My ds has Aspergers. TBH his lack of eye contact and conversation with adults you would put down to his being a teenager.
He is amazing with younger children, they want to have fun!
He can bounce on a trampoline for hours with them, taking turns, because it is fun. and not embarrassing as he is helping!
He can make lunch for younger children, with them helping safely, explaining why they have to have salad etc (is the rules! 5 a day makes you healthy and strong).
He can read stories to them emulating the way I did it, same goes for bedtime routines.
Also won't have his girlfriend over making out/watching inappropriate films!
He will call if there is anything he is unsure about.
My friends are quite happy for him to look after their children and he enjoys making his own money.
I'm always a phone call away but would be with a neurotypical child babysitting as well!

Thanks for posting Loudlass, I can see all those things would work with my daughter but tbh I'm not sure if ds would co-operate.....though perhaps I am not giving him enough credit and if he had been trained well from young he would be different.

As a parent I wouldnt want to employ a nanny who put my child on a wrist restraint or put a potty anywhere except a bathroom without knowing the logic behind it, so I would worry about a potential nanny deciding not to declare they had epilepsy and had to put safety measures in place.

Apologies for the hijack OP

Littleducks- Thats what I meant when I said people can only be enlightened when they are allowed to be. We at work would be far more ignorant and misinformed about epilepsy if our colleague had not been upfront about it. He demystified the syndrome for us, and we all feel far more comfortable and better prepared in case of emergencies. Likewise as you say with a nanny. I would not want a nanny using a wrist restraint on my child without knowing why. In the case of an older child who would have some awareness of what was happening in the case of a siezure, it would also give me as a parent the chance to talk to the child beforehand. I can't see how it would be helpful to anyone concerned to hide the information

I can't either, which is why I am upfront about it. I DID do nannying a long long time ago (pre-dc), but I hadn't been diagnosed with epilepsy then.

I am continuously explaining to people in RL about epilepsy, most of whom had NO idea that there are over 40 different seizure types, and not everyone with epilepsy would have what most people think of as an epileptic seizure. I certainly don't.

I'm all for openness and education - but NOT everyone with epilepsy will be. And some people have seizures for years BEFORE their diagnosis. And if someone had a myoclonic seizure - would that mean they were in any way 'impaired' when it comes to looking after children? NO.

This is the thing with epilepsy - even people who believe they are well informed about it, often are only well informed about ONE seizure type (tonic-clonic, 'typical' seizures), and know NOTHING about other types of epilepsy.

Oh - and BTW, I wouldn't see Aspergers as a bar to looking after dc - every person with AS is affected differently, just as every person with epilepsy is. I would make a judgement based on that particular person, NOT their 'disability'. My Dbro has AS, and would NOT be capable of looking after dc, yet his friend who also has AS, she is working towards childcare qualifications, with a view to working in a Nursery. I would be happy with HER looking after my dc.

You can get responsible and irresponsible people in life whether or not they happen to have AS is a side issue.