ASD child constantly distracting other kids...

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My DS is 9 and has been diagnosed now for just about a year.

He has a lot of sensory/anxiety problems as well as the usual ASD bits too. He’s in a class of 35 children, one teacher. No TA, but occasionally taken for small occupational therapy group.

For the past 2 weeks he’s been coming home extremely upset. Put this down to the run up to Christmas which can be difficult for him. He’s not told us why, although this is not uncommon as he struggles to verbalise what is wrong a lot of the time.

Today I get told by a girl in his class that he’s being sent to the back of the class multiple times a day for the last couple of weeks. He’s distracting other children apparently. When I asked him, he agreed this has been happening.

Today I had a call from our occupational therapist to say school have said “everything is fine”

Why do schools say everything is fine to professionals when everything else is saying otherwise.

I am not expecting the school to allow him to continuously distract other children, maybe they could try and figure out what has triggered him in class to be so much worse? Instead of chucking him to the back of the class all the time, maybe send him for some time out? Make sure he’s supported in class to it doesn’t escalate to a point where he’s constantly annoying other kids?

We’ve had this before, he was attacking other children in the playground almost daily but they still told professionals everything was fine.

It makes me want to email and document every issue with them so they can’t back out when it comes to looking into his EHCP in the new year.

Would you bring this up with anyone? Senco? Teacher?

Any chance you can ask the head if he can do reduced hours/ days in the run up to Christmas if you think he's struggling. I'd also have a word with the class teacher and see what they say

Branleuse - I don’t reckon they’ll go for it. He’s 100% attendance so far this school year.

I would ask to have a meeting with the SENCO at school about what supports need to be put in place. Have they looked into applying for an EHCP at all? If he has sensory issues then I imagine a class of 35 will be overwhelming at times.

TwoBlueFish - This is our plan for the new year. They said apparently all high needs funding will be moving on to EHCP next year but I want start the process in January.

Honestly I hate to say it but I think sometimes saying its all fine is laziness.

I'd ask for a meeting with the class teacher and Senco.

They say everything is fine because they like to pin it all on behaviour and believe they can punish the ASD out of them. My DS primary school used to say "He's a bright boy, he should know right from wrong and he can learn to behave." His poor behaviour was all sensory overload.

They gave no support to him, and tried to say everything was fine,but the paediatrician decided to go in and observe him herself, afterwards she called me and said it took her less than five minutes to see it wasn't behaviour, he was struggling!

School was forced into supporting him when he was diagnosed, but one of his targets they set him repeatedly was "learn to manage my distractions". I asked what they were doing to help him achieve it. They said it was something he needed to learn for himself. After the ASD diagnosis they refused to entertain he might have ADHD too because he wasn't hyperactive. He's inattentive, away with the fairies mostly. They said he just needed to "learn to engage" and "everything's fine".

Secondary school, within weeks have recognised the level of effort he puts in to everything, just to keep up and appear like his peers. They've offered him loads of support and intervention which he is resisting right now because of bad experiences of so-called support at primary, but the ones he accepts are helping. They know he's struggling and praise his efforts. I have asked them to keep an honest record of everything because it will help with a smooth ADHD diagnosis and they've agreed because they know a diagnosis will help him.

I think the difference now is that he is at an incredibly well funded academy. It's academic, but he is bright so they know in time and with support he will "fit".

35 to a class will be too much for your poor DC. Sending him to the back will not help him to engage with his classes any better. Punishing him for things he can't help are tantamount to punishing him for being disabled- would they punish a child in a wheelchair for not walking?

Sorry if I've not been much help, but this keeps happening and it makes me so mad!!!

He may be great one to one but struggling in class

So his one to one would report back all is fine.

The class teacher will only call about severe behaviour

Ask for a communication book between home and school signed daily

@TittyFahLaEtcetera - I have massive concerns about secondary school too. It’s a small village primary but his class is freakishly large for whatever reason (big birth year maybe?) They seem to just keep on accepting children into classrooms that are not built for such big classes.

I think my boy is likely to be diagnosed ADHD as well. He’s extremely fidgety and hyper, resorts to chewing his clothing and making noises if he’s not able to move around.

Going to call Senco in the morning and ask for a meeting to discuss it all. We had a very informative report put together by the autism and communication team, all recognised assessments with requirements for him. I guess because it’s not legal they just don’t follow it

@GreenTulips - No 1 to 1 at all. Not massive issues, it could be much worse. School stopped filling in the home school communication book we had, will ask about starting it again this year.

Hi,

I have a 7 year old son who's ASD / ADHD. Whilst in mainstream we had countless problems which I won't get into, but what I will say is I was being told everything was going great etc.

On a parents evening I decided to go in quite late and speak to his classroom teacher as all our meetings never directly involved her due to her being with the class.

When I introduced myself and asked for an update she said she had hardly seen my son in the classroom all term, that he was kept in the "thrive" room with his 2:1 support and what she had seen of him was completely different to what I was being told.

Christmas can be a very difficult time for ASD kids. If your gut is telling you something isn't right, don't be afraid to chase it up.

You don't need to go in all guns blazing, but our kids can be very sensitive over things other children aren't and can't always tell you what's wrong or how they're feeling. If I were you, I'd ring up and ask to speak to someone at the school, write down any concerns you want to say before you go in and have a discussion with them.

Wishing you all the best with it. I hope things get easier for him soon.

This may be off topic, but DN was head of the art faculty in a large secondary academy. She told us that when all the English and maths teachers got fed up of the ASD children, they sent them to the music dept. or PE - without ever discussing it with her or the PE dept.! The music dept was often the worst place for children with ASD, due to their sensory problems being unable to cope with the music - so the best thing she could do, was put the ASD children in a storage cupboard, as it was the quietest place she had!

DSIL (a primary school teacher) commented it was a silly thing for the English and maths dept to do, as the children had to pass their GCSE English and maths!

I doubt very much all the parents of the children with ASD knew their children were spending English and maths lessons in a cupboard in another dept!