As a teacher to be surprised at how many in my class have SEN?

[Floatingcactus]

I teach a reception class of 26. 4 of them have an EHCP plan, 6 are waiting assessment and at least another 4 are showing possible signs of SEN including speech delay.

I’ve been teaching for 10 years and I personally believe there is an increase.
I don’t know if lockdown plays a part or whether it’s down to other factors.

Many things have changed over the past couple of decades. Older average age of parents, interventions in conception. We don't know yet what long term and intergenerational impacts these may have. Medical advances mean many children with severe and complex needs who would not have survived in previous generations.

"I’m a big fan of children being bored, doing low stimulation activities like jigsaws and reading, and frankly not seeing screens as the answer to a moment’s boredom. I don’t plan much for our weekends due to DD being in nursery full time, we just do puzzles, play with toys, I’ll sit and have a coffee or chat on the phone while she makes up some game with her teddies. We go for walks with our dog and she ‘helps’ with household tasks"

@Moonicorn I've no idea what your experience of pre-schoolers with SEN is, but do you realise that those of us with autistic children spend our entire lives trying to provide low stimulation environments for them? Our children get very stressed by the sensory nightmare that is life for them, and the idea that their problems stem from over scheduling and too much screen time is quite frankly insulting.

Also, I could never have done low stimulation activities you describe above with my D'S when he was a pre-schooler. (For starters, he had no imaginary play.)

One of the issues (amongst many) is that, in primary at least, the curriculum is not age-appropriate. We expect far too much of young children. There is intense pressure to make all children jump the bar so if they are struggling they get put in more and more intervention. Many of them just can't keep up and become overloaded and disengaged, which we then label as a behavioural problem.

Did you mean to tag me? I know adhd isn't just about hyperactivity but moonicorn seems to think it is.

I know what it is, i have it and now i have a diagnosis i can clearly see all the millions of tiny ways it affects my entire life, every activity and every social interaction.

@ApplePippa absolutely, my post was mainly referring to ADHD.

Increased awareness.
Less stigma.
Lockdown and covid triggering environmental issues in children with neurodivergent genes, or lockdown.
Lockdown and covid making parents more aware of their children because of no school and working from home.
Adult women are being late diagnosed with autism and adhd and then looking at their children for diagnosis.

I work in a primary school and the above is spot on.

I don't know anything about SEN but why would lockdown affect the rising numbers?

Well said. There is such misunderstanding around ADHD.

I can only speak for my own experience but screens do seem to have a regulating effect on DD after a long day at school.

She does watch videos but she also builds stuff in Minecraft (amazing stuff!) and video calls friends.

We also watch stuff together and talk about it. We have watched hundreds of episodes of CBBC's The Dumping Ground and had a lot of useful discussions about behaviours and emotional states ("Why do you think she's upset?")

There is research to show that spending time outdoors reduces adhd symptoms.
A lot of dcs spend too much time indoors on screens and not enough outdoors running around. I've noticed that boys are looked down on if they're too boisterous and can't behave in class. They may just need a different environment or more time to expel that energy and engage in a different way.
Some research also shows that some trauma as a baby can also affect a natural development.
I'm not denying that it exists but it could be managed differently and symptoms can be reduced.

But getting a diagnosis of SEN and getting an ECHP are different things.

I would have to agree that the bar has definitely lowered massively as to what SEN is.

I don’t think it’s ALL screens or ALL parenting. But I think they can exacerbate traits that are already there and tip them from ‘personality’ to ‘diagnosis’.

With respect though, everybody has ways in which they struggle. NT people aren’t fleshy robots who seamlessly navigate the world without ever an awkward or forgetful moment, they’re just painted as such. It’s normal and human to have flaws, strengths, things you don’t like for no particular reason.

Yes I agree OP.
There does seem to be a steady increase in children starting school with obvious SEND needs - often not picked up by parents, health professionals, nurseries etc.
The need is high this year and looks likely to increase with the September intake.
No idea why, wasn't like this 20 years ago and it can't all be blamed on COVID - what is happening in our society ?

And i think you don't know what adhd is.

I was wondering what is the impact of so many opportunities for interaction with babies being missed by handing them a phone. This must impact with delays in some children.

Sorry @Fancysauce no I didn't mean to. 🤦‍♀️

knowing how difficult it is to get a EHCP , I’m amazed that 4 in the class have one and 6 are waiting. That aside=de, there seems to be an increased awareness of issues and a rush to label children,

I do. I have read about it extensively and it was suggested I had it just as I was about to leave school!

I don’t think it’s down to more awareness. I’m not sure what is causing it but there are definitely more SEN children. My ds is autistic and my niece is and I can see my young nephew is likely to be diagnosed too. These aren’t little quirks they literally don’t understand what people say without pictures, they have speech delay and need one on one help with everything. I wouldn’t change my son for the world but I would love to know what is causes autism as he has been brought up in the same environment as his sister who isn’t on the spectrum.

This is a very ignorant reply.

Why?

some People will say that parents just want to label their children but we aren’t talking little quirks here or a bit of behavioural problems we are talking about real learning disabilities and they are 100 % on the rise in my opinion.

Indeed.

And ableist.