Support thread for those with children who have special needs

[Barbararara]

I was wondering if anyone else wanted to talk about trying to manage in the current situation. Maybe we could try and share ideas and give each other a bit of support.

@Laniakea can we help?

I have an 8 yo with PDA/ASD also very fussy eater. He's in mainstream. Enjoys school and happy at home, provided his routine is very predictable. First week of school holidays is always a nightmare followed by first week back at school being another nightmare.
He is very very agitated this week. Kids at school spreading all kinds of nonsense. Weekend clubs have been cancelled. Can't see my parents (who he adores).

I'm also worried that if we have to self isolate or schools close we will struggle to keep him off screens to regulate (we have 2 younger children too who he can be aggressive towards) and then not be able to get him back into school.

Not told him yet that our holidays may be cancelled (center parcs in May and camping in July).

My son has asd and is at a special school. They are struggling with ratios so a lot of things are being cancelled and its different teachers/TA which is confusing and upsetting him. I cant see how they will remain functioning to be honest. Its a 1:3 ratio normally. Children with vulnerable conditions are allowed to stay home anyway, anyone self isolating cant come in either.

My dc’s school has officially closed until after the Easter break.

I don't think it'll be long before they all follow suit. DD was one of 3 today, the others were self isolating. My 2 DC in mainstream said lots of there class were either off or got sent home so it won't be worth opening soon because there'll be nobody to teach!

Their*

My daughter has ASD and is finding the disruption to routines very hard to manage. She’s clinging to me and only speaking in baby talk.

@LauraMipsum 💐
My mum and I were talking earlier about how the children with SN coped during the world wars, my dc is terrified of fireworks, god knows how they got through it.

My son is autistic and attends a special needs school. They’ve said they’ll remain open for now but we can keep our kids at home if we want to. I’m not sure what’ll happen from next week when elderly people have to stay at home-most of the transport chaperones are pensioners. (I take ds myself-he can’t go in the taxis as they stress him out too much)

He would miss school so much if it closed. DH and I are already putting together timetables and lesson plans (to the best of our ability!) as he needs constant structure.

My Ds is year 9. He won't do work at home so if ( or should I say, when) school closes there will be weeks of not learning . He has GCSE predicted grades of 1-4 and will fall even further behind. We will likely have all the school refusal behaviour again

belay it is a concern as Ds hates doing his school work at home too. He sees home as his safe place away from school. I'm not sure what I'm going to do as his first gsce is on 11th May.

My son has Down Syndrome, in a mainstream school but him and his sister have been out since yesterday as I just won’t chance it. He’s healthy enough but only went back to school two weeks ago after major surgery and a hellish recovery with infections. He’ll be happy enough in isolation I think but his sister who is awaiting an appointment for a diagnosis of something ( possibly ODD or ADHD) will drive me insane inside three days. I home Ed their older sister so I’m set up to do lessons with them too, going to rearrange the living room later into something more classroomy and hope I make it though alive!

Thank you peace that's very kind of you. If it's still ok I'll message this evening?

DDs school is closed now, she came home with a letter and lots of print out activities. She was the only pupil in today, 29 members of staff were off so no longer safe to open. Feels surreal right now.

Just caught the tail end of House of Commons before Boris came on and heard school closures but children with ECHP's to still go in?
Anyone know if that's correct?

Dd has an EHCP. There's no way I am sending her in.

Sorry, yes that is correct @Mrsappleby.

I'm not sending DD in. I will check with school in the morning but I'd be amazed if they really expect her to go in - she needs 1-2-1!

How is this even a thing? Why would they need to go in when others don’t? Like fuck is DS going.

DS is registered at a main stream but has been out of education since September.
Just started at a medical needs unit last week (which he's not coping well with at all)
Wonder how school closures apply to them?
There's maximum 20 kids in there and even then not all at the same time.
He is autistic and has extreme anxiety which has obviously been made worse because of corona.

I am so confused my son has ASD and is in a mainstream school with an ASD unit.. he has an EHCP. How would this apply to him?

Just listening to the news and not liking at all how children with designated social works and those with EHCPs are being put together as being particularly vulnerable and in need of daily observations from teaching staff.

I've just said that, my child is not vulnerable just because he's autistic, no body needs to keep an eye on him.

I think it’ll be the case that children with an EHC plan or a social worker CAN expect a place in a school if they need it rather than you have to go in.

Is DS's medical unit does not shut can I take him out without any repercussions?
I'm ready to just bunker down at home.

I really do hope it means that but I am not sure. Children in danger of neglect who have a social worker will surely not have the option to choose whether or not to go in?