Dreamer of dreams,born out of my due time, Why should I strive to set the crooked straight. Wm Morris

[indignatio]

Hopefully the link from the other thread will work

My stats

ds is 4.5 - summer born
In reception class

Has issues with:-
Easy distractability (school work and practical tasks)
Concentration problems when not totally engaged by something (95% of the time)
Fidgeting
Getting "lost" in the middle of a complicated sentence/explaination.
Bossy manner
Isolation at school
Poor eye contact
Repetition of sentences until he hears the acknowledgement
No herding instinct

On the positive
Very loving boy
Exceptional reader for his age
Good at maths
Lots of "home" friends
If gripped by something, can concentrate on it for ages


dx:
teacher initially thought he might have dyspraxia - no longer thinks so.
I consider that he has more add traits, but would not go so far as to say he has add.
SENCO to informally assess him next week and then meeting to be arranged with parents, teacher and senco shortly thereafter.


Not sure what else I should put in.

[Bink]

Hi castles - I've been a bit absent, I'm sorry, but I've just seen your post. I completely understand about the missed-time feeling; and even more so about the lack of priority these physical difficulties seem to get. If only one of these sports-club-franchises would just realise the gap in the market for supporting, nurturing and very gently bringing forward non-sporty children (like Kip McGrath say, but for motor skills), instead of just all competing for the fleet & nimble cohort (and therefore contributing to the vicious circle our children are in: not being able to do playground football, so withdrawing from physical activity, so getting even less able to join in).

[roisin]

I agree absolutely Bink. Everytime some new 'sport initiative' is announced funded by wads and wads of cash - locally or nationally - I glimpse up hoping it might be something that for once might target all the children who are not natural athletes. But no, it's always more money to fund activities for the select few who show particular talent for basketball, football, tennis ... whatever!

[sphil]

DS1's school sports is good in this respect - they have an afternoon a week where they learn a particular sport for half a term, then change. It's very much based on breaking down the sport into its separate skills, teaching them in isolation and then putting them together - which is just what DS1 needs. I don't think he'll ever be an athlete - but he has improved hugely as a result of being taught like this. It's taught by local sports coaches while the teachers have their PPA time - and contrary to what I expected, they seem to have been very sensitive with DS1 and the less sporty ones - he's always getting 'ticks' for good team playing, effort, sportsmanship etc.

Castles - well we've always said our children were alike! As you know, the OT has said that DS1 is almost certainly dyspraxic and we only need the formal assessment to confirm it - so you've been quicker off the mark than us with that one. What sort of programme has she given your DS?

[singersgirl]

Thanks for the update, Castles. One year to get major improvements sounds very positive and also a confirmation of dyspraxia means that, if necessary, you can start to get accommodations for exams etc at a later stage. Let us know how the programme goes and how DS feels about it.

Totally agree about the sports. DS1 is keen as mustard on football right now but there just isn't anwyhere that a keen but not really very good 10 year old can play. He plays playground football every day and every day comes home with his confidence in pieces and some new story of something awful someone's said to him.

[castlesintheair]

Totally agree Bink. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the 90% (surely?) of un-natural athletes were catered for? I always think of lottery funding/the olympics whenever I hear of new sporting initiatives for children. Cynic that I am.

Love the sound of your school's sports Sphil - just what DS needs. I don't know about the programme yet. The OT is sending a report and then seeing us for a talk in 2 weeks. However, my friend who recommended saw her every week for 6 months. Gulp!

[sphil]

Gosh - really? Our OT has given us a programme to do every day at home and school are doing a once-weekly programme for him, in a small group. She just said to see her again in five or six months - but maybe that's because we haven't had a formal assessment yet?

[castlesintheair]

Sphil, we are going down the private route and I guess that makes a difference to the number of visits [cynical emoticon]. Although going down the NHS route where we live involves an 18 month wait (min) then 6 visits to school a year (mostly to assess apparently). A friend who is doing the same as us with her DS is finding it very hard to do the exercises at home, along with all their other commitments. It's worrying me. I'm hoping I can get DS's school to incorporate some into his day ...

[sphil]

We're private too. I'm not managing to do the programme every day - but I make myself feel better by counting things he's done voluntarily. So for example yesterday he built a Bionicle, so I ticked off fine motor skills!

DS1's school have agreed to do a weekly OT programme with him - it happened last week and then this week the TA concerned only took two of the boys and not DS1. So not sure what's happening there at all. I hate keep having to go in and push - especially as I know the SEN dept is very busy with children like DS2!

[sphil]

" I hate keep having to go in..." Eh, what? It must be late

[castlesintheair]

I caught DS doing press-ups (albeit with feet on the sofa) this morning, so that's a tick for gross motor skills then

[castlesintheair]

Got the OT report. It's completely baffling in some respects for example, DS has an intellectual age of 13 in some areas whereas he has a physical age of nearly 8 in some areas (he's 7.2). Soooooooooooo, what's the problem I ask myself? Going to see the OT to talk about it next week but just thought I'd run it by here in case anyone is around.

[singersgirl]

Well, I don't know, but I'll bump it for you. If nearly 8 is the lowest, it sounds fine, doesn't it? It's even a bit ahead physically. Clearly it shows he's very bright too. Hope someone with some answers comes along!

[castlesintheair]

Thanks singersgirl. It also says he has reflexes of a 2.5 year old, so maybe that is it

[castlesintheair]

He's so physically not ahead too. Maybe it was a typo or it's the discrepancy between mental/physical ability.

[singersgirl]

Maybe he has those 'retained primitive reflexes' or whatever they call them that seem to be important. Sorry not to be more use...

[sphil]

Ah - our OT report went on about retained reflexes too. Will dig it out later - she sent a useful explanation too. Am sitting on edge of running bath typing this as DCs run amok in the garden .

[castlesintheair]

That sound's like it. Looks like I need to read up on retained reflexes!

[paddingtonbear1]

hi all,
I may have posted on this thread before a long time ago, but I can't find it now. Hope it's not too late to join.
we're just starting out on the route of trying to find out if dd has anything wrong, or if it's just 'her'. Her school repeatedly say she has poor concentration, doesn't listen, is in her own 'world', and so far her academic achievement has been poor - she's pretty much bottom of the class. She gets a bit of extra help but not much at present. She's started to notice she's way behind most of her classmates, and keeps talking about it. Nothing we or the school have done so far have made any difference (dd is in yr 1 but has been the same since nursery). Her speech has never been great. She's had a couple of bouts of glue ear, and we're due to go back to the hospital next Monday (she's never had grommets). After that, I'll try our GP.
dd is a lovely girl though, (I would say that!), loving, has a great imagination. She likes to please but can't focus for long!
This must be my longest ever mumsnet post!

[paddingtonbear1]

oh dear I seem to have killed the thread now!

[singersgirl]

Oh, sorry, Paddington, I didn't 'see' you there. Welcome to the thread. It does come and go in fits and starts depending on when people have stuff to post. Did you have your hospital appointment and have you got the results yet?

[paddingtonbear1]

Hi singersgirl! Yes we went to the hospital yesterday. They said dd's hearing is fine. She cooperated pretty well during the test, although in the doctor's office afterwards she wanted to know what every bit of equipment did! The doctor said she is still young (not 6 yet) and would probably improve in time. I think I will still make an appt with my own GP though, explain to him what the school have said and see from there.

[sphil]

Only a week late

OT talked about retained ATNR (Assymetric Tonic Neck Reflex) and STNR (Symmetric Tonic Neck Reflex). ATNR affects the ability to use both hands together, cross the midline etc. and STNR affects posture, causes fidgetting etc.

[castlesintheair]

Just seen this. Thanks Sphil! We just saw our OT today. DS has both 'forms' of retained reflex which come under the vestibular system and proprioception problems as well. It all makes so much sense and it is so interesting. If anyone wants me to expand in lay-mans terms let me know! I can't wait to get started now

Welcome paddingtonbear. I keep this thread on my watch list as we are a patchy bunch of contributors! Although, it's been a tremendous support and source of information for me.

[paddingtonbear1]

hi guys, this thread is very interesting - although I've not managed to read all of it!
we are considering moving dd to a different school, one which will think of some of her qualities (eg great imagination) as a plus rather than a minus. Went to see the head of new school today, both dh and I really impressed. Their infant classrooms still have role play stuff and toys (dd's current has none of this, in fact it's like a junior classroom).
dd's current teacher has nothing good to say about her, and now dd has stopped participating in lessons completely. Is not progressing at all. It's a very academic school, and much more is expected in yr 2 - not sure dd will cope with it.
Interestingly, the school we went round today has had a few parents from dd's current school enquiring!

[singersgirl]

Castles, I would love to know about the retained reflexes so I can test DS1! Have you got exercises? Let us know how you get on.

Paddington, the thread is very long, and I too keep it on my watch list. If you have a few hours to spare, it's an interesting read. Every so often I do a search on Mumsnet for something (usually to do with DS1) and lo and behold, it's already come up somewhere on this thread.

It's such a shame there's no role play etc in your DD's classroom; it's so important for little children to play. Would you move DD from next term?