Hello from a stresssssed-out JakB

[JakB]

So DD has had her first week at school! She obviously LOVES it. I think that the specialist facilities- splash pool, swimming poool, light room, soft room- are just brilliant for her and she is getting lots out of it. However, the early years class is fraught with problems. SHe was asked to 'put the tiger on the plate' yesterday! Liv does not understand more than one key word in a sentence, would not see the point of putting a tigeer on a plate (unless to eat it) and would not generalise the idea of putting something somewhere unless taught it. FFS! She was also 'left out' of drama as she couldn't pick a wig out of a box and put it on her head look in a mirror at herself. They are not differentiating the curriculum and they are not teaching her as an autistic child but as a child with SLD only- a totally different ballgame.
Anyway! She IS ENJOYING IT which is a major step in the right direction. Just thought I'd update you all and a big hello to everybody. I've missed you.

Hi Honey

So lovely to see you. Have missed you too!

So pleased that dd loves school as that's half the battle. Hopefully as time goes on and they get to know dd they will alter more to suit her needs.

Bloss XXXXXX

Welcome back! It's great to hear that dd is loving her new school.

It sounds as though the Early Years staff need some extra training in autism!

I would be concerned as well. This was why we rejected the other SLD school in our LEA- autistic children were left out of activities (in one class the 2 autistic boys were kind of hopping around in a separate area whilst the rest of the class sat round the table bead threading. Are there other autistic children in the class? It sounds like they need to bring in an autism savvy member of staff. How up are they on pecs etc?

Yeah, it's a worry. There is one other autistic child in the class. The thing is, the autistic-specific class is amazing and they promised us the moon and the stars, that they would totally differentiate everything to meet DD's needs (and that of the other autistic child). Her statement is very detailed and they are not meeting her needs as outlined on it. There are 6 other children in the class, none are verbal and only DD is using PECS. It's in her statement that she should be making at least 60 requests a day. That's not being achieved. It just backs up our argument that she needs the unit and I think the Early Years teacher is well aware of that. She's obviously very talented but autism is a whole different game. At the moment her ABA therapist is in with her every day but from January she's on her own with a TA apart from Mondays. If things aren't sorted by then I'm going to push for her therapists to go in another term until they sort this unit place out. Anyway, at least she's enjoying it.

Just realised confusing post! I mean the autistic department is fantastic and they made out there would be lots of input from them. Still early days yet

PS forgot to add that DD has another possible co-morbid condition- ADHD. She is being referred to Paul Gringrass at the Newcommen centre (sp?) about her sleep and possible 'hyperactivity' disorder! She would then have five 'labels'- autism, severe learning difficulties, sleep disorder, ADHD and a speech disorder!

Blimey JakB I didn't realise that they suspected dd of being Adhd. My dd is and we are considering meds now after trying everything else.
Pls let us know how you get on xxx

Hi Blossom, well, it makes sense, TBH. There is something else going on with DD when I see her in a room with several autistic children. She cannot stay still, is very spinny, cannot focus and her body is definitely in constant motion! All this, and autism and SLD. It's amazing she gets out of bed in the morning!

Yes I know what you mean. It just makes them harder to deal with doesn't it. Is dd impulsive? As my dd is very impulsive.

Hi JakB, Sooo glad your dd is settling in well. Tbh that would be my main concern after just one week. When I saw my ds's report from the Jeanne Saunders centre (for statement)for the first time it said that he had spent the first three weeks there curled in a ball sobbing silently. It was the first I'd heard about it and you can imagine how I felt! I was overjoyed when he started school relatively easily.

Hopefully you will get more input from the ASD unit soon when things have settled down a bit. They have a new teacher who is so busy I haven't met her yet myself! Seems very nice though. She said my message about ds at his aunty's wedding in the home-school book brought a tear to her eye! (I sent in a photo of him in his 'page-boy' outfit).

Looking forward to seeing you at the next school function!

Heh Pixel love, blimey, can't believe that you only found out about Jeanne S at statement! That's awful. I'm so glad your gorgeous DS is so happy at school, it is a fab school. I just think with DD they're trying to put a round peg into a square hole- she needs to be in the unit!

Oh honey: two steps forward and other cliches, eh. I'm very very glad she's happy, though.

JakB sounds a good approach....

Hi Jak

Nice to see you posting again. Glad dd seems happy at her school and hope you manage to sort things to your satisfaction.

Merlot x