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SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

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Original poster

What new things have you tried recently?

22 replies

Triggles · 12/03/2011 17:37

So often we are struggling with things that NT children (if you'll excuse the description as honestly don't know what is PC for terms at this point) can do fairly easily, that I thought it might be nice if we can perhaps post some things that we have tried with our SN children - with varying levels of success or problems. If nothing else, it may give us ideas of what things we can try with our children and lets us know we're not alone in thinking that a trip to the High Street is a major production.

Anyway...

After all the angst over the birthday party that we ended up not attending (long story, thread on SNs board somewhere), I decided to take DS2 (4yo) to the cinema for the £1 junior movie instead. We don't have the ceacard that allows free entry for the carer yet - we're waiting to see if he deals well with the cinema first. DS2 has ASD & ADHD, as well as numerous other difficulties, so I wasn't sure if he could cope with it or not.

Favourite drink cup along, snack that I know he will eat tucked in my handbag, ear defenders... and the cartoon (titled "despicable me") is sold out!! I understand that is rare. So we ended up trying "the tooth fairy" which is NOT a cartoon. Good attention during the trailers (mainly due to a Cars2 trailer ), but he quickly got tired of the movie. I think it just was a bit above his current level of interest - not enough music and action and such - and not animated, which I think would have been better.

Lots of ongoing chatter as well
"oh big tv"
"is this the tooth fairy?" (repeated about 20 times)
"what's that?" "oh wings!" and just constant quiet chatter, much like an ongoing discussion of literally everything seen on the screen.... Nobody shushed us, thankfully. But about 20-30 minutes into the movie the projector stopped and lights came up. Cue me panicking that a cinema employee was going to walk over and ask us to leave. But apparently a problem with the projector and they were going to start the movie from the beginning again! Nope! No thanks! He'd have never lasted. So we took the opportunity to leave (as did a few others I noticed).

All in all, not horrible. A bit touch and go. So we'll try again another time with a cartoon (perhaps buying tickets ahead of time) and see how it goes.

OP posts:

countydurhamlass · 12/03/2011 19:02

we took ds (7) to watch yogi bear and he enjoyed it. mainly cos there a a frog turtle in it (a turtle with a long tongue) which kept sticking its tongue out and attaching itself to things like trees! its not really any "Good" in the eyes of an adult (i though toy story was fab) but my ds who is easily pleased really enjoyed it.

if i was you i would write a letter of complaint to the cinema saying how the whole experiences was very disappointing for your ds, you may end up getting vouchers off or even free tickets!

TotalChaos · 12/03/2011 19:21

We did yogi last week two, back row of v empty cinema, was nice not worrying about ds making noise etc.

Original poster

Triggles · 12/03/2011 19:37

I thought about it countydurhamlass but it was only £1 entry, and we were going to leave anyway, so I'm not too worried. LOL

Thanks for the info on yogi bear. We're going to try a couple more cartoons at the £1 price, then if he seems to be coping well, we'll get the ceacard and go to more.

We have also tried bicycle riding again. Didn't go so well. He can't pedal consistently, much less pedal, steer, and watch at the same time. And balance? No way!Think he was better flipping it upside down and spinning the wheels. Safer, anyway! LOL

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EllenJane1 · 12/03/2011 20:01

I have found that from about 6 the cinema is the only place DS2 will watch a whole film all the way through. At home he just wonders off after half an hour or so. I always chose children's cartoons for the first few years. He'll do Harry Potter now he's 11. Persevere as it's great to do something "normal." He also loves rollercoasters and stuff like that. I think they may be a love or hate thing! Center Parcs swimming pool has also always been really popular.

rebl · 12/03/2011 20:04

We're on night 2 of using a weighted blanket. DS has always been a nightmare sleeping, bouncing around the bedroom, gymnastics, ripping sheets, under the mattress, head banging. Basically anything other than sleep. I'm at the effect of the blanket. Last night we only had to return to bed 20 times and he was asleep at 8:20. Totally unheard of. Tonight we've returned to bed 5 times, he's lying still and activly trying to get to sleep . I wish I'd found out about these blankets 2 years ago, it would appear to be amazing .

growlybear · 12/03/2011 20:11

We have recently bought a weighted blanket for our dd.It has an amazing effected on her.Wish we had got one years ago.

Chundle · 12/03/2011 20:12

DD talks continuously throughout films at cinemas even if she has waited ages to see them (ADHD) we have been shushed lots of times. So we take elastic band which goes over my jumper on my arm and everytime she feels need to talk she twangs the band (yes i end up with very sore arm!). It works when she remembers to use it and she finds it funny to do which helps its success. She still talks but not half as much. its a tactic physchiatrists (sp?) use to help peole with OCD tendencies

chocoholic · 12/03/2011 20:21

We tried the cinema last week.
Managed to get him in by bribing with sweets, sat down, screamed because of the noise level (DS not me!!), so left.

We did have a better experience at the theatre today. Hesitation to go in and, thanks to a lovely usher, we sat on the stairs for a while but did make it to the back row where we got through the whole show and enjoyed it .

5inthebed · 12/03/2011 20:27

I have started taking DS2 to the local cinema when they have ASD friendly days. They don't have long adverts on, the lights aren't dimmed down fully and the sound isn't too loud. It's great because nobody is bothered by the noise the children are making.

They have made it so anyone can go, so if your DC don't have ASD you can take them.

Original poster

Triggles · 12/03/2011 20:40

5inthebed we asked at ours and they don't have ASD screenings. Would have loved that!

chocoholic we made to have an aisle seat so if he had a meltdown we didn't have to trip over people to get out. LOL So I understand the sitting on the stairs. DS2 wore his ear defenders the entire time we were watching the film. He's incredibly jumpy around loud noises, so I wasn't sure how he'd cope, but with the ear defenders, he seemed fine.

chundle love the rubber band idea, but thinking I might come away with a nasty bruise from it - if DS2 could remember to twang it. He's one of those "if I have to say it I HAVE TO SAY IT" boys.

ellenjane I do want to keep trying the cinema. I love movies, so I'm hoping it will rub off on DS2. LOL And we've been taking him swimming lately, which he also loves.

rebl and growlybear - interesting info about the weighted blankets. I've heard of them, but never tried one. DS2 sleeps fairly well from about 7pm until midnight - fairly well meaning once he finally actually settles to sleep! But from midnight on, I feel like we're dealing with a ticking time bomb... no idea when he will wake up next and how long it'll take to get him back to sleep, if at all. I'll have to look into those a bit more I think. Thank you!

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Marne · 12/03/2011 21:39

Im not barave enough to take the dds to see a film , dd1 can't sit though a film at home and dd2 is so sensitive to sound.

Dd1 tried climbing the climbing frame in the park today and managed to get up by herself, she usually struggle due to not wanting to try and low muscle tone.

justaboutsmiley · 12/03/2011 21:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

cornsilk678 · 12/03/2011 21:52

where did you get the weighted blanket from?

Original poster

Triggles · 12/03/2011 22:15

marne I was nervous about DS2 as well, very sensitive to sound. He only lasted 20-30 minutes, but I went with the idea that "hey, he didn't run screaming for the exit within a minute of it starting..." We'll work on it gradually and go from there. He can't sit through a complete film at home either, but I wanted him to get the experience of a cinema still, even if just a short one. Well done to your DD on climbing the climbing frame! Was she excited by it?

justaboutsmiley what kind of pictures? like behaviour things? or things for him to recognise like cars and such? Just curious how it works. They use laminated cards on a keyring at DS2's school with him during the day for different things, but we've never used them at home.

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TotalChaos · 13/03/2011 07:31

You can get the keyring pic sets cheap on ebay, i once got ds a set relating to holidays when his receptive language was v v delayed.

Original poster

Triggles · 13/03/2011 07:45

totalchaos thank you, I will look on ebay and see what there is.

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Original poster

Triggles · 13/03/2011 07:59

One of the people that works with DS2 from the school said that it's her job to make any visual things that DS2 needs available to him (in other words, she'll make it or locate it and give it to us) to use at home, so I think I may contact her about a couple of these I've seen online and see if I can get them through the school. It's just like the now/next and schedule boards she has gotten for DS2 for school.

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signandsmile · 13/03/2011 08:18

Ear defnders have been an amazing find for us. Ds is now able to manage the first half of church (before he goes out to kids church with his one to one.)

I would never have believed how much difference they make.

Also enjoys riding for the disabled. Stays on horse doesn't scream, and all the having to support himself in the saddle tires him out! .

I will def hunt out an ASD screening to try him with, thanks for that.

Original poster

Triggles · 13/03/2011 08:30

signandsmile ooooh I didn't even think of riding!! Maybe now that the DLA has gone through, we'll try that. Thank you for the idea!!

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signandsmile · 13/03/2011 08:38

Hey triggles It's actually surprisingly cheap here, £5 for a half an hour walk round the village (two workers and me in attendance!) same pony each week, and we get to give him a carrot at the end,

Also I think there is a fund, or something that people can apply to for help with paying.. (I said I was happy to pay with ds's DLA and leave it for others...)

They do a free trial session that checks what assistance or equipment they would need, ( It also allowed me to check if he would freak out at size of horse!

Original poster

Triggles · 13/03/2011 09:17

signandsmile OMG thank you so much for mentioning riding!! We have a RDA group right nearby us that has 30 minute sessions for £2!!! I'm happy to pay for that out of DS2's DLA. I am going to contact them for an initial session (also to make sure he doesn't freak out at the horse! )

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intothewest · 13/03/2011 09:55

We've been to the theatre a few times recently-pantos etc. and ds loves it-

I next want to try the cinema,but am worried about the full on sensation of darkness and full on sensory sound and vision-Ds craves sensation and I can imagine him first shouting DARK (over and over) and then screaming with delight....

you see just writing this has put me off.I will have to try and find out about those special evenings !!

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