re: advice on good place to live/ school for child with muscular dystrophy

[tobemory]

Hi
Our little boy has been diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. He can walk presently but can't stand up without help. We understand that he will need a wheelchair some time during school years.

He should be able to go to a mainstream school. I have read so much from other families with children with similar challenges who say that their child has benefited from a great school, great friends and living in a lovely supportive community. We have to move in the next couple of years as we need to move to somewhere on one level. Our jobs mean that we are pretty flexible on location but we would like to be within a couple of hours on London.

Can anyone with a child with similar needs recommend a great place to move to with school in the town/ village?

Thanks all for your advice and help!

Lonsdale school in Stevenage looks very good. It is for neurodisability so wide range but caters for each child very well. They are moving to new building
Next year which is attached to mainstream so very good integration. Has hydrotherapy pool, therapy rooms for physio etc, and flats where kids stay overnight one or two nights a week to learn independent living. www.lonsdale.herts.sch.uk/

Meant to say that is secondary.

we are in suffolk, ds2 goes to a lovely village primary & there were a choice of them, all very welcoming & ds2 is thriving there.
I also know of older w/chair using children that have attended the ms secondary with great success.

Our GP, Paed, physio, OT, hospital are all fantastic. Ds2 also gets outreach support in school from the special school.

Thanks so much for the advice.

anonandilikeit - I know suffolk as I grew up in Bury St Edmunds and my mum still lives there. Whereabouts are you (equally understand if you would rather not say!)

Thanks both for the advice.

suffolk coastal, near Aldeburgh

Trelors in Hampshire but near the Surrey border is also a good secondary - they are a boarding school but I know they have a number of students with MD.