What would you do next? Ds school anxiety

[flowwithit]

He is 12yrs and has a ASD dx HF but has more difficulty in some areas than others. He is in ms secondary school but is really struggling with terrible anxiety at school again.
I am really worried because he ended up on mess last yr due to panic attacks. It's all the changes too mant people and noise different classrooms and rushing around and germs he finds so difficult. I don't know what help to ask for. We didn't get statement because he doesn't need extra help with his work at the moment.

We had a meeting with senco and he is still trying to offer us practical help which is good. It was also agreed that the school would back us if we go for SA and statement but he didn't think it would be easy to get as ds is average iq and we are not sure how it would help with school environment and anxiety, sensory problems. I still think we will start the process as it can take up to 6wks to get first letter.

I wish schools would get it into their heads that the fact that a child has an average IQ doesn't mean that they can't get a statement. There must be so many children who are short-changed because of that misconception.

Yes i thought that too if they could really see how anxious he is they might actually understand how difficult things are.
we will start our application and madly end up hoping he won't do so well in his next exams so he can get some kind of help!

Hi Flow

I had a chat with my DS's senco last week as its his IEP renewal time, I got the impression that anxiety is a really difficult area for schools to help with as there is no obvious simple fix like helping with specific educational subjects iykwim? They can offer a quiet place etc but not much else :(

I can see when my DS has been stressed, bleeding fingers, holes in clothes yet he tells them he is ok (im beginning to suspect that he feels its the norm for him and its me that is more upset!!). His reports came back from teachers so glowing and you wouldnt suspect that he has aspergers and I had to push for new goals!

Our biggest hurdle is helping him cope being without an adult outside of a routine situation ie staying at home alone and going into town with friends (he is fine on the school bus so can do it!).

I hope this weeks seems a bit brighter!