Auties transition to Year 1 - thread 3

[LightTripper]

This is the continuation of the thread for parents and carers of autistic children in reception year at school, going into Year 1 in the autumn. All welcome (also parents with older or younger children who want to ask questions or share their wisdom!)

Welcome!

That sounds lovely Jeb, I love a good rockpool!

We've finally come to the top of the list for the EarlyBird course ... has anybody else done it yet? It's going to be a pain for work as it's a half day off every week, so I'm hoping it will be worth it! Though OH and I were just saying we both have leave to take, so could be worse timing...

Hi, hope that you're all well.

Our Summer has been pretty lousy so far due to my ankle injury. DS's behaviour has been pretty awful and I feel dreadful that he has not had much fun. Hopefully tomorrow is the start of the next stage when my cast comes off and I can weight bear in a boot. I am hoping that when we're back at home he feels calmer ...

Jeb rock pooling sounds lovely. I hope we can do the same when we go away.

dimples I hope things can get back to normal for you and ds once the cast is off and you’re back home. Don’t feel bad, it’s not your fault.

Light I didn’t do Earlybird as our LA does it’s own version and we did that. I presume it’s similar though probably not the same. I’m not sure how useful you will find it given the extent of your knowledge. I think the presumption is that people know little to nothing (and some don’t) so I think you will find it quite basic. Also, your dd is verbal and doesn’t have any behavioural issues really, you may find that some parents have very challenging and/or non verbal dc and they, naturally, have a lot of questions. We had 2-3 sessions about communication and visuals, a session on behaviour and one on teaching play skills. As I think I mentioned, I thought the OT session was not particularly helpful. Anyway, I hope I’m wrong - I could well be of course. I’m sure you will learn something and you may make some new friends which is a real benefit.

Yes I did wonder about that open - I dread to think how many hours I've spent reading autism stuff over the last 2.5 years since we were told DD is probably autistic. It's hard to make a course that works for everyone. I think there will still be things to learn though. We did one offered by the local authority (just two half days) last year - which they put in place because the waiting list is so long, and although at some level I "knew" all the material the trainer was really good and it was still useful to have it all cemented.

I think it's probably also worth going as I saw there is also a course about supporting autistic kids' mental health, but I think it's only open to people who've done the EarlyBird or EarlyBird Plus (I guess we would be on Plus as DD is 5 now, though I'm not sure she'd even turned 4 when we went on the waiting list!) - I can see given DD's personality that this is the bit of life that is likely to be more challenging than where we are now. Though I will feel a bit guilty to be taking a place with such a long waiting list if it turns out it is more focused on more critical behavioural issues. Ho hum... I'll wait for the letter and then give them a ring I guess. If it is EarlyBird plus hopefully it will have a bit more social stuff, which would be useful, and it would be nice to meet other parents in the area. Somebody actually set up a local NAS branch but it seems to have gone very quiet... I'm hoping to go part time some time next year, so maybe that's something I can get involved in once I have a bit more time (ha ha ha like it's not all going to fill up immediately!)

Rock pooling sound lots of fun jeb.

Light I haven't done the Earlybird course either. But I have found that even when I go on courses that I know a lot about, I always learn at least one new thing. I also find it very cathartic to share experiences with other parents.

I'm so sorry you're having such a tough time dimples. Bring on the boot!

We ok here. The part time nanny we hired for four weeks is amazing and she's getting ds to do a lot of things I wouldn't dare take him to. Oh to be young and have lots of energy.
The new flooring is going in this weekend and then we're away next weekend for about a week and a half. I think it will be nice to have a bit of a change.
I gave ds his first does of melatonin yesterday and he was asleep by 9pm! Massive relief. The doctor said to try it consistently for a week and hopefully it should reset his body clock, fingers crossed.

liv glad the melatonin is working.
Great news about the nanny. Is he listening to her in a way he wouldn’t to you? Does she have SN experience?

Open yes she has almost finished training as a SALT and has worked with some autistic children before.
I think he understands that he has to listen to her, although that doesn't always mean that he does. She is very clear with him and he seems to really like her which is great.
Quite sad we only have her for one more week really, although I'm not sure we could afford this as a permanent thing. It feels very much like a luxury!

I'm sorry I missed your message dimples. It must be tough. Both our kids' behaviour is so much worse when we can't take them out and run lots of energy off (or find a way to do it at home). Plus holidays are tough on our littles I think (DD has been saying again that she wants to go back to school because the days are long, despite the fact our nanny has been packing lots of stuff in! But I think DD finds it hard not to have a clear/fixed schedule. Hopefully once you've got your cast of things can start to get better again.

Your nanny sounds amazing Liv. I think nannies (like teachers) do have more "instructional authority" than parents anyway, but having lots of energy and some SEN experience is a massive bonus!

She sounds fab. We could do with her here!

Things are going ok here but we’ve been taking it easy and only doing one thing a day and had some full days at home. We’ve had a couple of play dates each week. Today was just my dm and dsd’s and the park on their road.

Sleeping has been better in general though he was up about 4:20 today.

Had a tricky few hours out with ds at our local NT place today. We used to go once or twice a week when he was younger as it’s lovely and so close but for the last couple of years it’s been much more sporadic as ds just will not listen when he’s there and it can be stressful and tiring, even with two of you.

Still, we got out and had a good walk so we’re both tired. He’s been up around four for the last several days again and we’re all feeling it.

Yesterday he had a nice play date with a boy from his class, hopefully we’ll see them again next week. Tomorrow we see grandparents and Sunday we’re planning to go to a zoo. We don’t usually see many of the animals but ds spends about 2 hours in their play barn!

I hope everyone is having a nice, stress free, time.

Hopping on to say I found another YouTube channel I like - coming home to autism. There aren’t many videos and it’s taking a break for the summer but the family have a 9yo autistic ds so it’s nice to get a glimpse of what might lie ahead.

One of the videos is about play therapy and the therapist recommended a book about friendship called How to be a friend. I’ve ordered it, I hope it’s good.

Watched a couple of those last night - they seemed great! Looking forward to watching some more.

We've got that "How to Be a Friend" one and it's nice - DD has actually requested it a couple of times recently. The Molly Potter one ("Will You Be My Friend?") is also good!

Sorry you had a tricky day out the other day open. Thanks for the recommendations.

We were away this weekend at the PILs which was lovely and very relaxing.
The new floor is currently being laid! So glad to be rid of the smelly carpet.

Glad you had a relaxing weekend liv, and that your carpet will no longer smell!

Took ds to a park today and we had more bouts of refusing to listen. Not as bad as Friday but still tedious. I did get very cross with him at one point. Just talking to dh about it and he referenced the reason I jump where he talks about having a compulsion and not intending to be naughty. I understand that but it doesn’t help you in the moment when you’re trying to deal with it. Dh is off for two weeks next week, looking forward to that!

Anyway, he had a good time and expended lots of energy and went out like a light when he climbed into bed so that’s good.

@danni0509 I am intrigued to try the Lush Sleepy range you mentioned on another thread! I think I’ll have to pop into town on Saturday morning.

How are the holidays going for you?

Ds has been doing a little bit of work most days. I went back to the beginning for phase 2 phonics and he’s starting to blend the words much more confidently and quickly though he still confuses b and d with p which throws him off those words. He also seems to do the sessions more willingly at the moment (he’s only doing around 8 words every other day). I was toying with trying to do some daily but I’m scared pushing him too far will stop him wanting to do anything so I won’t for now.

dimples I hope the summer has improved for you since your cast came off.

Open the wash and cream smell so nice. He costs me a fortune in that shop as I have to buy the bath bombs too, he expects a full £5 bomb in each bath 🙈

I make 1 last about 2 weeks cutting bits off it! Costly kid!

I read something in the news about a child going from sleeping a couple of hours a night to sleeping 14 hours a night on that lush range so the very next day I went out and bought stocks and shares

Pleased to hear homework is going well, we haven't done much with that just a reading book a day and handwriting when I remember.

We have been out the house all day every day at soft play / bouncy castle place / beach / park. We've not been getting in until 6/7pm then he's been having a late tea and bath and going to sleep about 9/9.30pm.

Last year at soft play he could barely climb any equipment, this year he's like any other child climbing it. (Just one with no danger awareness so needs supervising whilst he's on it) So I'm pleased his gross motor has improved, I can really tell the difference this year. He's like a rat up a drain pipe climbing it all.

We've had plenty of pushing, shoving, not waiting turns and being defiant, tantrums etc but I prefer to be out the house with him in those places to pass the time away and tire him out.

He's got a nasty friction burn down the front of his leg from climbing up the slide and sliding back down on his knees and it's got infected as he's constantly picking it and won't keep a plaster on, he usually wears shorts all year so I've put joggers on him and he's pulling the legs up to pick. Any ideas? I might have to take him to the dr with it as it's all weepy and warm to touch. But he won't leave it alone! No matter what I say. It looks so sore! i tried to bandage over the plaster last night and he pulled it all off. It's not going to heal when he won't leave it alone.

Hope everyone is ok, 3 weeks to go!

One thing ds is doing at the minute, when we are at soft play or where ever is he keeps running over to somebody's table picking their drink up and drinking it all. He's done that 3 times this week he has a drink on his own table!!

Yesterday at soft play he came out of the tunnel and I wasn't sure if he'd gone left or right, couldn't spot him and next thing I look down from upstairs and ds is on the bottom floor behind the counter pressing the slush machine and 2 members of staff are trying to get him out 🤷🏻‍♀️ when I got to him he's banging on the till trying to open the tills.

Every single place I take him too it's always my child!

I found some hydrocolloid fast healing dressings in Tesco today, they are clear colour, have just put one of those on ds after his bath (you can't even see he has a big dressing on his leg, it's like a second skin!) put his sleep suit with feet on him zipped him right up and buttoned it up over the zip, so he shouldn't be able to get to the wound to pick at it tonight (hopefully)

He's been digging his fingers in today and pulling bits of god knows what out, no wonder it's infected this is what happened with his toe, ingrown toenail got badly infected when he wouldn't stop picking at it and took 2 x 10 days worth of antibiotics and a trip to podiatry to clear it, he had a manky toe for 6 weeks because he wouldn't leave it alone.

danni I was going to come on and suggest a footed all in one, it was the only thing I could think of. Hopefully it does the trick for tonight. Ds is sort of the opposite. He wants a plaster on and then doesn’t want to take it off and needs to be persuaded a few days later. He also won’t bathe while he has the plaster on...

You must be tired out too from your long daily outings with ds. Hopefully he’s sleeping well with all the exercise and fresh air and expensive Lush products

We had a lovely play date this morning with a girl from Ds’ class (who was also at his nursery) and her little brother. They all swapped some toys and hopefully we’ll meet next week to swap them back. Their mother was ds’ 1:1 at nursery so it was very low stress for me because she knows ds well. This is the first time they’ve come round to play though.

I was so proud of ds this evening. He was matching 2D shapes on a Twinkl mat that I printed and laminated. It has the words underneath the shapes and he started trying to sound them all out, it was amazing

Ds has antibiotics and special dressings that need changing twice a day for ten days. Had to get him an emergency appointment at drs.

He woke up this morn at 3.50am 🙈 (still the same for you open?) and I noticed his pyjamas where stuck to his leg even with the dressing from last night in place, so I peeled it all off and was horrified. He had about 10 small oozing blisters all down his leg that had formed overnight. And his leg had swelled and was hot.

Greeny coloured liquid seeping all over, It looks awful. Hopefully this sorts it!

Ds still doesn't give a shit and trying to pick at it 🤢

I'm going to have to bandage him up like a mummy to stop him.

Oh danni that sounds grim , hopefully the antibiotics sort it out soon.

Ds woke for the day about 1:55 this morning 😱. I took the first shift, dh took the second. I took him out in the car earlier and he napped for about an hour and a quarter. I think I’ll be following him to bed tonight.

Tomorrow I’m off to Lush!

This week ds has been saying he wants to go back to school. In fact he had a massive tantrum about it when we went out to the park with some of his classmates earlier this week. However he also says he wants to stay in the reception classroom so goodness knows how he’ll be when he starts back.

Light what is your dd’s new classroom like for year 1? Do they have free access to outside still? Curious how the private approach is different though I guess it’s more academic so probably not?

I wished we followed a more European schooling style with formal learning starting around 8.

They actually never did have free flow open: it's a very tiny school (3 classrooms) - the rooms are almost identical (only the Year 2 room is a bit different) so hopefully she'll feel very much at home.

The shape matching thing sounds lovely! DS is starting to string a couple of words together and he is so pleased with himself it's lovely. He can say much more now. Yesterday we were going through DD's "tricky words" pot from school and she was reading them out and then DS was copying her ... a bit of a challenge for both of them - they were really enjoying it, super cute!

Unfortunately today our nanny was away so I was off work and packing for our holiday. Tried to take the kids out but it was a bit miserable, so they were slightly climbing the walls by lunch and a bit fractious with each other. Poor DS has a tummy upset and a sore bum poor love. I hope he's better by tomorrow or the flight is not going to be fun! Haven't done anything about getting a Lanyard for DD yet but I've got her diagnosis letter so I'm going to just go to the information desk and see if we can get one on the day I think... (I don't know if they'll even need the letter or just take your word for it).

Right, must turn in now. Luckily our flight got moved back to lunchtime but we still need to vaguely get going in the morning!

So sorry your DS is struggling not to pick Danni. I wonder if it's linked to Trichotillomania, which I think lots of autistic people have (or skin picking). Though I loved a scab as a child, the oozier the better, and I think lots of kids are the same. Anyway, hope the anti-bs do their thing and your fortifications are effective in holding him back from more picking a bit! DD is more like your DS open. Wants a plaster for the tiniest thing and then gets very stressed about taking it off or getting it wet. Luckily because she's so cautious she doesn't have too many mishaps. Thank goodness DS isn't like that (yet) as he's at a stage of constantly pelting into things or over things!

@danni0509 how are you finding the Crelling harness? Has your ds been able to open it yet?

Ds got out of his car seat while I was driving today. Think we’re going to have to get one too.

Having a tricky time this weekend with a mega tantrum yesterday afternoon and again this morning. I call them tantrums as in my opinion they are not ‘meltdowns’ as they are just about not getting his way.