Thread 12. Autism and any other additional needs.

[danni0509]

Thread 12.

For parents / carers of disabled children, autism, adhd, and all other related neurological conditions. Most of us have children in primary school. But everybody welcome!

Chatting about anything and everything related to SN!

Just typing quick as ds needs to get ready for bed. I’ll link the previous threads later.

x

dimples I hope ds is better now.

carrie sounds like a fab holiday.

Jaberwockky lovely that your ds’ friend played with him.

Rather disappointing that half term is over already. I could do with another week.

Aww @carriebradshawwithlessshoes that’s so great!! Sounds like a perfect holiday. Glad it went well.

Hi everyone, finally found you all on the new thread! Thought we'd all gone a bit quiet!
@danni0509 do you find the sunflower lanyard helps other people with understanding that your DS might behave a bit differently? We don't generally use it anymore but we went to a bigger city for a day out recently and it seemed to help a bit in terms of adults reacting more calmly and with more empathy. We were in a museum, all going great, then DS started singing loudly and swaying and a staff member rushed over to us. I thought here we go, but she smiled and pointed to a calmer breakout space, which really helped as the main museum was getting really busy. He really enjoyed the day out but when I said what was your favourite part DS, he said the cafe!
We had smearing when DS was younger. He'd take his nappy off in his toddler bed and smear it. He'd wait until I'd put him to bed before he did a poo, so I used to ninja in with wet wipes to clean him as he slept and then silently bleach the room. He was so young that he didn't have the understanding to know why not to, only that it felt good. What helped us a lot was an OT recommendation to ensure plenty of sensory play in the day, so we got loads of slime stuff and slime makers.
We've had a good half term overall. Last weekend, we were camping (glamping) which was great as we went to the sea (very brown though) and other days out. But the campsite was louder than usual with some really big groups so I felt quite pushed out, so have booked a tiny off grid place for the summer! Other than that, we've had lots of downtime at home (at DS' insistence) and a day out in a bigger city which went well although DS was nervous and said it was a bit busy. Probably go for a walk outside later and then get ready for tomorrow (DS already anxious about going back).
Sorry, forgot introductions! I have one DS, 7 going on 70, diagnosed ASC with demand avoidance (PDA) and motor skills delays. I am married, work part time, and highly suspect that DH and I are neurodivergent. I write creatively (although it's seemingly impossible to get anything published),love trees and cats, and hate crowds. My DS is obsessed with board games and maths.

Also hello everyone and welcome! @carriebradshawwithlessshoes so glad your holiday went well.
@dimples76 you are a literal superstar with the patience of a Saint!

Hello and welcome to the new people, been a bit quiet lately as we were also away over half term. There's a lovely farm where we go which was good but this year it was really apparent how different to the other children her age DD is, when it hadn't been before.
I have a DS 10 who I think is NT but very sensitive and a DD 7 who is awaiting assessment for ASD. I'm autistic myself and see so much of me in her I'd be surprised if she wasn't diagnosed.
Just before half term school finally said they'll apply for an EHCP for her so that's good too, though suspect it'll be a fight as my LA is one of the worst in the country.

@Ahna65 I didn’t answer your qu re the screaming! Yes it was much lesser on hol. I suspect due to lots of distractions and things of interest to him. I think he does it a lot out of boredom. I do wish he had more interests as I think that would be a big distraction, but he doesn’t unfortunately.

I was interested in Dimples’ mention of hyper mobility. How many of your Dc have this? DS does, massively. If so does it affect them much and how? I wonder if it has any links to many of our DC not enjoying pen work very much? Or my DS terrible fine motor generally? It’s hard to know isn’t it.

@MoominMamasTribe you would have loved our place! I kept thinking am I the only person alive here? Very scenic and quiet. I really hate crowds and too much busy ness too so it was perfect, we could then access civilisation very easily too when required

Carrie that sounds like a lovely holiday.

Re the hypermobility DD was a late walker (18 months). DS was much later than that but then he has GDD so it was expected whereas DD was hitting all the other developmental milestones on time/early. DD sits in the most bizarre positions and can do seriously weird things with her bendy fingers. She has no stamina for walking and I wonder if that is due to hypermobility or because she can't be arsed. DS's grip is very weak but his weird scribbling obsession has led to improvements and now he has got over his aversion to all things arts and crafts he spends a lot of time squeezing air drying clay and play dough so that's good. He needs as much sensory input as he can get as his hair is really taking the brunt at the moment - about 1/4 bald currently.

DS is still poorly (day 5) so I am going to call the Dr's in the morning. Fortunately, I have already booked the day off as it is an inset day here. I was looking forward to having an outing whilst things are quieter, nevermind.

Jules that's good news re the EHCP application- always easier to have the school on board. When school would not apply for my nephew I helped my sister apply - we had to appeal against refusal to assess and refusal to issue but we got there in the end!

MoominMamasTribe that's the kind of highlight my DS would pick. Really good that the staff were so supportive at the museum.

jules great news about the EHCP

Moomin glad you had a decent trip. Well done booking the next one already.

dimples sorry ds is still poorly.

I don’t think ds it too hyperbole, though I think I am a bit - less so as I’ve got older and more unfit. His fine motor skills are fairly good I think (Lego, picking things up etc.) but his writing is still way behind. Probably a combination of fm and visual-motor processing (if that’s the right thing).

@dimples76 sorry DS is still poorly.

I hope people are having a more successful return to school than us. I’m already stressed out.

Honestly I feel like Sisyphus some days.

No Open. Didn’t want to go. Stood crying and hitting his head with his hand in the playground. Did DS go in?

We have an inset today but she's been very emotional so I think it's worrying her. Sorry your returns to school aren't going well.

He went in but when I took him into the classroom immediately started asking for an iPad. He knows that he has time on this before he leaves. Won’t listen, running off, whinging etc.

It’s bad when they don’t even want to go to a SS, isn’t it!

I think it’s mostly just the transition esp after a really nice break! I’m working today and didn’t want to come back either! 🤣. Didn’t sleep a wink last night and for once can’t blame DS!

Yes, the transition back after the holiday is part of it, but not all for us. It’s not like school is all fabulous for us otherwise.

Ds ended his morning badly too. Ffs. Feeling pretty overwhelmed by it all tbh. Can only hope tomorrow is better.

@openupmyeagereyes and @carriebradshawwithlessshoes Sadly it was the same here, tears the entire way. I’ve just been to collect him as he really wasn’t coping. It’s an awful feeling isn’t it?

He’s out in the garden now decompressing
😁

Sorry Jaberwockky, it’s really hard.

I know Open. I don’t feel it’s great for us either! Yes DS stays but you know my reservations. As DH keeps saying to me, there’s nowhere else though (for DS.) There was a really unpleasant incident end of last term too which i would love views on but it’s too outing, that is also making me concerned. Really not satisfactory.

@Jaberwockky hope the garden helps. It’s a lovely day here so hope he’s chilling out a bit.

carrie feel free to pm if you want.

Sorry everyone seems to be having such a tough day. The Sisyphus metaphor is definitely apt at times! Ds has an inset day today, so I have the joy of battling him in tomorrow.

Thought I'd get at least one child in but it appears dd has now contracted Chicken pox again! So she's off for the week. Thank goodness I don't have a proper job or I'd never be in at the moment.

Hope everyone had a nice half term otherwise.

Sorry to read of your difficult days.

DS seems quite a lot better today but I don't know if he will be well enough for school tomorrow. He has passed his bug on to me. We actually had quite a good day just lying around whilst DD was at nursery. DS was v confused by my behaviour though. He asked me a few times when I was going to do my jobs!

liv hope dd isn’t too poorly.

dimples sorry you’re unwell too.