At last, at last SALT for ds! And I am going on Earlybird Plus

[Eulalia]

Things are moving along at last. ds starts his SALT on Saturday morning after a very long wait (referred in May 2003).

And I am going on the Earlybird Plus course starting next month. ds's teacher is also attending. Anyone else done this? What did you think of it?

Fab! Hurrah! You must be so relieved to be getting some help at last .

When the wheels get set in motion things do tend to move along well....

So gald for you, you must be so pleased that finally you will be getting the help and support.

Eulalia I did the preschool Earlybird and found it very useful. Have stayed in touch with 3 of the mums. Don't know much about a school age one but imagine it would be similar.

Hope the SALT goes well.

Great news. Haven't done Earlybird but have heard that its great. Didn't know there was Earlybird+. The NAS does a programme called Help! Is it that?

Great news about SALT!

I've just been invited to attend an information meeting for the pre-school Earlybird course. It looks great but the sessions are all in the daytime (when dh is at work) with no creche facilities available so I won't be able to do it. Let us know how your course goes.

CT, make sure you tell them that's why you can't go. Had this very discussion the other day as my borough are (at last) starting Earlybird. Debate about creche and the idea that it might be good not to offer one to keep numbers down! I said I thought that was a bad approach and that the people who need help most would probably need the creche.... we'll see what they do.

Will do. No creche means that the only people who can attend are those who already have some form of support. The ones who have no-one else to help are just left to get on with it by themselves.

In my borough they provide a creche for the autistic child and you have to make arrangements for any other children to be looked after.

They only do two Earlybirds a year, so only twelve families get to participate but I know there are a lot more who would benefit from it.

No its not 'Help'. As far as I know its the same as Earlybirds but aimed at 5-8 year olds. They also don't offer childcare facilities so the course for older kids is easier. Certainly is for us as ds is at school at I only have to find childcare for dd. Similarly there is quite a demand - only 3 courses a year and just 6 familes on each course. They prioritise older kids too so was pleased that I got on with ds only 5 1/2. It is also aimed at integration between the approach at school and the home which is why they have a place for a professional (usually the teacher). I think it will be great but of couse just hope that I am not building my hopes up too much and thinking it is the magic solution to everything ....

Swilt - keep on at social services but I know how you feel. I once asked for help and gave up partly because ds got better and also because I couldn't be bothered with all the questions and paperwork.

Well we had our first SALT session. ds was alone with her and it didn't really last long. There's not an awful lot she can do for him in a clinical setting, certainly not for his pragmatic difficulties. His autism gets in the way too and often he just has to 'get' things in his own time. Fortunately he's just started the 'why?' questions at last! She said this is encouraging. It's driving me mad though as his lack of vocabulary makes things so hard along with his inability to 'put me in the picture' thinking that I always know what he is talking about. He was asking "why does there need to be a hole in the side at the back?" when we were out in the car earlier. It took me a while to realise he was talking about the hole for the fuel. I hadn't even realised he was talking about the car at all.

So are you going to get more sessions then? She could at least work on teaching him vocabulary, conversation structure etc.

Yes he is getting six weeks initially (to be reviewed after) and will cover those things you mention.