Special needs role call :)

[Blossomhill]

I hope you don't mind but there have been so many new people and I thought it would just be nice to remind ourselves of who is who

Well I'll start with I am a 30yr old SAHM, been married 3 years (although together 9) and I have 1 ds (aged 7) who is nt but going through a bit of a teenage phase at the moment. I then have dd is 5 (6 in August), she has a high level pragmatic disorder which effects her ability to have conversations and socialise (although she does try really hard). Dd is currently doing very well in a speech and language unit attached to a mainstream school.
We have just recently come back from Bibic and it was such an amazing experience and we learnt so, so much about dd. More in 3 days with them than the whole 4 years through the normal channels!

ooh RnB how exciting!

I'm 38, married for nearly 10 years, together 17. Four kids, aged 13, 8, 6 and 4. Dd1 (13) was born with hydrocephalus and heart defects, she had gdd, and has a collagen deficiency (inherited through me), dd2 has a milder form of the collagen deficiency, as does ds1. Ds2 has cerebral palsy, spastic diplegia, and recently he has been diagnosed with an eye condition called brown syndrome.

I was going to link my member profile with a pic, but for some reason the pic has disappeared.

I'm 31 and a SAHM. Dh almost certainly has AS. Ds1 will be 5 in a couple of months and is autistic. He's made huge amounts of progress over the last 18 months or so and is in the Reception class of our local m/s primary school. He's doing very well there atm and quite literally jumps for joy when the holidays end. Not sure what that says about us though.

Ds2 is 2yrs old and was given a preliminary dx of ASD and will be re-assessed next year when he's 3. Ds2 has SALT once a month as his language and comprehension are disordered. He can usually be found wandering around the house in just a nappy and a pair of wellies as he dislikes wearing clothes any more than absolutely necessary.

I have a lot of AS traits myself so I suppose an NT child would feel a bit left out in our house.

Wow, good for you RnB, go girl

any leading men you particularly want to play opposite ?

Oh well looks like I'm the old lady round here ... I'm 46 and a SAHM with a bit of home based computer/admin work thrown in. Been married for 22 years (yikes) and live in Hertfordshire. Have dd1 aged 13 and dd2 8 who has Tourettes, Dyspraxia, behavioural and sensory problems. Sometimes I feel as if I've drawn a short straw with my problems with M but now I know a bit more about some of you, my problems seem insignificant in comparison. Nice to meet you all properly.

Only me!!! I am 39 (the big 4-0 is next March) Met hubbie 9 yrs ago, married 8 years this August. Have ds, who is 5-going on 15!! And dd who is 3, going on 15, and has Down Syndrome.
She is going through the toddler tantrums ATM! Gets around OK, but walks with hyperflexed knees and wears AFOs. She signs really well,and her speech is starting to come along nicely now.
Her clearest words are "more please mummy!!!"
She attends SN nursery 2 mornings and mainstream for the other 3.
Me, I have no self confidence, a SAHM. My hobbies are "trying" to live a healthier lifestyle, forever trying to get our house decorated and card-making to raise funding for our local DSA group...oh yes, and MN!

Hello. I am 34. I have been married for 8 years but been together for 16.

We have 4 boys, ds1,12, ds2,9 ds3,6 and ds4 who is 3. Ds3 is autistic and is neither high functioning nor severe. He attends a unit attached to mainstream. Ds4 has problems which apparently have a language base. He is waiting for a place at a language class.

I work 2 nights a week. In my spare time I like to bake and attempt gardening.

Im 36, married for 6yrs, together for 12, have two children, ds age 5 and dd age 3. DS has some special needs but as yet undiagnosed. Aspergers, dyspraxia have been suggested, although aspergers is not peads gut feeling. Im a SAHM and have been since January 2000 and I love it. DD is 3 but looks and behaves like a 4 year old.

Im a SAHM and home educate J who is 9 and has a dx of Autism, SPD, Specific Learning difficulties (Dyslexia), Dyspraxia and language delay.
Have R who is 11 and NT.
Married for 15 years and spend my time away from Mumsnet trying to start up my own little cottage craft business.

Forgot to add I am 36 and overweight because I eat too many sweets and dont get enough fressh air....and my hair is a mess....according to J!!!!!

I am 48 (the oldest here?!!). DH and I have been together for almost 25 years-married for 9.
DS1 is 23; DS2 is 22; DS3 is 16;DS4 is 11 and DS5 is 6.
I used to work as a social worker (with adults-specialising in the elderly) but had to give up 5 years ago when I was seriously ill with cancer. Have been a SAHM since and love it-had to work when the older boys were young so it is a new experience for me.
We seem to have loads of health problems as a family!
DH and I both suffer from Anti-phospholipid syndrome (or Hughes syndrome) which is an auto-immune blood clotting disorder. DH suffered multiple PEs as a result 2 years ago and is on long term warfarin therapy.
My DS1 was diagnosed with coeliac disease last year (after many trips to the GP when he was a child where I queried his being underweight, and was told he was just a "wiry" kid!)
DS2 suddenly lost the sight of one eye 3 years as a result of "wet macular degeneration". No cause has been established.
DS3 is dyspraxic.
DS5 has just within the last 2 weeks been diagnosed as AS.
The DSs all still live at home and we are a very close-knit family!

I'm 33 (feel 63!!) married for 6 and a half years (also feels like 63!!lol)

I have 3.7yr old twin girls both born healthy but one of whom contracted Phneumococcal Meningitis at 8 months old.

She was critically ill, survived but with Brain damage, Hydrocaphalus (has a shunt fitted)and a severe form of infant Epilepsy.

We were told if she survived she would be severly brain damaged, but she is doing really well. Is very behind, has global delay, but can walk, run (bit of a gallop really!!) climb!! her understanding is coming along and she can put 5/6 words together.

Really love Mumnset (SN section)and will take this oportunity to Thank eveybody SO MUCH for all there listening, advice and support, think you are all fantastic

xxxxxxx

i am 35 and live in a small rural village and have been married for over 5 years.i have a dd aged 4.5 with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy and she attends a m/s school in a local village. i have a ds who is 14 months old who is just a cheeky smiley little chap.
oh and the battle with the LEA resumes next tuesday when it's dd's annual review

We'll i'm a 25 SAHM been married to dh for three yrs. Got one dd who has diplegic cerebal palsy and is doing pretty well walking in here own way - due to go into a splint in May for her left foot which is causing her lots of discomfort as it's "curling".

DD is due to start NT nursery on May 4th for 2 1/2 a hrs a day and she is so excited - i'm the one that's a bag of nerves.

Well that's me and mine xxx

I have been hovering on this board for ages. My ds who is 6 has problems with school, No diagnosis yet - just going through statementing. He may be dyspraxic or dyslexic or something else. Really have no firm ideas. I find lots of info and encouragement from this site(also loads of admiration for everything you all do) I am 49 and have 3 grown up girls as well as ds. Been married for 28 years. Definitely a whirlwind romance got married after 6 weeks together. I am a SAHM in fact I am probably retired. Does that make me a mumsnet pensioner?

dilligaf-at last! Someone is older than me (but only just-I am 49 next week!!!) Welcome to mumsnet.

I am 41 & full time civil servant. I have 2 NT kids, DD (19) & Ds3 (13), plus Ds1 (17) who has dyspraxia & other undx probs, and Ds2 (15) dyspraxia and ADHD.

I thought we'd drawn the short straw with ours until I joined mumsnet.. now I see we are actually the lucky ones.

Tiggiwinkle - for 8 months we can be joint oldest I am 50 in January and dreading it. Sounds much older thatn 49 soon I will be able to go on Saga holidays but will they let me take ds with me.

Since I hover around (and LOVE) the SN boards too I had better declare us as well.

I'm, er, 43 is it now, have been married for I think around 9 years but as I've known dh since I was born everything's a bit vague there. We have ds (just 6), who's a poppet at home and a bafflement & trouble at school, dyspraxic tendencies, peculiar speech and a brainbox. The professionals say not AS, so maybe something else.

And we have dd (4 and a half) who's rather wonderful.

dilligaf

Hi. I'm 38 (you all probably guessed that already! Will have to change user name next birthday). We are in Surrey. Married for 14 years with ds1 (11) , ds2 (5.5) and dd1 (2). ds2 has severe speech and language difficulties and some fine motor problems. He also has problems with attention. He goes to a mainstream school and has a statement. We are trying to get him moved to a language unit. Have found the special needs board on mumsnet really helpful (thank you!)

I am a SAHM which I love. We have just got a dog so life is very hectic. Taking the whole family to obidience training in the hope not just the dog learns to come when called!

Hello, I'm 35 and have been married for 8 years. I gave up my part-time job in biology/bioinformatics last year and am now a SAHM. I have two sons: ds1 (5.5y)) who is a super little boy, very caring and thoughtful, although also very annoying at times like all five year olds ; and ds2 (3.5y) who has special needs but no specific diagnosis, although dyspraxia/DCD and ASD are being considered. He has low muscle tone, problems with gross and fine motor skills, poor articulation, and "muddled" language although he is able to talk and communicate quite well within the family. He is very adorable and cuddly and loves a good laugh more than anything.

Me back again ... after a long time.

I'm 45 living in S Yorkshire with dp who I've been with for nearly 6 years. With us lives my dd who's just turned 13 (with CP/Epilepsy/SLD/challenging behaviour/very delayed speech)and my NT ds aged 10 who is soccer/golf mad and who is doing fine at his mainstream school. Dd attends a special school for SLD - the school is a centre of excellence for Makaton.

I'm a SAHM (used to work at Co-op HO in Manchester as a Section Head prior to kids) but now keep myself busy with various voluntary projects like being a governor at dd's school, helping run the parent/carer support group there, being on the management committee of Time-Out which does social activities for SEN kids and I'm thinking of setting up a community group where I live to champion play facilities for 8-13 kids (like ds).

Dd started her education through mainstream nursery but after serious consideration she 'progressed' to a MLD school. There the gap got wider and she was moved to a school for Phys Dis. When we relocated to S Yorks in 2001, I chose her current school because they have an emphasis there on communication which was the area my dd most needed to work on. She is doing OK and meeting her targets but with puberty imminent she is displaying very challenging behaviour from time to time and needs one to one classroom support.

She loves music and we are going to go and see Kylie in Manchester for her birthday treat. I have also bought her a karaoke for her pressie.

My two go to their dads at weekend which gives me a break - my dp's ds comes to us at weekend. Currently I am spending most of my weekends looking after my dm who has been seriously ill but is recovering gradually.

Christie - I think it's great you lurk on here and any contributions you may have would be very gratefully received I know!