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SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

Fio2

12 replies

lou33 · 11/06/2003 15:30

Thought I would start a new thread for this Fio.

Ds is 27 months. He was diagnosed in July last year. He is a spastic diplegic , with high muscle tone in his legs and hips and low tone in his torso, which tends to pull him down and causes his back to curve. He also has a squint, in fact we are going to the hospital next tuesday to book him in for an op to straighten it ( a whole other thread about panic will be coming soon!). He gets weekly pt, has had an assessment for ot, which will start combined with the pt in about 4 weeks. We did have weekly hydrotherapy but ds hated it, so we have cancelled that for the moment. He sees the orthoptist about every 5 weeks at the moment, a neurologist twice a year and a paediatrician 2 - 3 times a year. We are waiting to get funding to have him formally assessed at the Bobath centre in London , which should ahppen in the summer holidays if we are lucky , but there has been a bit of a hitch with that. We could have portage too, but that would mean having virtually no time for us or the others once we have added school runs and hospital appointments into it. He also goes once a week to a mums and tots group at a nursery he might attend next easter.

At home we have daily physio sessions, which include about an hour of gaiters, a gymball session, a standing frame, a bench and an adapted bike. I don't do all of these every day but he has his gaiters and ball session the most. The gaiters have to be daily and the rest I try and rotate so he doesn't get bored. Next week we are seeing wheelchair services because he needs a buggy that can support his legs. At the moment they stick out and his feet turn in, sort of dangling in mid air. Ds will also do Riding for the Disabled when he si 3, because it is very good for children with cp, especially with spasticity, as the rocking movement helps relax the muscles.

In a way it would be a bit of a blessing if her turned out to have EDS too, because it might loosen him up a bit, but doesn't look likely.

So basically I have 4 children, the oldest born with hydrocephalus (now arrested), heart defects (pretty much resolved now) and valproate syndrome, later diagnosed with EDS too. The middle 2 have EDS, and the youngest has CP. It sounds like I'm making it all up doesn't it?!

With regards to your dd and her treatment, it depends what you get at the moment. I found that things shifted up a few gears when they finally diagnosed ds, but that is also because we moved to a place where services were infinitely better. However I do think that a definite diagnosis focuses the doctors and professionals more iyswim. In real life though that's not always possible I know.

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fio2 · 11/06/2003 16:50

lou I dont think you making it up he! he! but it certainly sounds like you have got your hands full.dd had her first hydrotherapy sessions at nursery today and apparently she loves it-thank goodness I was worrying about that one. dd wont be able to get riding for the disabled until she is 4 but our last physio, who visited every week-can you beleive it, said it is absolutley brilliant. My dd has comprimised balance and co-ordination so I definatley think it will do her good once she gets used to it.

It is very difficult to do all the therapies when you have other children isnt it? I was finding it incredibly difficult when ds became mobile and a pain up the bum! The portage especially because you have to be totally commited to make it work. Do you have 'school for parents' where you are? They do it at dds nursery but we were never offered it, it is very good I think it is organised by scope-they have an office at her nursery.

Have you been having to do eye patching then? I am finding this a complete nightmare at the moment. In fact I am going to ask to nursery tommorrow if they can start doing it a little bit, she may co-operate better there. At first she was quite co-operative but always pulled the one side of her face down-as if she had a stroke-but now she is pulling it off screaming, crying and I just cant get her to leave it on. They have mentioned the op to us too so I may join your panic thread!

dd is getting very good services at the moment she goes to a very good SN nursery 9-3 every day so I couldnt really ask for any more. It will just be when we move down south-I havent a clue what the services are like but my HV comes from sevenoaks and she said the services are much better, but I wont know til we get down there. We have been led to beleive that the new athourites will do their own assesment anyway, who knows?

My friends daughter has cp-she goes to dds nursery-and she has high tone in her pelvis and low tone everywhere else it has made movement very difficult for her. Is your ds going to go to a SN nursery? I suppose you are also going through the statementing process aswell.

Must go kids are screaming for their tea.

aloha · 11/06/2003 16:57

Lou33 - sorry to butt in but I posted to you on another thread but don't think you saw it. I have a friend who is a journalist who has written about Botox for children with CP - she also has a nephew who has had it. If you have any queries about it I could ask her - she's interviewed the top people about it and also has first hand experience. I'd be happy to help get info for you - I could even ask if you could talk to her brother & sister-in-law (her nephew's mum & dad) if that would help.

MABS · 11/06/2003 17:21

Aloha - i'm going to butt in here too. You could ask something about botox for me if you don't mind . What is the best age to have it done? It's being mooted for my ds 32 months, is that too young?

aloha · 11/06/2003 18:09

Hi, I will call my friend for info - her nephew is older - six - but I do think the results were quite dramatic and it did enable him to walk fairly easily. will post again later when have more info at my fingertips.

lou33 · 11/06/2003 18:51

Aloha hi, i did post back to you, but maybe it got lost. It would be wonderful if you don't mind asking. I just really want to know what difference it made if any, and also if there have been any bad reactions to it? Ds has been quite allergic to a few things (dairy, soya, disposable nappies, wheat, eye patches!) so I want to make absolutely sure that whatever goes in him is safe iyswim. I really appreciate your offer, thanks so much.

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lou33 · 11/06/2003 18:52

Mabs, our physio has just said that it needs to be done when ds is walking, rather than at a certain age if that helps.

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MABS · 11/06/2003 19:06

interesting Lou - we're getting a new physio next week so i'll ask her . Sounds silly I know - but I just can't get over the fact that it's poison!!

lou33 · 11/06/2003 19:10

Fio, yes we have been doing the patching, but not at the moment because it did it's job thank goodness. Ds was actually a little star about wearing them. The first time he had it on he didn't like it and tried to take it off, but then after I said no he hardly ever bothered with them, except if he was tired. I found doing it for the 2 hours straight after breakfast was the best time for him. We had a bit of trouble with the patches though, because ds was allergic to the ones they gave, so we had to be given a different sort, but that did the trick.

The mums and tots group he goes to is at a nursery that caters for sn kids as well as non sn, and they do have great facilities. But I still haven't decided if he will go there because it is so big, and he has major problems with strangers, or even poeple he knows but doesn't want near him. Ds1 is at a v small nursery who I think could cope with ds2, and have said they would love to have him, so I am undecided. He will probably begin statementing in July I would think, when we see the paed next.

I'm pleased dd enjoyed her hydrotherapy btw. Dd1 always loved it, but ds2 just goes even stiffer in fear of being touched by the physio there. It's taken months for him to not cry with his regular pt, so I don't think he can take it at the moment!

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lou33 · 11/06/2003 19:17

That is the problem I initially had, but it isn't the poison if I remember correctly, it's just from the same family......? Someone help me out here! But that is exactly why I want to do this research before the time comes so I am armed and dangerous. Maybe we could research together?!

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MABS · 11/06/2003 19:22

i'm sure you're correct Lou, it's just in my head really!! You'll understand this when other mothers may not...

I was actually 'delighted' that ds managed to climb out of his cot today by himself !! Really don't know how, but he did it.

lou33 · 11/06/2003 19:41

I do understand. Good news about ds, you should post it on the proud thread. Of course now you have told him well done he'll be doing it every five minutes and you will wish he had never learned!

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MABS · 11/06/2003 20:27

you're so right - he shouted a minute ago , i went rushing up and was told ' out cot in minit ' what have i started !!??

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