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

Original poster

TV prog on tonight

34 replies

Carriel · 17/06/2003 12:04

An old editor friend from my TV days (and a mumsnet fan) has just emailed to say a prog he worked on is starting tonight. It's called Born To Be Different 9:00 pm Channel 4 and runs for the next six weeks. He says and I quote "It follows six disabled children in the first three years of their lives." ( FWIW I thought the term was children with special needs rather than disabled, but feel free to correct me/him). I have no idea what it will be like but thought I'd flag it here in case it had anything interesting to add / it was helpful.

OP posts:
lou33 · 17/06/2003 12:31

I'll give it a look Carrie, thanks.

eidsvold · 17/06/2003 13:37

will check it out too.... sounds interesting.

Enid · 17/06/2003 13:39

Don't have a child with special needs but looking forward to watching it too.

Marina · 17/06/2003 14:25

Ditto, Enid, thanks for the tip Carrie.

MABS · 17/06/2003 19:11

Many thanks Carrie - will be interested to watch it too, and no doubt debate later!!

fio2 · 17/06/2003 22:07

None of you watch it then? Just brought all those feelings back of first being told your child has special needs.

Also made me feel proud of myself that those feelings do pass and I love dd for who she is. That welcome to holland poem is true until the last bit I never greive the child I could of had she is gorgueous and she is who she is.

MABS · 17/06/2003 22:10

Yeah - i watched it too, agree with your comments fIO2. Also turned the video on, as some of it brought back a lot of memories that I just didn't want to deal with tonight. Will watch it again when I've got my positive head on

chatee · 17/06/2003 22:15

yeah I've just watched it and it brought back many memories and feelings-some too recent so still a bit sore.Everyone on there had positive experiences and support when being told the news but I really feel that this dosn't happen always in real life.
Will be interesting to watch the following programmes...
lots of love to everyone with a child with special needs..

fio2 · 17/06/2003 22:16

yes I was crying too, dh is working away and phoned me straight after, he had watched it and hes not usually that forthcoming but started telling me its how he felt and all that, dead proud of him too.

MABS · 17/06/2003 22:18

that's good on yr dh fio2, mine's away too - but he would never have watched and won't understand why I have. Denial eh? ...a wonderful thing.

fio2 · 17/06/2003 22:19

chatee think our posts crossed over, I never had anyone with me either and you just get- there's nothing wrong with them, when quite honestly your trying to be realistic and you are quite obviously devastated

fio2 · 17/06/2003 22:20

MABS I quite suprised mine has he is usually telling me to pull myself together

lou33 · 17/06/2003 22:22

I'm going to watch it in a minute, we had to tape it as 9pm is too hectic to pay proper attention here. Will post later what i think.

fio2 · 17/06/2003 22:24

ok lou dont know if I'll be up that late with your early hours postingsSmile Im usually up at six though

MABS · 17/06/2003 22:26

i'll be off to bed now too Lou - got to psyche myself up as brand new physiotherapist tomorrow and I did'nt like her on the 'phone!! Old one has just had twins - inconsiderate eh?

chatee · 17/06/2003 22:29

The only decent support we had and still do was from the Sister and the orthopedic team at the RJAH Hospital and that was to do with the dislocated hip-cerebral palsy wasn't even on the agenda then..

fio2 · 17/06/2003 22:34

the orthapeadic sister referred us to the consultant after dd broke her leg, after months of trying to get a referal-she kept saying has she had a bad birth? still no diagnosis though-sure its cp

lou33 · 17/06/2003 22:35

Totally off topic, but today ds was assessed at wheelchair services. He's getting a maclaren major with supportive insert to stop him flopping, which should last til he's 3ish hopefully. Also spent the afternoon at the orthoptist and motility clinic, where he was put down on the waiting list to have his squint operated on. Looks like November/December time for it at the moment. I will be back about the programme soon! Sweet dreams those who are off to bed. I don't usually get there til about 1, but am up about 7.45.

fio2 · 17/06/2003 22:37

good news about the buggy lou, hope their making you pay for it. Op wise Im sure it will be very straightforward and please remind me of this when dd's is due.

lou33 · 18/06/2003 00:44

I hope they don't make me pay for it , I should imagine it's very expensive!

I just watched the programme. I didn't get as emotional as I expected, but it did bring back all those old feelings you try and bury. Actually I watched with gast in my flabber as they said about the DS boy Nathan, who was getting special therapy at 11 months because he was behind in his crawling. Dh said to me that we should have lived there when ds was that age. We got absolutely nothing from the area we lived at the time he was the same age, even though ds couldn't even roll over! Not like the lovely place we are now though, hoorah.

I thought all the parents were amazing, but the single mum looked totally exhausted poor thing. She must be drained the whole time. Won't say what I think about her ex walking away like that.

Right off to bed now, night!

eidsvold · 18/06/2003 06:16

have taped it as I was not sure if I could watch it all the way through without losing it so will let you know later today after I have watched it.

sounds interesting though from what you have all said.

mieow · 18/06/2003 06:30

LOu33 are you sure about the buggy lasting till he is just 3, DS is 5 1/2 and still using his. They can carry a weight of 7st, and usually last till the child is about 7-8, though I have seen 10 year old in one, unless the wheelchair clinic are going to assess your DS for a wheelchair then??? Is that it?? They won't make you pay for it BTW. But the suncanpoy, raincover etc are expensive but you may be able to get funding if you write to your local CP supoort group, usually they are a charity and have a small amount of money that they use to help people with things like this.

fio2 · 18/06/2003 07:33

lou I dont know anyone who got physio that early either, my dd was 20 months. I think the support services were eager to help out as it was going to be televised.

Sorry to change the subject but is anyone else sick of hearing about the Beckhams this morning?

lou33 · 18/06/2003 09:05

Mieow, they will reassess him then that's all, he may well stay in it longer. We used to have one about 9 years ago for dd1 and remember having to pay for the raincover then. Wish I still had it, would save a bit!

Fio that's what I thought too!

Mieow can you remember how long it took to get the buggy through? Would quite like it by 3rd July, as we have the Colchester Zoo meet up on the 5th and it would be nice for ds to be comfortable being in the pushchair for so long?

mieow · 18/06/2003 09:48

We got ours on the day of assessment, though Bethan has recently needed a new one as the old one broke and that took about 3 weeks, but not sure if that was because they couldn't decide what to do with the old one, fix it or replace it. Sorry can't be of more help