Children with ASD

[Tinkerbelle]

If I may just bring to your attention a campaign, which is very close to my own heart, called Make School Make Sense. The object of the campaign is to raise the awareness of the Government and local authorities of the provisions needed, and the difficulties faced, by children suffering from ASD in mainstream school.

It’s probably a little known fact, that maybe, as many as 1 – 100 children in mainstream school are affected by ASD. For those unsure of what ASD actually is you may find this website interesting.

[flashy]

i did it hun

[g78]

I had a friend with ASD at school. It took till he was well into his teenage years until it was diagnosed, and his life was really tough as people didnt understand why he was the way he was.
So I think this campaign is a good idea and well worth it.

[Tinkerbelle]

Awww, that's so often the case g78. School can often quite literally be a living hell for these kids. Often they are just unfairly labelled the 'naughty kid' by teaching staff who aren't trained to deal with issues that a child suffering from an autistic spectrum disorder might have.

[mrskitty]

An ex of mine has ASD-i agree a worthwhile campaign.It makes life v difficult at times.

[accymel]

Aye unfortunately a lot of learning differencies are hard to get noticed -plus coupled with huge waiting lists taking so much time to get diagnosed that it could be too late in getting recognised enough when matters in school.

My youngest is on books for getting tested for a few things because some key particulars could cover the spectrum of other connected learning difficulties/behaviourism. We've been trying with the school since started but only now at right time for diagnosis but needs to be done before senior school or will be too late - so seems i've timed it right altho the long wait with the various specialist asessments, but meantime till the assessments come thro with diagnosis then the school can then claim for learning equipment & specialist support once they know what they are dealing with, so yeh effects their education.

[SPUGGIE J]

A worthwhile campaign in my view. There is little support and too many assumptions as to why un diagnosed people suffer because of it. To get the test can take so long that some will pay for the tests which is about £180 a time.

[grego]

A very worthwhile campaign, a subject I know nothing about, thanks for highlighting it.

[accymel]

Its not just the schools that need highlighting but also improvement in referrals for assessments with such a long waiting lists, as some schools do actually alert to such conditions but they need confirmation from consultants/practioners, so that they can get specialist support teachers/equipment etc, schools are not equipped with learning tools or specialists teachers to start with till they have children with actual problems & that comes down to diagnosis so working with schools & practioners need to be closer together, im fortunate to have a supportive on the ball school but awaiting the consultants diagnosis & assessments now.

[Tinkerbelle]

Originally Posted by accymel

im fortunate to have a supportive on the ball school

Maybe in your case but they weren't on the ball in my case. That school disappointed me to the very core of my being and I will never forgive them for the that! Infact even when they had it pointed out to them they were still ignorant of the facts!

[Doug]

Nice call sweetheart. My son has a couple of school mates who regrettable suffer from this difficult disorder, fortunately it is recognised and being catered for. Schools often fail individuals but they are much more progressive than in the past. I was picked up as having a problem at Green Haworth, tested over a two or three week period I was considered to be extremely intelligent but possibly lazy or easily distracted. Today they call it dyslexia.

[Tinkerbelle]

Cheers Doug

They call it autistic spectrum disorder because it is exactly what it says on the tin ... a spectrum of different difficulties and varied degrees of severity. I can only speak from an Aspergers point of view but if anyone recognises any of the symptoms I'll list below, coupled with your child being thought of as the 'different', 'nerdy' or 'geeky naughty kid' then to recognise what it could possibly be may help.

• Not pick up on social cues and lack inborn social skills, such as being able to read others' body language, start or maintain a conversation, and take turns talking.

• Dislike any changes in routines.

• Appear to lack empathy.

• Be unable to recognize subtle differences in speech tone, pitch, and accent that alter the meaning of others’ speech. Thus, your child may not understand a joke or may take a sarcastic comment literally. Likewise, his or her speech may be flat and difficult to understand because it lacks tone, pitch, and accent.

• Have a formal style of speaking that is advanced for his or her age. For example, the child may use the term “beckon” instead of “call,” or “return” instead of “come back.”

• Avoid eye contact.

• Have unusual facial expressions or postures.

• Be preoccupied with only one or few interests, which he or she may be very knowledgeable about. Many children with Asperger's syndrome are overly interested in parts of a whole or in unusual activities, such as doing intricate jigsaw puzzles, designing houses, drawing highly detailed scenes, or astronomy.

• Talk a lot, usually about a favorite subject. One-sided conversations are common. Internal thoughts are often verbalized.

• Have delayed motor development. Your child may be late in learning to use a fork or spoon, ride a bike, or catch a ball. He or she may have an awkward walk. Handwriting is often poor.

• Have heightened sensitivity and become overstimulated by loud noises, lights, or strong tastes or textures.

[garinda]

Very interesting.

Thanks for helping me to understand a little more about what it is.

[accymel]

Quite hard lol as that crosses onto another like my youngest mainly dispraxia as fine motor skills are poor & when we went for initial consultation apparently theres 5 that are closely linked called an umbrella & u have one could mean u have a mild version others

they are

Autism, Aspergers, dispraxic, dyslexia, & cant think of other to do with speech

Theres strong dyslexic in my family [it is inherited] altho that is the case for my youngest its become in dispraxic form on passing on. This is something with these syndromes is that u cannot self diagnose as they are related but not the same that symptoms can mask over to others but doesnt mean to be one or the other, until been assessed for all areas to narrow down & rule them out before actual diagnosis. Complicated but long rd we've got in next 36mnths years gee thats speech & launguage therapy assessment a way off!!

ps ooh cheers tinks...just looked at that list & we ticked a fair few off & now know why he's being referred to speech & language [strangely not a poor point on face of it lol] ah so they are looking at aspergers as well as dispraxia he could have both ah well full mot doing lol.

[Tinkerbelle]

Originally Posted by accymel

Quite hard lol as that crosses onto another like my youngest mainly dispraxia as fine motor skills are poor

Not really hard Mel, have you never wondered why those 2 get on so well. They are on each others wave length.