Phew! I have just clicked and submitted both the form and the four (yes, four) attachments (medical history parts one and two, council tax form and Master Logic's birth certificate). Believe me, it's a right palaver, but fingers crossed, he'll be granted his first choice of non-selective secondary school come next March. Myself and my husband have been rather stressed about the whole thing (plus other, unrelated occurrences*, hence my shoulder is playing up with stress once again ...)
For those planning this for the future, please note that you'll require a document from your GP explaining all of your child's medical history. We were rather late in applying for this and for the princely sum of £25, we received a print out of Ted's medical record from 2010. Hmm - if any SENCo has the time to plough through all of that, I wish them luck; personally, I would have liked to see a comprehensive document explaining the background to each medical condition, when he was first diagnosed, how it affects his day to day life and any medication he takes to relieve/reduce the symptoms.
*Issues with volunteering; next door being burgled; not being awarded my PIP etc
Monday 30 October 2017
Saturday 28 October 2017
Post #123 - I've Looked At Your Claim And Decided I Can't Award You Personal Independence Payment
I received a letter from DWP in this morning's post stating that I have been declined any form of support in regard to Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which is bloody galling. I am now online to draft my 'Mandatory Reconsideration Notice'. If nothing else, I really want to highlight the issue that Atos assessors have very little knowledge of autism and the associated mental health issues.
Sunday 22 October 2017
Post #122 - Atypical [The Netflix Series]
Whilst searching for Candyman: Farewell To The Flesh* http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112625/?ref_=nv_sr_2 on Netflix I stumbled across this US series. I have watched S1 Eps 1 and 2 and Ep2 and really enjoyed it. It is much more preferable to other 'Aspie' series such as The Big Bang Theory, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0898266/?ref_=nv_sr_1which I believe perpetuates the myth that all Aspies posess genius level intelligence. Ha. Also, on Netflix there's a film called Jane Wants A Boyfriend: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3302654/ which I rather enjoyed too as the titular character is a female Aspie, but the actress who portrays her isn't on the spectrum.
*I later watched forty-six minutes of it and gave up. It wasn't a patch on the original.
*I later watched forty-six minutes of it and gave up. It wasn't a patch on the original.
Tuesday 17 October 2017
Post #121 - Asperger's And Me - Chris Packham's Documentary
I have just finished watching the documentary, which I enjoyed very much. Prior to me finding out that we share an Asperger's diagnosis, I had seen Chris Packham appear on various shows and particularly recall him saying on Room 101 that he threw away a series of children's drawings that he removed from a friend's kitchen. Bizarre.
Anyway, so many of Chris's oddities chimed with my own, although I have never eaten a tadpole, licked a beetle or practised kestrel husbandry. Male Asperger's does project differently though.
As for the autism 'cures' over in the US, I don't really agree. There's also an interesting Louis Theroux documentary about the same subject area. It was sad, as a parent of an autistic son myself, to see a mother in pain.
My thoughts are that it's all very well to concentrate on an Aspergian's special qualities, but let's be frank, nobody really wants to employ you, do they? Most of us are devoid of work. A greater understanding of Autism/Asperger's is definitely required, but from previous experience I know that this can be difficult. I will try to make it my life's work(!) to educate and inform people as much as I can, this is the main reason why I write this blog.
Anyway, so many of Chris's oddities chimed with my own, although I have never eaten a tadpole, licked a beetle or practised kestrel husbandry. Male Asperger's does project differently though.
As for the autism 'cures' over in the US, I don't really agree. There's also an interesting Louis Theroux documentary about the same subject area. It was sad, as a parent of an autistic son myself, to see a mother in pain.
My thoughts are that it's all very well to concentrate on an Aspergian's special qualities, but let's be frank, nobody really wants to employ you, do they? Most of us are devoid of work. A greater understanding of Autism/Asperger's is definitely required, but from previous experience I know that this can be difficult. I will try to make it my life's work(!) to educate and inform people as much as I can, this is the main reason why I write this blog.
Monday 16 October 2017
Post #120 - Error 404 - Page Not Found
To bring you, the reader, up-to-date I have decided to cease my volunteer work for a wee while. I wish that I could take criticism on the chin, I really do, but I cannot. Therefore I made the decision to take the website offline.
Ya boo sucks to nobody. I wish that I were different. I don't think that I'm a people person - actually, I'll come out and admit it - I'm really not.
Ya boo sucks to nobody. I wish that I were different. I don't think that I'm a people person - actually, I'll come out and admit it - I'm really not.
Sunday 8 October 2017
Post #119 - Socialising [Insert Excuse Here ...]
Back in May, when my husband and me joined the committee of our local autism charity I wrote a blog post questioning how long I would last. Well ... it's now October and I'm struggling. Without going into too much detail and outing anyone, the committee is not really prepared to understand that autism exists in a) females, and b) into adulthood. This is a bit of a missed opportunity in my opinion.
I experience such profound issues with socialising that I actively avoid it. Yesterday, I was supposed to attend a meet up with a few former colleagues I worked with back in 1998-2000, but I just couldn't cope with entering a busy public house at 7:30pm on a Saturday night. Therefore I made an excuse. As for pootling along to a committee Christmas do at a vintage tea room, that's a bit beyond me too - also, my dispraxia would mean that I'd probably break the chichi bone china crockery.
Edit: after sharing this post online via Facebook and Twitter, I received some feedback and I have just emailed the Branch Officer to seek her advice regarding the charity conundrum.
I experience such profound issues with socialising that I actively avoid it. Yesterday, I was supposed to attend a meet up with a few former colleagues I worked with back in 1998-2000, but I just couldn't cope with entering a busy public house at 7:30pm on a Saturday night. Therefore I made an excuse. As for pootling along to a committee Christmas do at a vintage tea room, that's a bit beyond me too - also, my dispraxia would mean that I'd probably break the chichi bone china crockery.
Edit: after sharing this post online via Facebook and Twitter, I received some feedback and I have just emailed the Branch Officer to seek her advice regarding the charity conundrum.
Thursday 5 October 2017
Post #118 - Secondary Transfer
Master Logic is now in Year 6 and as such, will transfer to secondary school next year. Today was the day that the results of the borough's selection tests (the 11+ in old money ...) were announced and as you can imagine - the playground was buzzing with parents discussing their offspring's future?
Pah - we didn't even put Master Logic forward for the tests; we sought the advice of a wide range of professionals and the fact that he has the wonderful triad of ASD/ADHD and GAD (General Anxiety Disorder) there was little or no point believing that, even if he'd even been deemed 'selective' that he'd be able to cope with the academic rigours of attending one of the borough's four grammar schools? I sat the very same test back in the mid 1980s and failed it as did both of my brothers. It's not a nice thought really - being deemed a 'failure' at the tender age of ten or eleven.
Pah - we didn't even put Master Logic forward for the tests; we sought the advice of a wide range of professionals and the fact that he has the wonderful triad of ASD/ADHD and GAD (General Anxiety Disorder) there was little or no point believing that, even if he'd even been deemed 'selective' that he'd be able to cope with the academic rigours of attending one of the borough's four grammar schools? I sat the very same test back in the mid 1980s and failed it as did both of my brothers. It's not a nice thought really - being deemed a 'failure' at the tender age of ten or eleven.
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