DAY TO DAY AUTISM DIARY

something to share

by runninggoose ^Pro @ 17.06.2008 – 10:06:41

I received this comment so thought i would pass it on .

Hello

I have written my first book Not Stupid published by John Blake publishing.

My book gives a vivid account of parenting 2 boys with autism and married life with my husband who was diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome 5 years ago.

After both my sons were turned away by 26 schools within an hours drive where I live we decided to remortgage our home and set up our own school.
9 years on we have 90 pupils and the school has become a Centre of Excellence. We have also set up a small College for adults and Residential home.

Both my husband and eldest son talk about their experiences at school and my husband in employment he has just qualifed as a Barrister and is advocated for adults in employment

My book has beenranked No1 for autism on Amazon.

Please share with anone you feel maybe interested.

Thank you,

Anna Kennedy

Happy Birthday To Make School Make Sense Campaign

by runninggoose ^Pro @ 29.05.2007 – 10:01:19

The make school make sense education campaign in England turns one year old this week. On 23 May 2006 the campaign launched with awareness-raising events taking place across London at tube stations and Victoria train station. A parliamentary reception at The House of Commons followed the next day.

make school make sense campaigns have since launched in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Many thanks to everyone who has supported make school make sense over the last twelve months and has contributed to the successes of the campaign so far. With your help, make school make sense has already started to make a difference to educational provision for children with autism across the UK.

Happy birthday, make school make sense!

The National Autistic Society's make school make sense education campaign aims to improve educational provision for children with autism, so that every child can get the education they deserve.

Local provision for children with autism is often limited, teachers' training in autism is inadequate and children and their families struggle to access the entitlements that are their right.

It is vital that the good practice that exists in some areas is extended to all schools in all areas so that every child with autism gets the education they deserve.

Until then, they need your help to campaign for change.

Autism is complex. Our demands are simple.

make school make sense

Help make school make sense by clicking HERE NOW

There are links for Wales , Scotland and Northern Ireland by clicking here NOW

Autism news that you never knew

by runninggoose ^Pro @ 26.05.2007 – 16:16:11

this is news that never really made big headlines but as gordon brown is our next prime minister thought i would share it.
Back in october 2006 this Autism comment sparked a backlash

George Osborne landed in hot water with the National Autistic Society yesterday after he was accused of suggesting that Gordon Brown was faintly autistic.
Mr Osborne denied making the claim at the conference, but the society said any perceived use of autism as a term to mock someone could cause deep distress. He made the faux pas at a conference fringe meeting. When asked if he might have been faintly autistic, he quipped: "We're not getting on to Gordon Brown yet."
A spokesman for the National Autistic Society said: "It is a complex disability that can be challenging and distressing for the people who live with it. To use the term autism in a pejorative way can cause offence and can increase the misunderstanding and confusion that already exists." Mr Osborne's comments followed David Cameron's personal attack on the Chancellor at the weekend when he described Mr Brown as tragic and weak.

From the herald.co.uk

Autism In the news and some sad news

by runninggoose ^Pro @ 13.12.2006 – 17:33:01

Autistic boy's pain after laptop theft

AN AUTISTIC teenager has been left "absolutely devastated" by the theft of his laptop containing crucial GCSE coursework.

Kalle Homewood, 14, lost hundreds of hours of school work and personal projects from his home.

Kalle, of Nargate Street, Littlebourne, near Canterbury, said: "It makes me feel like I want to punch whoever did this on the nose."

His condition means he does not understand the concept of having to re-do the stolen English and Maths work.

Mum Rhya said her son has lost a lifeline. She said: "This laptop was his life. He cannot understand why and how this has happened."..

I would love to find the person who stole this lads laptop and punch em on the nose too.

Not related to autism is the sad news of baby hardie who today lost her fight.

A 10-month-old baby who suffered 95% burns after she was accidentally showered with boiling water has died, police said today.
Rhianna Hardie was pronounced dead at Bristol Children's Hospital late last night, a day after her parents said she had "stunned doctors with her fighting spirit".

The horrific accident happened last month when water from a burst tank poured through the ceiling of the child's bedroom and into her cot.

Her devastated parents, 21-year-old Charlie Haworth and Matthew Hardie, also 21, of Taunton, Somerset, were understood to have been at her hospital bedside when she died.

Mr Hardie suffered burns to his hands and arms as he pulled his daughter from her cot.
"As you got into the room, you couldn't see for steam," he told the Western Daily Press. "I thought at first it was smoke, but then I realised it was boiling water."

Rhianna was rushed to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton before being moved to a specialist ward at the Frenchay Hospital in Bristol. Her injuries were so severe that she was later transferred to the city's children's hospital.

Her two-year-old sister, Emily, who was also in the room at the time, was uninjured in the accident.

Both the Health and Safety Executive and Taunton Deane borough council have launched an investigation into the tragedy.

Avon and Somerset police said there were no suspicious surrounding the baby's injuries. "The force is continuing to investigate Rhianna's death, along with the Health and Safety Executive," a police spokesman said.

A post-mortem examination will be held in the next few days.

The council, which rented the home to the family, faces a corporate manslaughter charge if it is found to be to blame for the tragedy. However, a source close to the investigation said this was "highly unlikely".

A council spokesman said investigations into what happened were ongoing, and that its "thoughts and best wishes are with Rhianna's family at this time".

God bless baby hardie

24 TH OCT AM i BEIng Mean

by runninggoose ^Pro @ 24.10.2006 – 12:48:33

You know i did not really want to write this but i feel i have to have to get rid of the feeling that i want to tell the people involved
just what i really think about them. I cant mention names as it just would not be fair on the child involved and in fact i cant help feeling a little
bit sorry for the mother. I would be in a class of ingorance if i did not try to understand their issues and struggles in life and every day going's on.
But sometimes when somebody goes out their way to annoy you and do things thats are un-acceptable its time to say something or just to get it off my chest.
When you have a child with Autism it only takes one thing to change everything. One thing different and its like the world has suddenly changed and there is no way back.
A few months ago a new lady and her daughter arrived in the area i do not and still do not really know them. But one saturday my front door was open as a phone engineer was
in and out when the said two people walked in our flat and starting looking around.Daniel knows the daughter from school . She does not has Autism but does has moderate learning disabilty
to which i was told was because of the way things had gone in her life. The mother seemed to be in need of a wash as all i can say is that they really did smell. They sat down after walking round
the flat and asked for a coffee. As it was dinner time and we cant change Daniels routine we offered them some dinner too. The mother refused but her daughter enjoyed it and said thanks.
After about one hour i said we had to go out. but it fell on deaf ears as they stayed for about 8 hours.
i not really sure why. Then the killer question. could i give her daughter a lift to school as it takes her 30 mins every morning to walk the journey with her daughter. i of course without thinking said yes
. but i did not stop to think. Daniel when he found out was in tears he was beside himself. I failed to think about the routine change on Daniel. The school is only round the corner anyway and does not take
30 minutes to walk too. Anyway i had no choice but to tell them due to Daniels Autism (of which they dont know what it is or how it effects him at this time )i Could not take them to school.
I took it up on my self to go round and tell them the next day. That night the door knocked at about 11 pm and it was the daughter apparently she had asked Daniel for our phone number and he had not wanted to give it so gave
them a wrong number. THe daughter stood on our door step shouting Daniel had given her a fake number and made such a fuss my wife gave her the right number and she went.
Wrong move . they rang and rang asking silly things and on the sunday my wife used 1471 and rang them to tell them that i could not take them to school.
I did see them later outside where i explained as best as i could in a nice way why i could not do it.
They seemed to listen. But the next day some trouble happened and the daughter rang us up trying to tell us that Daniel had told something to someone he should not have.
Even if it was true my Son was not told by me or any one else he couldnt tell friends where he lived in case they found out where this mother and daughter lived, but what angered me was that the mother told me she was annoyed with her daughter
because she had told school friends where she lived. Daniel did not know she lived close until after the day i was told she was annoyed with her daughter for telling friends.
of course we told them Daniel never told anyone and if he did he would not have been at fault. Plus although i did not say it although i wanted too .they are the ones who walked in un invited and stayed 8 hours and told us all there history.
Daniel does not like being touched yet the daughter keeps touching him at school and quite frankly its as effected Daniel.(daniel has told her(several times) he does not like being touched)
Plus since that day where they were told i could not give them a lift things have happened.
I know it sounds petty but hairbands the same as she wears are tied round car wiper blades. the front door keeps knockings and making Daniel jump(the letter box is now bolted shut) broken keys in gate lock .Chewing gum stuck on car door handles etc etc ..
The mother making sure she knows we know she is around by standing in front of school doors and even shouting things at me.
Daniel has a dog phobia he really is scared of barking dogs.
Now they have a dog which is outside with no cover from the weather from early morning to about 12 at night. they never pick up its dog mess and other neighbours to begin with thought the dog was mine. and complained to me about its barking.
it never stops barking. I have had to spend money blocking off the fence so Daniel was not to scared to use our door.
It also smells really bad of the dog mess and to be quite honest makes you feel sick.
its not fair on the dog or us.
She has already had a go at people who she has heard shouting shut up to her dog.
I dont know whats going to happen next but the way she stares at us is not very nice.
I just hope that the move of address were waiting for happens soon.
Its proves one thing. the mother did not want to be friends she JUST wanted a lift to save her a five minute walk.
I sorry if it sounds means but Daniel has a routine and cant share his car space with anyone or it will effect his whole day.
NOw if anyone reads this who thinks i am being mean as i was told something the other day by someone else who told me that they been telling people i live right by and im too mean to give them a lift.
well this is my chance to say i did offer but my son comes first.
Do You think i am being Mean.
Would you even consider stopping if it was raining after what they have done.
I do feel mean but they sort of imtimadating us now.
And i cant tell the mother what i really think as the daughter is 2 years older than Daniel and quite a lot taller and I dont want Daniel being bullied by her.
I know everyone has there own troubles but i have enough of my own without taking on anymore.
let me know what you think.
I just fed up of the stares and silly little things that keep happening. I am used to stares about my sons behaviour but this is different.
Do i deserve this. Am i mEan.

Catch Up Time

by runninggoose ^Pro @ 10.09.2006 – 21:19:53

As i stated in my other blog Daniel has started his new school for children with special needs and all is well.
back to the beginning of the summer which was a scorcher life got a bit difficult but school summer holidays came and went and were all still in one piece.
Daniel had good days and bad days. i think the worst days were when the weather was at its hottest.
Daniel dont like windows being open or doors open. At home this is fine but in the car stuck in traffic its hell. my old banger dont have air con just the heater blower which is not a lot of use when the air temp is up near 100f .Never left home without at least 10 bottles of water in the car to stave off die-ing from dhydration. Daniel did visit quite a few places with us over the summer and most of these went well. We got the strange looks from some people. Like i say thre is always going to be someone who looks or stares and makes comments about the way Daniel is conducting himself. Any one would think its catching.
had some moments in asda where Daniel decided it was time to clear the shelves of all the bread as he found a loaf of bread out of date. he decided that to save evry one from eating bread effected by the loaf that was out of date he would have to remove all the bread. Needless to say he started chucking it away off the shelf on to the floor. why i was being moaned at by the bread stacker Daniel got a foot hold on the bun rack and soon there was buns every where. it took me about 15 minutes to stop him. You see i cant just drag him away i needed to make him know that the bread was ok. because if i didnt then he would be worried for aday or may be a week about the bread being out of date. and then he might Not eat bread for weeks or months so it was a case of sod the bread being thrown and think of Daniel ,. Which i did and got him to listen instead of dragging him out the shop screaming and worrying about bread for the next year.
We walk off to the veg isle like nothing had happened being watched by about fifty people. yes its a shame about the bread but then in defense the loaf that was out of date should not have been there . Something i told the bread stacker so who knows next time your breads in date it could be because Daniel made them do their jobs right. ok so everyone is not perfect and my son is not perfect either but at least we trying. now its asda's turn.
at the till the normal carrier bag fiasco broke out. I have noticed that the trust worthy can scan their own food and get thru the tills quicker.
can i suggest they have a till for people with autism . im not asking to scan my own food just someone on the till who understands.
i have said it before about asda and i really do think its autism unfriendly .
Now recently i was in chelmsley wood parking in disabled parking bay. (not forgeting my wife is disabled too.) now a car pulled up right by my car and the people inside were straining their necks to see in the car. i wondered what they were after then it dawned on me. they were checking out the blue bag. because my son was at school but i have a big sticker on my car saying proud parent of a child with autism ,to help raise awareness. now they were wondering where the child was as i was parking in a disabled bay. now i have not got a disable badge for my son but i do have one for my wife. anyway i got out the car and so did my wife and i went to the back of the car and they drove off. so with that me and wife went into the shopping center. now i carried the few bags back to the boot while my wife went into boots. then i spotted the people in the car again who were looking for our blue disable badge. they were nearly side by side so i pretended i was talking to my son in the boot. i said really loud so they heard. you stay in the boot to save me time while shopping i wont be long. i closed the boot and walked off, when i got back to car their was a policeman and the shopping center security guard banging my boot .i asked them what the matter was when the people from the other car walked up saying that i had my child locked in the boot.
i opened the boot and to show them it was empty and told the policeman my son was in school. i left them explaining them selves to the policeman.
after having what has mostly been OLDER people straining and peering in my car for the last 12 years im fed up of it.
YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE DISABILITIES TOO.. AND ALTHOUGH SOME WONT LIKE THIS > NOT JUST THROUGH OLD AGE> THERE LIVING ALL THEIR LIFE WITH IT NOT JUST THE LAST FEW> Now if your a blue badge spotter find something else to do. Right thats off my chest.
well its nearly time for mid somer murders so i will leave it there for today.
i hope this finds everyone well and Remember.
You CANT always tell by looking

please click here for the blue badge network ..

THIS AND THAT

by runninggoose ^Pro @ 15.07.2006 – 19:11:15

Its been a bit hectic of late and not really had time to post but Daniel has got his place in a SEN school.
I dont know how many people have heard about a new test which could mean hundreds or thousands of un-born babies being terminated because the test could show if the un-born baby has autism. please read my other blog to see my veiws on this stupid idea.

On a better note Daniel is really looking forward to his new school in september .
He seems a lot happier of late and Daniel would like to say something to his old teachers for the way they treated him and the way they failed to listen to him and adapt to him and the thing he wants to say is.
Goodbye..

Now with that over he can move on to better things and a better school life.
please dont forget to support the NAS Make school make sense campaign

just click the banner.

thanks hope this finds you all well

15th june BAD +GOOD

by runninggoose ^Pro @ 15.06.2006 – 12:50:28

MRS H told Daniel to get out the class again -Because she was shouting at everyone .Daniel said take it easy please to himself but the teacher heard and asked Daniel what he had said, so Daniel being literal told her. He said take it easy please so she told Daniel to go on get out.
Daniel went to MRS M'S class . Daniel said he was surprised today as she told him it was ok and gave him some work and Daniel told her he didn't understand it so she told told Daniel "thats ok i will get someone to help you" And another class member helped Daniel.
So Daniel told me that MRS M was nice to him but MRS H was horrible. I explained To Daniel that the teacher sent you out because of what you said.Daniel told me she asked him to repeat what he had said. I said yes but she would have heard some part of what you said before and making comment about the teacher was wrong. Daniel said it worried him the way MRS H was shouting so he thought he would ask her to take it easy.
I ask Daniel to try to be a bit more subtle.explaining what subtle means to Daniel took a good 15 minutes although i have reasoned he still does not know. One thing to add, IT states on Daniel's Autism report that that shouting is to be avoided around Daniel. What more can i say than Please Mrs H DONT SHOUT !!!!! if you do- dont blame Daniel for his reaction.

14th june 2006

by runninggoose ^Pro @ 14.06.2006 – 13:01:11

Picked Daniel up for his Dinner he gave me some A4 size posters he had made on the school pc. He told me on the way home that he had wrote me a letter on how he feels as today Mrs M had be horrible to him. I asked him what had happened .
Daniel was talking about the work to a class member while in maths.
Mrs M told Daniel off saying she had already warned him once.
Daniel replied saying he had got no warning.
She told Daniel to go to the head or Mr K or MRS H.
Daniel said ok.

He walked to the door but Daniel told me Mrs M said faster i want you out of here now.

Daniel told me she pushed him along hard with his jumper scrunged up in her hand.
Daniel told her to get off and she would be paying for his jumper.
Daniel went to the head MRS O and Daniel told MRS O who said to Daniel cause she didn't she was more like just walking with you.
Mrs O told Daniel to go back to MRS M and get her to write what had happened and bring it back.
Daniel did this and MRS O said wow this is a lot of things. Daniel told her half of it was not true.
MRS O TOLD DANIEL TEACHERS DONT TELL LIES.
Mrs R was sent to fetch Daniel work from MRS M .
Daniel was told to do the work and he would be fine.
Daniel was told earlier on at school by MRS M that everything he does is done on purpose and that everytime he does anything she will send him out the class.

What can i say but what a bunch of bastards .
I get this vision of my autistic son roaming the corridors all day.
"As for Teachers dont lie" i beg to differ but i have been lied to by several teachers . OK some were at a different school.
TODAY MY SON TOLD ME HE WANTED TO DIE BECAUSE OF SCHOOL AND SOME OF THE TEACHERS.
and now i have to take him back for after noon lessons.

mental mother

by runninggoose ^Pro @ 12.06.2006 – 10:36:50

On the 8th june we had to visit the shopping centre and we ended up being seen by the mother of the child who had caused us to move Daniel to a different school last year. his mother in the past had called Daniel mental because of his autism infact when i complained about her son calling my son names and kicking my son last year at his old school after being called in to see the head she tried to run me over in her car.Well in fact there was 4 other mothers with her who all got involved. this was in the school car park. the same women had attacked another parent a few months before because they had complained about her son hitting their daughter. Their daughter had tried to commit suicide by taking pills because of this lad. And to think she calls my son mental. In the end because her son made our sons life a misery with his hitting and kicking and verbal abuse we removed Daniel to another school. Well at about 4.15 pm on thursday we walked past this horrible nasty excuse for a person while shopping. She started on my wife who never got involved with her before and shouted look its the mother of the mental retard. well my wife ingored her but this woman followed us up into the main shopping centre. She was shouting and swearing and then she had the cheek to accuse us of looking at her. I told her what made her feel she was so special that she thought we had been staring at her. She went off her head and called me all sorts .my son who was with us had to witness this . The security guards came and she got louder telling everyone at the top of her voice our son was mental . If i was not a male and i was female im sorry but i would have smacked her one straight in the gob . i felt like ramming my size 9 down her throat and stomping on her head. but i did not . and you know why. because silly idiots who think there better and raise there kids to be animals are not going to drag me down to their level. The security guards made her go then i shouted in a calm voice, My son has autism he is not mental and with that carried on shopping any way my son was very upset so i never sent him to school on friday so he could deal with what had happened. Anyway i will be posting this from a mobile device so i hope it posts ok. No wonder her child picks on other children if thats how she chooses to behave . The worse thing about it she has three children and they were all involved in picking on my son when he went to the same school last year. Because of them my child had to move. its a f-ing disgrace that they are still getting away with bullying other kids at their school. I think 5 children moved schools altogether because of them. I know one parent who was afraid to take her two little girls incase she met their mother . And i will say it one more time. Who's the mental one...........