A thought

Full moon today :eek: I know one of two folk who are definitely affected
by it - lose their cool, have accidents, generally act out of normal on a
full moon time. Does anyone have a theory about this ? Or is it just

Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°6 +...

It's all psychological I reckon. Back in 1968 I was due to set off from
London to Sheffield for the weekend with my wife. We were due to leave
straight after w*rk - around 17-30. When I collected her from her place of
employment in Stanmore, she said "As it's Fridayu 13th, lets wait a
couple of hours to let the M1 clear of traffic" - (well it did in those days
didn't it?) So we went to a chinese restaurent and had a meal. We set off
just after 19-00 and within 20 minutes were sitting in a police car on the
hard shoulder - after being involved in a multiple pile up, fortunately at
only around 40 mph. The copper said it was the worst night they had had on
that stretch of road. Weather conditions were fine. All he could say was
"Must be the fact it's Friday 13th". Just sitting in his car looking at
the road there had been prangs on both carriageways in both directions. I
suppose all the drivers were also thinking it was Friday 13th before they
had got involved as well.

Aries...

I've noticed there are far more accidents on the road at full moon time
than at any other :(

Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°6 +...

Well perhaps *that* Friday 13th was a full moon as well. If so, I don't
suppose I stood a chance. :(

Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°6 +...

Somebody trod on your toe Wally? :)

bunkum?

=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A7ire=DFird?= & $ir Vivor...

It's certainly had a detrimental effect on my son. He's just been
kicked out of school :(( Goodness knows where he'll go now :((

MCC...

It saddened me to read this, Firebird.
Hope you get something sorted out, and soon.

BoyPete...

I'm really sorry to read that. I understand you might not want to share the
details here, but I'd appreciate it if you mailed me.
Is home education an option here?
Pete

Troy's Human...

I just hope that's not as serious as it sounds. Thinking of you and your
son §ireßird.

Aries...

Oh no! What happened ?

Jackie...

oh dear! FB, did he lose his temper? he probably gets frustrated!

Jeff Gaines...

The State is letting these children very badly I think.

BunnyHare...

More and more schools are being closed (and not just special needs
schools) schools amalgamated so that they become too large and any child
who needs a bit of extra help gets lost in the system or cannot cope
with the sheer numbers of children/people

=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A7ire=DFird?= & $ir Vivor...

It's pure short-sightedness. In a few years time, when the damage has
been done, someone, somewhere, will realise and all the schools that
were closed and homes (= families = children = education needs) built
on the sites, will have to be rebuilt at great expense to lighten the
load.

Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°6 +...

Yep many things go like that don't they? I hear they are wanting to open

=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A7ire=DFird?= & $ir Vivor...

Definitely

some of the old routes that Beeching axed way back, and even many derelict
canals have now been re-cut and reopened and becoming quite lucrative again.

=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A7ire=DFird?= & $ir Vivor...

Where I live there's both an old canal, parts of which are still
visible, and an old railway which was axed by Beeching. The old
passenger line and station can't be reopened because there's housing
now built where the line ran (we're about 100yds from where the line
ran). However, there are negotiations going on to reopen the old
goods line and station as a passenger line. It did stall at one point
but it's looking hopeful. It'd make a huge difference to us because
we wouldn't need to go into the next county for the nearest station!!

I'm just thankful that the school my dau will be going to is small by
comparison to most. There are just over 500 pupils but it is destined
to rise because a new housing estate is being built in the town. The
school that should cater for the new arrivals is already full so my
dau's new school will take them and numbers will rise to around the
thousand mark. Mercifully this isn't going to happen overnight and it
will be about 5 years before it does, by which time my dau will be
leaving. There'll also have to be a change in acceptance criteria.
It's a church school. Parents have to be church goers to get their
children in.

=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A7ire=DFird?= & $ir Vivor...

I couldn't agree more. The head mistress at my son's school rigidly
applies the National Curriculum and that can't be done in with
children who aren't that able. If they were they wouldn't be in the
school in the first place!

They are entitled to be given the best start in life possible. To me that
means some sort of 'special' school (somehow without any stigma attached)
where they can have individual and specialised teaching so they have the
opportunity to lead the most fulfilling life they potentially can.

=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A7ire=DFird?= & $ir Vivor...

I think that's why "special" isn't in the school names any more. To
someone who wasn't aware, there's no way of telling. I think it's
come about because of the stigma attached to a child going to a
special school.

If I didn't say anything, how many would know that Lufton College is
run by Mencap and is for special needs young adults?

As it is it is hard not to think they are just being ignored, and it is
only those whose parents are willing to put some real effort in that have

BunnyHare...

That is true and what happens to the child whose parents don't have the
know how or the strength to fight for him/her

=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A7ire=DFird?= & $ir Vivor...

The child gets lost in the system, ultimately less likely to get a job
and end up on state benefits :(( All because of a lack of foresight.

any chance.

=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A7ire=DFird?= & $ir Vivor...

No parent should have to fight to get the best for their child.

I hope you can get him into another school soon.

=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A7ire=DFird?= & $ir Vivor...

Thanks for your thoughts all :))

I think the problem has multiple causes so there's not going to be any
quick or easy solution.

My son's fit patterns have changed. He's getting no warning of an
impending fit now. Three weeks ago he went backwards off a bench at
school, banged the back of his head and ended up being admitted to
hosp for the day. We didn't get back home until 10pm, having been
called by the school at 9.10am. It was the second time that week,
first time he'd had his fall broken by another boy so no damage done.

Half term he was fine but then last week he hit 6 members of staff,
refused to do anything he was told, lay down in a corridor and
wouldn't get up. After 3 phone calls to us, he finally co-operated.
Next two days he was OK-ish, then Thursday he'd gone into the disabled
toilet, the member of staff outside went in when he didn't answer her
and saw him fall off the toilet and hit his head. Another unannounced
fit. This time they called an ambulance and we went straight to the
hosp. They didn't keep him in this time because his paediatrician has
arranged a 24 hour ECG (scheduled for next Wednesday) and an EEG (no
date for that yet). Went in on Friday, was totally unco-operative, so
we got a call and had to go up the school; the intention being that we
bring him home. I read him the riot act and he stayed at school.

Monday he went totally loopy. Wanted to eat his dinner in the
corridor when he was told no, he threw his meal and it hurt another
child, allegedly causing a burn. When he was remonstrated with, he
hit the teacher. He was kept at school for the rest of the day but
that was it - out.

I had a long chat with the LEA SENCO yesterday afternoon as a result
of my call to them on Friday because it's obvious the school can't,
won't or doesn't want to deal with my son. The SENCO hadn't been told
that my son wasn't at school now. The upshot is that she is going to
attend the annual review meeting tomorrow and will take it from there.
She's already made one suggestion that is new (a special communication
and language teacher specifically for autistic children) and expressed
surprised that my son hasn't seen an ed psyc for 4, maybe 5, years.
The review meeting is a legal requirement because my son is
statemented.

The options are:

(1) The school has him back and puts new strategies in place to deal
with my son but the head doesn't like having to deal with anything out
of the norm. (Another boy who's caused similar problems has also been
kicked out - he leaves at the end of this month anyway.)

(2) My son goes to the other special needs school in the town but the
LEA SENCO says she thinks he's too academically advanced for there.

(3) He goes to the NAS school in Christchurch which is semi
residential which I don't think my son will get on with very well. If
he goes there, then he'd be better off as a day pupil which would mean
us moving over there and that isn't possible.

(4) He gets home tutored.