Anyone have an asd child in mainstream who is doing well?

[Jbmummy1620]

My 4 year old son has asd and is due to start school in August.
We tried to get him into school which has a special needs unit but he didn't get in as there were only 10 places.

He has been placed at a mainstream school which has a special needs base so he will get support in the base classroom but will still spend quite a bit of time in the mainstream.

He is a very clever little boy,has a really good understanding of language,uses pecs but he is still non verbal and in nappies.

The last two things are what worries me the most about him being in mainstream,I'm just worried how we will get on if he can't talk

Thanks for reading

[Dulida]

My DS is 4yo with ASD. He started school in September and, although we were advised to look at schools with ASD units or special schools, we chose to send him to a mainstream school.

I'm so glad we made that decision. DS is doing better than anybody ever thought he would. Two months ago he couldn't hold a pen, now he can write his name (kind of!) He has far exceeded any professional's expectations, all thanks to his school.

DS also has delayed speech and is still in nappies. We discussed this with his teacher and the senco before he started there and they put plans in place early on to deal with it.

I suppose my only advice is to talk to the school honestly about your DS's problems as early as possible. If you know which school he will be going to, contact them now for a meeting. I know from this board that it doesn't always run smoothly, but just wanted you to know that mainstream school can sometimes work well for children with ASD.

[FancyPuffin]

Just a quick post as on my way out...

Mine

She started in September with a statement and is doing brilliantly. She's had some settling problems but staff are very supportive.

[bigbluebus]

Mine. Although he is very high functioning and does not have significant sensory issues and could communicate clearly (if not always appropriately). Was also toilet trained at 3. He is now in Yr 11 and doing GCSEs but has had 1:1 support since he was statemented in Yr2.
It hasn't all been plain sailing but I think he has benefitted from being in mainstream - and there is no state provision in this area for HF ASD.

[sc13]

Mine too (touching wood, I don't want to jinx it by boasting about it). He's in year 2, has a dx of ASD and a statement. He seems to be doing well, but tbh so much depends on the individual child, the school, the other kids and the TA. We were lucky.
The benefits of mainstream as far as DS is concerned are that he is actually learning a lot from his peers in terms of language, social skills and generally kids' stuff, and also that it is the right sort of challenge for him academically. The one school with special unit I visited in my area was horrible. The headteacher kept saying "We treat them just the same as normal children", and looked blank when I asked about the curriculum for the special unit.

[Catsdontcare]

So far ds2 seems to be thriving (reception). He's making good progress and is surprising everyone with how well he is coping.

(Jinx's it all and awaits phone from school to say all hell has broken loose!)

[ouryve]

DS2 is. He has a fab 1:1 who totally gets him and picks up his current motivators and has helped him to learn to trust other adults. He doesn't spend a lot of time with age peers, but has lots of lovely friends amongst the older children who play with him and look after him on the yard. In special school, he would have had more direct input in terms of language, but he wouldn't have had the same social opportunities.

DS1 is very bright, but floundering and stressed. We're planning on moving him out of mainstream ASAP. He'll not cope with mainstream secondary, at any rate, so it'll have to be sooner or later.

[WilsonFrickett]

We actually considered moving LA to get into an MS school with an SN base. I think they can work brilliantly. In terms of getting it right for him, call them up and request a meeting - start talking to them now about the support he'll need.

[Jbmummy1620]

Thanks for all your replies,makes me feel a bit better.

We visited the school for the first time at the beginning of January and told them all about Jayden's needs and it sounded like they would support him quite well,they said will assign a pupil support assistant to him who will be with him a lot of the time for support.

His current special needs nursery will also liaise with staff at his new school between now and him starting so will be well aware of his needs.

He is my oldest child(also have a 1 year old) so it's the first time I have had a child start school and I still see him as my baby and I just can't help worrying about him starting school which seems like such a huge step for him.
I know maybe all parents feel like this when their children start school!?

Xxxx

[signandsmile]

I can understand how you feel, (ds now 6, ASD and LD) he started in recpetion with about 7 spoken words, (but lots of signs) he has a 27hrs 1 -1 TA, and has blossomed, his MS school have been utterly fab, and he is happy as larry there. (It was a lot of hard work to find the right school, and some were appalling, but it has been the right decision for him, althou some of his friends from the SN group have gone into SS and it has been fab for them)

[WarmAndFuzzy]

Yes, I have two, although we didn't know they were ASD before they started.

The school identified them as possible ASD, put them down (with our consent) for diagnosis, and they were both diagnosed one after the other about a year later (DS2s case was fast tracked when DS1 was diagnosed). School was then instrumental in pushing for a Statement for DS2, and they are both thriving.

They both have friends, go to parties and after school clubs (with some help via extra funding by the school), and although they do still have problems with the normal flow of conversation, they don't generally do too badly and are, above all, happy. They're also both well above average academically, although at primary school I'm not sure how much that matters.

Now I'm worried because my eldest has to start looking at secondary schools next year - another huge leap into the unknown!

[Ineedmorepatience]

I do too, my Dd3 is in a lovely totally inclusive school. She is at school action plus so gets some support. We had to move her in yr 3 because her old school werent meeting her needs and she was very unhappy.

Just be on the ball and act quickly if things dont seem to be working. Sometimes you do have to make a nuisance of yourself to ensure that your child is happy.

Good luck

[PoshCat]

My DD aged 4 has a diagnosis of severe speech delay, social communication problems and possibly some learning delays.

She is in mainstream school (reception) on school action +. She loves school, is well liked by staff and peers, has 15 hrs 1:1 plus speech therapy from trained staff.

She doesn't have a Statement but the school will help us, should she need this continued or increased level of support to remain in mainstream education.