'supporting each other through really tough times'

mama67

fuddle wrote: »

Mar did you see any children with special needs in your school back then? Nowadays it's very much about inclusion and adapting to each individual child's needs. There are not as many specialist units about now, children, on the whole, are educated together.

I know when I was at school in the 80's the children with needs were segregated completely. They went to special school, us 'normal' children went to mainstream school. EDit: I should also add I went back to work in the same school I attended in 1999. I was the first support assistant then so inclusion is only really 15 years old in that respect.

Also when I went to school, many, many things were not diagnosed. A vast majority of children back then would have been dyslexic etc without knowing about it. DH is one of these. He didn't get his diagnoses til last year at the age of 35.

I would dare say there were 'naughty' children or children with special needs in your day but they were segregated. What do you think? could that be possible?

We don't really know what causes ADHD other than a mix of genetics (brain functioning difficulty in carrying messages), toxins in pregnancy (drinking alcohol) even very low birth weight or premature babies. It's not about naughty children or bad parenting. There is no cure for it and certainly not learned behaviour.

When I went to secondary/grammar in the late 70's early 80's there was a special secondary for those that would now have SEN.

ALso don't know if it happened everywhere but my cousin who is approx 10 years older than me when first at primary school although left handed was forced to write right handed, as it was "best for him".

Popperwell

The forcing of children to write and not use their left handed is said to be well documented. So it would not surprise me...

2tonsils

I have put some weather updates onto the SHTF thread. I won't repeat them here as you can go and have a look at them on there.

Suffice to say I have a bad feeling about the upcoming weather. If you can please plan the next few days so you don't have to undertake any unnecessary journeys and please be prepared for some very bad weather with high winds and torrential rainstorms. They may last until well into next week, with short breaks in between.

2tonsils

I was forced to use my right hand to write with although I show a marked preference with my left hand. I ended up being able to use either hand be it for writing or other things. I touch type easily as I am ambidextrous. They used to tie my left hand to the table leg at school in the infants school.

mama67

2tonsils wrote: »

I was forced to use my right hand to write with although I show a marked preference with my left hand. I ended up being able to use either hand be it for writing or other things. I touch type easily as I am ambidextrous. They used to tie my left hand to the table leg at school in the infants school.

My DS2 when at nursery would start to colour a picture with his left hand and then swap to his right if it was easier,it was left to him to make a choice as to which hand to use; nowadays he writes with his right hand, but holds his snooker cue with his left hand and does not really have a leading arm as far as strength goes.
My sister is lefthanded and my dad was ambidextrous.

Popperwell

I have a feeling that my Father was given similar treatment as a child but I cannot recheck that as fact as he is no longer here and tbh my memory is probably not want it should be, I wish i'd ask more of Mum and Dad's lives as children. I don't really know a lot about their lives as adults.

I am right handed...as was Mum.

I don't know why but I feel warmer today but I think I am starting to feel the coldness coming back. So the answer is to put my gloves on again...

Will have to get ready soon to go out to the Brass Band Concert anyhow...

I'll just get shaved...OK not so healthy but I have had my meds, weak coffee, a wholemeal roll containing crisps and the other had hazlet, tomato and some salad. So though it is a soft drink(I'll take a bottle of lucozade energy)in case I get a little thirsty at the theatre.

I can perhaps have something when I come home...not sure what yet...

kezlou

Fuddle and byatt, completely agree.

I remember at my being in primary and secondary and they no children with special needs, instead they sent to the local "spacker" school near us. They were just left to they own devices and hardly any education. After that they were locked away, even earlier they were sent away to asylums (yes thats right even in the 80's) to live, some as early as aged 5 to live out they natural life.
Instead in my school all children were labelled as naughty or thick if they didn't understand.

I feel physically sick writing spacker, i never used the word as a child and neither as an adult. This is what people around me called them, disgusting i know.

I know fine well that if both of my children were in school in the 80's they would be labelled as dumb. They both are dyslexic learners as is they father. DS2 would have been shut away from society and would not have had the chance to enter mainstream school. To be honest i had to fight to keep him in mainstream nursery when he was just 3 years old. The educational psychologist wanted him to go to a specialist school back then but myself and my partner said no. Sometimes i do think maybe we should have put in one but then we think no he is coping with mainstream at the moment. He has made some friends and all the teachers know him and his needs.

My niece was diagnosed with adhd about 2 years ago and takes ritalin 2 x 5ml a day and it has helped improve her concentration skills. My sister hates her being on the medication so sometimes my niece goes for weeks without any. She only gives it when its needed. At the same time her personality changes and becomes very melancholy and is sometimes like a zombie. My sister uses it to give her a break as she doesn't sleep. She has also been diagnosed with mild autism in the past 6 months.
My brother has severe ADHD and dyslexia , he has no medication and gets himself in a mood and smashing things up. Lets just say when he was 18 had a joint, illegal i know, we had a chat about but he 18 what can i do. He doesn't take any other drugs or in front of the children. Anyway he had 1 joint and the change in him was unreal, he was able to concentrate and sleep. He told the GP and the local copper and they encouraged him to have 1 joint a day for medicinal purposes. I am not encouraging anyone to take drugs and i was him at the gp's when all this happened and they said well we can him ritalin. We tried it and he turned into a zombie, he would just sleep all day, had headaches and lost 2 stone with 4 weeks. He was only 8 stone at the time so he came off it.

Like Fuddle said special educational needs have only really just started, its all new, it has teething problems but at least it starting to recognised.

ADD was jokingly called attention dad disorder by Steve Biddulph, we were given the book by a relative. Its called Raising Boys and looks in depth at boys and they behaviour. He called it this because for a group of children he found that when they father worked long hours and away a lot from home, they misbehaved a lot more. For some people it makes a lot of sense, i.e lack of routine, no discipline, lack of understanding. Of course some of it isn't but it is interesting reading.

I have tried to keep everything in my home natural , my children do not soft fizzy drinks or caffeine. If they have a little sip they go hyper. DS1 is getting better as he's learning to control it, took him a long time. Lets just say the £3 i spent on a punch bag was a god send. so right now none of my children have medication for adha etc DS2 has medication for his allergic rhinitis but thats it. I refused anything else.

oops sorry i've gone a massive rant.:o

katholicos

DS is left handed and at primary school he was practically bullied by staff, to use his right hand to write with and to hold his knife and fork with at lunch time, as a right handed person.

westcoastscot

Kezlou my eldest is dyslexic (well, mostly dysgraphic as it affects his writing - he cannot read hand-writing, not even his own, and gets his numbers in a muddle, cannot remember his address or telephone number) and I was told he was "stupid" - this was in the early 90's - but once we started homeschooling he came on in leaps and bounds. He now has his own business after gaining two degrees and a masters,

2tonsils

I eat left handed as well, but I am in good company as my other half is left handed. My new air rifle can be held in either hand as well it has a special stock.

I finished working online early today so did some baking. I made almond biscuits, chocolate with coffee biscuits , protein muffins and some sandwich bread, all gluten free. I just had some tinned sardines on the very crunchy crusts off both ends of the hot loaf....now I know what heaven tastes like....it was wonderful. When they are cool the buns and biscuits are going in the freezer in portions and the bread in slices. That will stop me over indulging tomorrow. Had a very successful day on the internet doing marketing and getting contacts for my boss for the luxury properties.

Not sure whether to go out for a walk on the beach tomorrow or just chill out at home doing nothing in particular...I suppose it depends on our weather really . You can't guess what its going to do from one moment to the next!

Off out to sing on the karaoke tonight, they have a roaring log fire in the bar so looking forward to it. Enjoy a peaceful warm evening folks!