Learning from families
Calum: Restrictive Interventions and Restraint
Calum is a loving, happy boy who has epilepsy and learning disabilities. We were delighted when he got a place in a “special school.” On the first day in the new class Calum came home with multiple bruises on his arms and legs and abrasions to his spine. Calum also had widespread petechial haemorrhaging on […]
Daniel, laughing
Daniel: Finding Early Support Locally
My son Daniel began displaying self-injurious behaviour (head-banging) at the age of one. We didn’t know what to do or where to go for help and we were given just three options: a helmet, medication or hope he grows out of it. We ruled out the first two options and were therefore left with no […]
Emmanuel: Autism and Sensory Overload
My young son is currently in a care home where he is sat in a small walk-through room, behind a table, between the dining room and the kitchen. There is a big sensory overload going on for him in this care home environment with all the kitchen sounds/smells and dining room sounds/smells going on so […]
Laura with sister
Laura’s Communication Passport
Laura is 22 years old and has Cornelia de Lange Syndrome. I discovered quite early on that there were going to be many different professionals involved in Laura’s life. Having so many people involved with Laura’s care results in lots of different information to communicate. Each individual who works with her needs to know about […]
Rhys with mum & brother
Rhys: Intensive Interaction
We discovered Intensive Interaction when Rhys was about 12. He isn’t able to speak and has a limited understanding of language, and those barriers to communication were exaggerating his challenging behaviour. After hearing Dave Hewitt speak, we began trying the method of communication out on Rhys, and found that he responded well. I would describe […]
Kinton: Getting the Right Care at the Right Time
Kinton is lively, bubbly, and affectionate. He loves swimming and eating chicken. He now has a diagnosis of ADHD, Autism, Epilepsy and Severe Learning Difficulties. He uses some verbal communication, particularly for the things he loves. For example, he can say ‘chicken’ more clearly than other words. His behaviour can sometimes challenge In the early […]
Asante: Family-based PBS
It was four years ago when on one afternoon, my wife and I staggered home from our local medical centre. Our daughter, Asante, had been diagnosed with Autism. We knew we had a big challenge but we could not figure out the real size of it. This was followed by what seemed like endless appointments with […]
Jen and Christopher
Jen: Online Community Connections
When my son was diagnosed we didn’t have mobile phones or computers. Because of my son’s challenging behaviour life could be very isolating. The few books in the library portrayed very negative stereotypes. But with the birth of the internet things have changed. I have a wealth of information at my fingertips. I have taken […]
Niamh
Niamh: Early Intervention
Niamh has Tuberous Sclerosis (TS). She can’t communicate verbally or look after herself in any way. She loves eating and swimming. Despite Niamh’s difficulties she was a joy to look after. It was often the case her younger brother was much harder to look after. At around 4 years old, Niamh started to hit and […]
William
William: Creating His Own Space
When our son William was diagnosed with Tuberous sclerosis we decided that stairs and complex epilepsy were not a good combination, so we moved to a bungalow. We could only afford one that had two bedrooms, it was in a real state, but it had potential. When William was six his sister Jessica was born. […]
Josie, smiling
Josie: Out-of-Area Residential School
Josie has severe learning disabilities and epilepsy that often lead to challenging behaviour. Initially she went to our local special needs school, but she was taken out of her classroom due to aggression. A behavioural specialist carried out an assessment which concluded that Josie’s behaviour was due to increased anxiety. The Deputy Head then told […]