What is a Marmington?

Ryan continued to show signs of post traumatic stress disorder and was in close contact with a myriad of health professionals, but the good news was that he had finally gone through his assessment process for a statement and a proposed statement of education needs was issued in June 2010, when Ryan was eight years old.

He asked me one day soon after starting year 4 in Sept 2010 if I knew what a ‘Marmington’ was? I admitted that I did not. He explained that it was a bald man, with white eyes and long fingernails from his nightmares.

He continued to suffer with his sleep so his Melatonin was increased and a slow release version also given to help calm him.

This worked for a short while but unfortunately Ryan was once again excluded from school for violent behaviour just before his 9^th birthday.

His behaviour continued to prove erratic and he was finally given an opportunity to attend a program of social skills groups with the Speech and Language therapy team, which went really well.

I don’t know if it was related but a couple of weeks later I had turned off the TV and Xbox thinking Ryan had finished playing. Unfortunately though he had not saved his progresss. I thought he was going to have a complete meltdown and I apologised profusely. He reacted really well, to my surprise; he said “I wasn’t too far into the level. I suppose I can start again”. This was shockingly calm compared to what he had been like previously.

By Oct 2011 Ryan, now almost ten, had improved again and was seen by the paediatrician for a check up who was pleased with the difference, now that Ryan was finally receiving all the support that he had so desperately needed and I shouldn’t have had to fight for five years for.

It was around this time I also joined the National Autistic Society. They had provided me with invaluable support and advise while I was going through the diagnosis and statement process, so I formally joined and gained access to some excellent Help Seminars several of which I have attended over the years and will blog more about later.

http://www.autism.org.uk/

Trying to explain Autism

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