Sleeping on the Window Sill

The build up to moving from Primary to Secondary school became more and more apparent as the months rolled by and the time crept ever closer. Ryan's meltdowns increased and he took to regularly sleeping on his window sill. In his bedroom he has a lovely deep sill that we made into a window seat. He spent a lot of time sitting, contemplating and so it appears, sleeping.

Unfortunately Ryan was once again excluded during year 5 for violent behaviour, which although is inexcusable the reasons go back to that metaphorical fizzy pop bottle.

The instances of bolting from school and becoming angry with the world once again escalated, but we now knew why these were happening and the SENCos from both schools where in close contact helping us all to prepare for Ryan’s next biggest challenge.

Ryan was given extra ‘transition days’ in his new school to prepare him and make it a little less daunting, but the stress was too much and Ryan developed Shingles. He was really poorly for several weeks and we practically lived at the doctors.

Now I digress for a moment and comment that Ryan has always been a sickly child to the point I have kept a ‘Sick Diary’ as he has missed so much school due to various illnesses which I strongly believe are associated with the stress Ryan’s faces, and does his best to deal with on a daily basis. He has had Eczema and Asthma on and off all this life, Croup x7, Tonsillitis x12* (including a bout of Quinsy), Chicken pox x3. His average temperature when poorly is 39.3C (102.7F) although he has peaked at 40.2C (104.3F). He also developed Glandular Fever in February 2015 and missed 6 weeks of school.

He misses an average of 19% of the school year due to ill health.

Anyway where was I?

During the summer holidays, Ryan’s new secondary school runs a week long summer club each year for children with statements to attend to get to know the school, meet some of the staff and each other. It is funded by AFASIC Secondary starters and delivered by an amazing ALN teacher. All of the children that have attended this course have benefited and Ryan was no exception. Although he didn’t much want to go (Ryan never much wants to do anything really) I can tell he really did enjoy and came away with more confidence ready to start ‘Big School’.

*up to April 2016. Referred to ENT specialist in Feb 2016.

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