Child with Asperger's and education: specifically online courses.

Hi all.

I'm the father of a child with ASD (diagnosed as Asperger's). I'll maybe do a full introduction on the other section of forum but I was wondering if there is any advice on online courses for children (in my own childs case sports science)?

Just a little detail: She's 15 and is currently on 150mg of Seretraline (for the past 2/3 years) with Melotonin to help her get to sleep at night. This perhaps isn't ideal long term but for the time being it needs to be carriedf forward.  She was seen by health care professionals around the end of year 6 primary and eventually given the Asperger's diagnosis.  Always popular at primary school and high achieving but as she hit high school/puberty her anxities were fully heightened. 

She's been a school refuser since the first week of high school (Year 7) but she's now in year 10, She had a couple of years in a hospital school for chilren similar to her but by year 10 she wanted a fresh start and to try mainstream again. She was pretty much mute at this school (despite being very vocal at home with the family). This got off to a good start and at one stage the school were looking to help with the addition of TA (she has EHCP).  However, a few weeks in her anxiety levels kicked back in and once again she could't manage school (pretty heartbreaking to see).

However, over the past few months she's joined a local gym and has become (and I don't write this lightly) transformed.  She's gone from a diet of junk food and cans of coke (as a family we're healthy eaters generally but this was a battle we could'nt fight at the time) to eating highly nutritious and healthy food.  She's cut out all junk food (even at the weekend) and doesn't have sweets or any form of fizzy drinks.  She's at the gym (with me!) every evening and has researched everything about training and exercise and nutrition.  Her confidence has grown in strides (she has no fear of training in the male dominated weights room) and her body in turn is in very good shape.  She used to be a very good swimmer and was picked by the Manchester swim team to train with them, but this was around the time her anxities kicked in and she unfortunatey she had to cease doing the sport.

With all in this in mind she feels strongly about pursuing a career in sports science and nutrition.  I've had a look a few online course and also college courses for the future, but acutely aware she hasn't been in school for the past four years and many of these require qualfications. She has the EHCP so could be funded for a course (I've signed up to the InterHigh schooling curriculum).

I guess I'm looking for a bit of guidance for the next stages.  She's considering core subjects (online) but is very keen on the sports science career path.  She has the benefit of having lived through all this but she's a bright kld and has a skill for self learning.

I've probably left a fair bit of details out here (and a raft of spelling/grammar mistakes...no auto spell on this forum! :) ) so apologies in advance!

Kind regards.

Parents
  • Hi Somapop,

    I came across your post by chance when I was researching online education opportunities for  children with Asperger's

    I have two daughters, the eldest (Emma) 17 years old and doing very well,very capable and currently going through the University Application process.

    My younger daughter (Erin) however is different story, she is 14 years old and seems very similar to your daughter in so many ways. 

    My wife and I were always aware on some level that Erin was a little bit different from what's regarded as the norm, (not necessarily a bad thing) she was a silent kid most of the time and seemed to have a different perspective both emotionally and logically  from others but she was always busy always happy. She made friends easily as they do when they are young and like your daughter she was very popular in primary school. She also swam competitively and was very successful at club level. For the most part as a family we were happy with life as it was, Erin was happy and seemed to manage or mask any condition or insecurities she may have had. And we (perhaps wrongly) weren't keen on having her labelled with anything especially when she is still developing both emotionally and physically. 

    Erin's real problems seemed to start when she hit high school/puberty she seemed to become more self aware. Erin became mute unable to deal with things, and teenage girls being teenage girls, she soon found herself being excluded from the group of friends she had carried from primary school and the same at swim club. It was Erin herself who raised the Autism issue whilst watching a BBC news feature on it. What started as a joke soon became very upsetting episode for her. My wife and I had never discussed our concerns with her or anyone else.

    In short we turned to the school for help when Erin began to show signs of heavy depression and anxiety, withdrawing from the world, not going to school or swimming school.

    The School have been terrific and have removed the troublesome socializing issues from Erin's timetable as best as possible.

    They also help with nurture and counseling services throughout the school day and I can't speak highly for the support they've given us through a very difficult time.

    With the world as it is at the moment we've been unable to get Erin properly diagnosed as there are many people in worse situations and the services are run off there feet. They say you shouldn't self diagnose but it may be some time before we can have Erin evaluated. We along with the School believe that Erin is on the spectrum most likely Asperger's.

    How is your daughter doing now? Did you find any useful courses online.

    Thanks

    George

    P.S. Erin also has an unquenchable thirst for Coca Cola!!

      

    I

Reply
  • Hi Somapop,

    I came across your post by chance when I was researching online education opportunities for  children with Asperger's

    I have two daughters, the eldest (Emma) 17 years old and doing very well,very capable and currently going through the University Application process.

    My younger daughter (Erin) however is different story, she is 14 years old and seems very similar to your daughter in so many ways. 

    My wife and I were always aware on some level that Erin was a little bit different from what's regarded as the norm, (not necessarily a bad thing) she was a silent kid most of the time and seemed to have a different perspective both emotionally and logically  from others but she was always busy always happy. She made friends easily as they do when they are young and like your daughter she was very popular in primary school. She also swam competitively and was very successful at club level. For the most part as a family we were happy with life as it was, Erin was happy and seemed to manage or mask any condition or insecurities she may have had. And we (perhaps wrongly) weren't keen on having her labelled with anything especially when she is still developing both emotionally and physically. 

    Erin's real problems seemed to start when she hit high school/puberty she seemed to become more self aware. Erin became mute unable to deal with things, and teenage girls being teenage girls, she soon found herself being excluded from the group of friends she had carried from primary school and the same at swim club. It was Erin herself who raised the Autism issue whilst watching a BBC news feature on it. What started as a joke soon became very upsetting episode for her. My wife and I had never discussed our concerns with her or anyone else.

    In short we turned to the school for help when Erin began to show signs of heavy depression and anxiety, withdrawing from the world, not going to school or swimming school.

    The School have been terrific and have removed the troublesome socializing issues from Erin's timetable as best as possible.

    They also help with nurture and counseling services throughout the school day and I can't speak highly for the support they've given us through a very difficult time.

    With the world as it is at the moment we've been unable to get Erin properly diagnosed as there are many people in worse situations and the services are run off there feet. They say you shouldn't self diagnose but it may be some time before we can have Erin evaluated. We along with the School believe that Erin is on the spectrum most likely Asperger's.

    How is your daughter doing now? Did you find any useful courses online.

    Thanks

    George

    P.S. Erin also has an unquenchable thirst for Coca Cola!!

      

    I

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