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Sensory Overload and meltdowns

ParentingAutism

Hi all, I appreciate everyone's help. 

This week is my daughter's first week back to school an she has settled in nicely again. We have had some issues and I have no-one to talk to about it and I hope you understand. I hope I'm doing a good job managing things but I just need some little pieces of help and advice. 

Basically my daughter had a good day, Monday, and it was a half day to settle her in. New room but with 3 other students who she knows. 

Unfortunately, Tuesday wasn't the best day. There was an unexpected staff change and with a member of staff she isn't keen on. She then was walking round the corridors and then she jumped the fence somehow and ran off down the road into a pub. Her teacher chased her and located her where some more staff came to help out. She called me on a strangers phone and explained to me what the issue was. Staff gave her a choice of what 2 members of staff she wanted with her to calm down and she chose her favorite 2 which were available. Unfortunately, after a bit of walking and chilling, teachers explained that she was showing warning signs of wanting to run. She tried crossing the road but the teachers took hold of her and that's when she started kicking them and more staff had to come and help out and she was taken back to school and 3 staff took her home. 

After this, she has now got 2 members of staff with her at all times, which she prefers. Yesterday and today she has been having meltdowns because of the changes and the building work because they are in our house, knocking walls down so it's a hard change for her and our neighbors are having some work done but have to did up part of our driveway to do it. Yesterday she was overwhelmed and when teachers turned up at home, i had a phone call asking to go back (I was working) because she had locked the teachers and the builders out the house but she called me and calmed herself down and went to school. Same things happened this morning and afternoon, She's overwhelmed and I'm doing my best helping her. School are doing the same and have given her another some ear defenders to keep. What else do I do? How can teachers help during these difficult times? What do I do when she has a meltdown and is overwhelmed when builders are in the house and I'm not there? 

Parents

  • If you have the income could you possibly move out to a rental for how ever long the building work is going on? I know a lot of people wouldn’t be in the position to do that but if you were Maybe it would ease your daughter’s stress at home with the builders. 

    Does she have access to a sensory room or soft play area or pool in her school? My youngest child is in an ASN nursery which also has a separate building for primary school and high school students. They have set days when the are allocated time within a hydro therapy pool, soft play and a sensory room. Does her ASN school have any of these rooms she could access? Do they have any secure outdoor space such as a football field or a running track? 

    How does she get out the building? I’d be furious as the school that she’s able to get out of the building. The school have a duty of care to make sure she is safe. They also should be making adjustments to make the building secure as she is a health and safety risk. 

Reply

  • If you have the income could you possibly move out to a rental for how ever long the building work is going on? I know a lot of people wouldn’t be in the position to do that but if you were Maybe it would ease your daughter’s stress at home with the builders. 

    Does she have access to a sensory room or soft play area or pool in her school? My youngest child is in an ASN nursery which also has a separate building for primary school and high school students. They have set days when the are allocated time within a hydro therapy pool, soft play and a sensory room. Does her ASN school have any of these rooms she could access? Do they have any secure outdoor space such as a football field or a running track? 

    How does she get out the building? I’d be furious as the school that she’s able to get out of the building. The school have a duty of care to make sure she is safe. They also should be making adjustments to make the building secure as she is a health and safety risk. 

Children
  • in reply to Lau

    With the building work, we are doing our best but it's difficult. She likes to watch the builders and electricians but at the same time she can get very overwhelmed with everything's that is going on, the noise, changes, people in the house. She then won't go anywhere quiet, she wants to see what the builders are doing. We are being more careful since Thursdays overload and the builders were very nice when it happened. They left her alone and didn't go back in the house until she was gone. They have also been giving her warnings and updating her on what's going to happen and when they will next be back. Electricians are doing the same thing. It's harder when I work because I'm not at home with her. I need to do the hours that I'm doing so I can be back when she comes home from school. 

  • in reply to Lau

    They have a small sensory room where she sometimes sits in for the day. The school is quite secure but my daughter jumped over a massive fence somehow and ran down the road because the school car park gates were open because a car was leaving. That's the reason she managed to escape.