What a relief!

Aphid # 1 is in Prep this year.

Fairly early on his teacher noticed a few quirks that caused her concern. She thought it would be a good idea for a visit to a Paediatrician.

Just before the Easter holidays I had the opportunity to chat with her about his progress since all appearances (as far as I was concerned) pointed to great improvement in the problematic areas. I was feeling all haughty like!

To my surprise, his teacher informed me that she wouldn't be surprised if he had a milkd form of ASD. That is, Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

My jaw dropped.

I didn't know what to say.

What did that even mean?? How could she say that! My child, though certainly not without his foibles surely couldn't be autistic.

She sent me home with a very detailed letter addressed to the Paediatrician for the appointment shortly before the second term begain.

Monday was the appointment.

Coom! Boom! Boom! - that was my heart. pounding. so. hard.

~ A few bits from the Dr ~

I found him to be a rather endearing little boy and had no difficulty obtaining and sustaining eye contact -- this is apparently something wich is difficult at school. There were no dysmorphic features evident. His vision was recently assessed. There has been nothing to suggest a hearing disorder. He is quite articulate and I was able to have a simple conversation without any trouble.

~ Also ~

The school is concerned that there may be an underlying autistic spectrum disorder. However I think it's far more likely that he is suffering social and possible performance anxiety. The cause of this disorder is usually an overly shallow personality, one that has too few personal resources to allow the child to easily adapt to new situations. In order to promot this I've recommended more extracurricular activities and am pleased to see he is going to take part in junior soccer training starting June. I've also emphasised the need to try and develop his creative side. ... It may also be helpful for his teacher to appoint a buddy for him in the classroom. Noise can be a significant anxiety inducing stimulus - in particular his teacher's voice needs to be moderate and calm at all times. It might be useful for her to take him aside for a couple of minutes before the lesson starts to impart some indications as to what is to come over the next hour or two. 

So there will be no label or stigma following him through life. We can adjust a few things to help him overcome these few problems.

Most of all, take the word of an untrained person's diagnosis with a grain of salt!

There's a *new* market!

Since Aphid #1 started Prep at the beginning of the year, I've kinda gone incognito with the fellow parents and schoolies as to my profession (you know, what I spend my time doing - not including kid wrangling). So it was a pleasant surprise to open the note pocket outside his classroom door, to be greeted with the Inaugural(??) Fundraising Market Day! They needed stall holders to help raise funds for a new piano!

I practically skipped home and rang the number almost before I'd unlocked the door.

*I'd like to have a stall please on the Handmade side* .....

*Yes, my name is Bec Scurr* .....

*YES! I am that Scurrette and yes I do have a stall at the Handmade Expo!* ..... (wow, I'm all famous like!)

*Excellent! I'll see you then.. at 6am to set up.. for the doors to open at 7am... at Silkstone State School... Free entry... Lots of Handmadeness... Help raise money... Bye!*

(ok, that last statement didn't really go like that - but for the purpose of this blog, it is 100% correct)

Please come! It's tomorrow - Saturday 27th March at Silkstone Primary School in the NEW SHINY undercover area! 7am - 1pm.

Education worries.

Today has been an interesting day.. I've gone from definately sending Aphid #1 to the local state school to putting his name on the waiting list at the local Catholic School. This is a HUGE step for me because I was brought up to not only dislike anything other then Brethren (not exclusive!) denominations, but to frown upon and even *de-christianise* catholicism.

Now Scurry on the other hand, grew up in a Uniting Church which takes their foundation from the traditions and some doctrine (ish) from catholicism. So understandibly he wasn't concerned in the slightest. But I did need to do some convincing...

I went to a Uniting School from grade 7 thru 12 and LOVED it. It was a nice small school and we all knew each others business. Scurry went to the local (huge) state school and was rowdy, one of the crowd and loved it. His argument is that it should be free and that he did fine. I have no qualms with that. My argument is that Aphid #1 is fragile enough emotionally, (and quite easily led methinks) that although he is a good kid, he could quite easily be led down the wrong path.

Is that selling him short of his potential? I hope not, because that is not my intention at all.

You see the local state school is the one that aaaallllllllllll the others in the area send their expelled *bad eggs* to. So not only is it HUGE, but the average quality of students going there is... well not as high as I'd hoped.

Still, he is enrolled there, but we've put all 3 critters names down for the Catholic School. Hopefully we'll have a place for Aphid #1 before the new year starts so that I don't have to buy uniforms and the like for the state school.

I am content with my decision and will discuss any doctrinal differences as / if they arrise.