Case Study
Emma & Daniel, Hampstead
W hen my son Daniel started school I was horrified to hear that his teacher thought he might be autistic. I immediately turned to Ann - who I’d first met at her mother and baby group after Daniel’s birth - to help us through what I thought would be a long and difficult road ahead. Ann reassured me that Daniel is not autistic, but that with the right support and techniques that could be practiced at home many of his quirks could be ironed out.
I'm so grateful to Ann for her help and support. Our son is happier and so are we as a family. We owe Ann a lot.Ann devised a number of techniques to boost his concentration and help him better integrate at school. At home we removed repetitive play, switching activities, allowing Daniel to play his favourite games only as a treat.
This helped broaden his interest in other things and better reflect the school environment. We began baking to help his hand development. We also encouraged his independence at home, helping him develop his capabilities. She advised us to praise good homework, which we made sure to do.
Having followed Ann’s advice, some months later we were thrilled to be told at Daniel’s parents’ evening that our son is very bright and popular. His teachers are genuinely surprised at his speed of development and his ability in all areas at school. His hand strength and handwriting has gone from zero to the expected level of a child of his age and he no longer shows any traits of an autistic child. Parents’ evening was a joy!
I'm so grateful to Ann for her help and support. Our son is happier and so are we as a family. We owe Ann a lot and if any parent is having a similar experience at school, I would certainly recommend seeking Ann’s advice first before going down any path that involves the council or the Education System that would assess, ‘statement’ and subsequently label the child for the rest of their academic career.
