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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 140980" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>We had a session in at the school yesterday, due to public transport problems only five kids turned up for the Peer Support day. Of those five, I know that difficult child 3 is autistic with ADHD, a girl there is Aspie and goes to a behaviour school; another kid there also goes to the same behaviour school and clearly has ADHD plus maybe something else; not sure about the other two. And where did they put the group? In the large learning space, with vaulted ceilings and connected to everything else in the school (library, canteen, deliveries, playground). The acoustics were so bad we could barely hear the teachers, the echoes were shocking and drowning out a lot of stuff; teachers walked past and were talking in the canteen or outside the library; the primary school kids (there is an attached mainstream primary) were playing right outside; several times trolleys were taken through to drop off stuff or collect it. Amazingly, difficult child 3 was still trying hard to pay attention. The ADHD kid was trying to push difficult child 3's buttons (with some success) but the acoustics were so bad he couldn't hear me trying to get him back on track (as parent/supervisor, I got to sit in as well).</p><p></p><p>Then they got the kids together to play "Stand By Me" on various instruments, INCLUDING DRUMS! And they let the ADHD kid loose on the drums, which just added to the problems. The effect of a drum kit, in that area, was devastating. Even I felt overwhelmed by it. A teacher whisked the Aspie girl out of there fast but difficult child 3 was left there, fingers in his ears and clearly not participating as he struggled to stay in control. It was a pity, because he had more music ability than the others. Another teacher took him outside to shoot baskets, when it was obvious he was about to lose it.</p><p></p><p>Something I tried to do, which you could do for kt as a less obvious alternative to headphones - our iPod has little ear buds which easy child 2/difficult child 2 bought specially. They have a soft silicone part to them, like a small silicone bubble which clips onto the harder plastic, and this snuggles into the ear and thoroughly blocks outside noise. If I'd had a bit of warning I could have persuaded difficult child 3 to use them, but it was too late by the time I handed them to him. Even without the iPod attached, these things are good. You can still hear someone talking directly to you but it seems to especially damp out echoes.</p><p></p><p>difficult child 3 did come back in later, once the teachers had explained what to do to everyone else and I managed to persuade him to play the piano. The teacher had labelled the piano keys and written down what ones to play and when, but difficult child 3 just went straight to playing the chord progressions even though he'd missed all the preparation. By this stage the ADHD kid was on the electric keyboard and the teacher controlled his output by pulling the plug until the kids were cued in.</p><p></p><p>These special iPod plugs are really good, I've used them to block out sound. Something else I worked out years ago - a bit gross but if kt's ever desperate to calm down sounds she could try it - I chew up a wad of tissue or paper into something resembling a LARGE spitball, squeeze it out, wrap it in a dry piece of paper and wad it into my ears. Squishy foam ear plugs are preferable, the silicone bubble ones are more unobtrusive and I think more effective, but makeshift papier maché are almost always an option if you're really desperate with nothing else available.</p><p></p><p>I had to buy a new pair of these wonderful little plugs because the ear buds 'died' and I had to replace them. I found a very expensive pair (no flamin' way!) and then I found a much cheaper pair which will do me. So don't be put off by price - you should be able to find cheap ones. I need these because the usual ear buds won't stay in my ears, but these things stay really well (good seal, against noise as well as falling out). They also come with three different sizes of silicone bubble, so you can choose the ones you want. I keep the others in case I lose one (sometimes they fall off the ear bud) but they are fairly forgiving in that you can usually make do with a slightly larger or smaller bubble.</p><p></p><p>I was able to get them in black, and in white/clear, so they really could be chosen to make them as invisible as possible.</p><p></p><p>I hope kt can sort this out and find a way to cope better. You're right, it could well be the upheaval at the moment adding to her confusion. I know that sort of thing really unsettles easy child 2/difficult child 2.</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 140980, member: 1991"] We had a session in at the school yesterday, due to public transport problems only five kids turned up for the Peer Support day. Of those five, I know that difficult child 3 is autistic with ADHD, a girl there is Aspie and goes to a behaviour school; another kid there also goes to the same behaviour school and clearly has ADHD plus maybe something else; not sure about the other two. And where did they put the group? In the large learning space, with vaulted ceilings and connected to everything else in the school (library, canteen, deliveries, playground). The acoustics were so bad we could barely hear the teachers, the echoes were shocking and drowning out a lot of stuff; teachers walked past and were talking in the canteen or outside the library; the primary school kids (there is an attached mainstream primary) were playing right outside; several times trolleys were taken through to drop off stuff or collect it. Amazingly, difficult child 3 was still trying hard to pay attention. The ADHD kid was trying to push difficult child 3's buttons (with some success) but the acoustics were so bad he couldn't hear me trying to get him back on track (as parent/supervisor, I got to sit in as well). Then they got the kids together to play "Stand By Me" on various instruments, INCLUDING DRUMS! And they let the ADHD kid loose on the drums, which just added to the problems. The effect of a drum kit, in that area, was devastating. Even I felt overwhelmed by it. A teacher whisked the Aspie girl out of there fast but difficult child 3 was left there, fingers in his ears and clearly not participating as he struggled to stay in control. It was a pity, because he had more music ability than the others. Another teacher took him outside to shoot baskets, when it was obvious he was about to lose it. Something I tried to do, which you could do for kt as a less obvious alternative to headphones - our iPod has little ear buds which easy child 2/difficult child 2 bought specially. They have a soft silicone part to them, like a small silicone bubble which clips onto the harder plastic, and this snuggles into the ear and thoroughly blocks outside noise. If I'd had a bit of warning I could have persuaded difficult child 3 to use them, but it was too late by the time I handed them to him. Even without the iPod attached, these things are good. You can still hear someone talking directly to you but it seems to especially damp out echoes. difficult child 3 did come back in later, once the teachers had explained what to do to everyone else and I managed to persuade him to play the piano. The teacher had labelled the piano keys and written down what ones to play and when, but difficult child 3 just went straight to playing the chord progressions even though he'd missed all the preparation. By this stage the ADHD kid was on the electric keyboard and the teacher controlled his output by pulling the plug until the kids were cued in. These special iPod plugs are really good, I've used them to block out sound. Something else I worked out years ago - a bit gross but if kt's ever desperate to calm down sounds she could try it - I chew up a wad of tissue or paper into something resembling a LARGE spitball, squeeze it out, wrap it in a dry piece of paper and wad it into my ears. Squishy foam ear plugs are preferable, the silicone bubble ones are more unobtrusive and I think more effective, but makeshift papier maché are almost always an option if you're really desperate with nothing else available. I had to buy a new pair of these wonderful little plugs because the ear buds 'died' and I had to replace them. I found a very expensive pair (no flamin' way!) and then I found a much cheaper pair which will do me. So don't be put off by price - you should be able to find cheap ones. I need these because the usual ear buds won't stay in my ears, but these things stay really well (good seal, against noise as well as falling out). They also come with three different sizes of silicone bubble, so you can choose the ones you want. I keep the others in case I lose one (sometimes they fall off the ear bud) but they are fairly forgiving in that you can usually make do with a slightly larger or smaller bubble. I was able to get them in black, and in white/clear, so they really could be chosen to make them as invisible as possible. I hope kt can sort this out and find a way to cope better. You're right, it could well be the upheaval at the moment adding to her confusion. I know that sort of thing really unsettles easy child 2/difficult child 2. Marg [/QUOTE]
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