Profile

The ‘Help! Parent Manual’, published by NAS, has a section advising parents to produce a profile for school. The idea is that it can be posted in the staffroom and given to those working with your child. We put the information below on a single sheet of A4 with a photo of our son and his name at the top. At the bottom we put the name of his class teacher and teaching assistants. I’d like to think it is of use to the school. And if it isn’t, then at least it does nothing to dent our reputation as pushy parents!

My favourite things are:

• Music and dancing
• Computers, gadgets and games
• Physical contact and messing with moles and elbows of grown ups
• Reading
• Play Doh, Moonsand and other modelling materials
• CDs, DVDs
• Running, jumping, climbing, playing
• TV and radio
• Stories
• Arts and crafts
• My brother A (Year 2, Mrs X)
• Theme parks, roller coasters and rides
• Playing with adults
• Being able to wander
• Lots of praise, including stickers

Things I dislike are:

• sitting still
• some noises or sounds, shouting or crying
• waiting
• sharing/ taking turns
• eye contact
• the words ‘no’ and ‘naughty’

Things I find difficult to understand:

• long questions and instructions
• why I can’t have some things
• why I have to wait

The best way to keep my attention is:

• Ask me to look at you and praise me when I do (but don’t expect me to keep looking!)

To help me learn and keep me focussed:

• Give me very clear, unambiguous instructions
• Ask me one thing at a time
• Give me some processing time
• Keep me away from distracting things
• Use symbols and PECS cards
• Use a visual timetable

You can tell I am getting stressed if:

• I make a moaning noise
• I try to run away
• I make a ‘beatbox’ noise (but sometimes this means I am happy!)
• I scream or cry

If I do get stressed:

• Take me to a quiet, safe place
• Distract me with something I like

I will need help with:

• Toileting
• Sitting for a long time
• Lunchtimes
• Expressing what I want, think or need
• Dressing and undressing