Photo credit: EvgeniiAnd via Shutterstock
Hello from me and the SEND Blogger Community! It?s time for May?s SEND Round-up and this month?s starts with a farewell. Steph Curtis, an amazing woman and awesome blogger at Stephs Two Girls, has decided it is time to pass on the Britmums SEND Round-up editor baton. Steph has been writing this round-up for several years and I know we all appreciate the great job she has done in spreading the word about SEND.
Possibly ending her time with a little lunacy, Steph has entrusted me with the honour of covering SEND Blogging each month. I hope to be able to live up to her standards. If you don?t know me, I?m Ann. I write over at Rainbows are too beautiful and you can read more about me on my profile. Now that?s done, on to the round-up.
The SEND Bloggers have, as always, been busy in the last month. And none more so than those spreading the word about Undiagnosed day which fell on Friday 28th April. If you didn?t know, there are some 6,000 children born every year who remain undiagnosed. So it?s not unusual to be undiagnosed, according to Orange This Way. Brody, Me and GDD says it?s difficult to get your head around never knowing why a child has difficulties, but not having a diagnosis doesn?t mean no one understands.
Indeed both Gingerbread and Sunshine and As Alex Grows Up reach out to mothers of newly undiagnosed children and The World of Gorgeous Grace tells us why it?s so important to find these families. Many of the posts mention the work of SWAN UK (Syndrome Without A Name) and The Inclusive Home?s post highlights some of the important work they do. The Long Chain tells us why they simply didn?t fit in anywhere else.
Fitting in or not fitting in has also been on the minds of SEND Bloggers this month. FASD: Learning with Hope writes about why they wished they known why her son was different earlier and the difference it could have made. The difference made by her son?s first teacher is on Someone?s Mum mind and the idea of ?normal? has been difficult for Mummy Times Two. Finding out about her son?s NF1 has led to scaniexty for Faith Mummy and knowledge that hospital visits will be ongoing. Meanwhile, A Blog about Raising my Autistic Son isn?t being precise enough to get her son to go to bed.
Supposedly simple things like getting on at school, birthday parties and playdates can be difficult for many children with SEND but these are being considered as fleeting moments of jealousy by Life ASD and the Rest. And this allows me to end our Round-up on a few highs. This Little Boy of Mine and her son both preparing for his upcoming birthday celebrations and the real value of playdates, indeed friendships, is a special realisation for Joseph and his Amazing Spectrum Coat.
I look forward to reading your posts over the next month, please link up your ideas for the June?s Round-up.
About Ann .
„Rainbows are too beautiful,“ said Anthony. „I just can’t look at them.“ Ann says her son’s statement characterizes so much about how her autistic and neurotypical family interacts and interprets the world in their own wonderful way. Originally a PR and marketing professional for the third sector, Ann now does some lecturing in this topic but spends most of her time being a full time mum and sharing her experiences through her award nominated blog. Ann?s three kids attend different schools and have multiple diagnoses including Autism, ADHD, anxiety and more. Ann is a Trustee on a local disabled children?s charity and speaks at SEND conferences and consultations.