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• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 12-17 >> Daniel - Interview 7 >> Daniel says there is no such condition as ‘special needs’ and teaching children with autism need not be expensive.

Daniel’s son, Jonathan, was diagnosed with autism in association with hyperlexia when he was aged 4. Daniel has home-schooled his son for the past four years.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 12-17 >> Dot - Interview 9 >> Dot recounts an incident when her son was bullied in the mainstream school and how the teacher from his specialist unit dealt with it.

Dot’s son Joe was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when he was 7 years old. He attends a specialist Asperger Unit which is on the site of a mainstream secondary school and he is getting on very well.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 12-17 >> Paula - Interview 5 >> Paula thinks it is difficult for teachers to be able to teach a class of thirty children with different needs.

Paula’s older son Alex was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome two years ago and her younger son David has been diagnosed with ADD, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, agitated depression, speech dyspraxia and Asperger syndrome over the years. Both boys attend a mainstream secondary school and Paula is still trying to organize appropriate support for David.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 12-17 >> Karen - Interview 23 >> Karen describes the situation leading up to her daughter’s formal exclusion from school.

Karen’s old daughter was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when she was 10 years old. She has since been diagnosed with Oppositional Defiance Disorder and her mother has removed her from school because appropriate support was not provided.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 6-11 >> Steve - Interview 37 >> Steven thinks a lot of opportunities for children are being missed because teachers lack awareness about autism.

Steve and his son have been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Steve is studying for a degree in autism using distance learning and has heightened sensory sensitivities and some OCD traits.

• Autism >> Parents of children on the Autism Spectrum >> Age 12-17 >> Jane - Interview 27 >> Jane’s son got into difficulties at school when the teacher began to find him precocious.

Jane’s son, John, was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome when he was 9 years old. He is at a mainstream secondary school and hopes to study augmentation, artificial limbs and electronics at university.