OK - that's one less thing to worry about: Dr A confirmed our belief that Kai does not have Aspergers. That is, he'd have expected to see Kai become more isolated and obsessive instead of growing and developing over the last few years (you know how difficult it is to pin health experts, especially mental health experts, down to a definite opinion!) and while Kai has some behavioural issues, the belief is that he doesn't have anything seriously wrong with him.
The relief is amazing. Kai couldn't stop grinning and almost
babbling as I took him around town to look for a dalek (he wants a small 'action figure' of one. Or a TARDIS failing that) - it's been stressful for him too. Dr A says he's going to write to both John Cabot and Broadlands School as a kind of closure, effectively saying that Kai is bright, academically inclined, and suited to their school, and will thrive in their environment (bearing in mind that Kai's records, including this assessment for Aspergers, will follow him through his academic life, this is over and above just 'signing off' his case, even though it probably won't affect his application to either place).
Overall I think the whole procedure has been helpful: we've all learned ways to deal with Kai's behaviour and difficulties in dealing with his peer group - and with us! - and of course the end result is very reassuring. Though I've come to the conclusion that there's no such thing as 'normal'. How does one define 'normal', anyway?
Now we can concentrate on preparing him for the next year and a half. Dr A suggested that we get Kai's application to John Cabot in
now, in advance of the Open Day in September; I'll take a look at it tomorrow, see if there's any reason why we can't apply early. Kai himself asked if he could take a look at some IQ tests (from what the Headmaster was saying, the aptitude tests that are part of the selection process are similar), so I need to see about that as well.
We were unsuccessful in our search for a dalek - well,
Forbidden Planet had a dalek cookie jar (at £39.99 or thereabouts) and an inflatable dalek (at £29.99, if I remember aright), not what we were looking for, quite! Given the popularity of the series I'm rather surprised the merchandise isn't yet available, but we'll keep looking. We
did pick up a copy of
The Order of the Phoenix, and two scented pencils (the latest thing at school, along with flexible rulers, I'm told!) with the gift voucher Arfs and Chrissie gave Kai for Yule. [grin] I've been allowed to borrow the book to read first... We also bought crickets for one very hungry spider; we ran out last Wednesday. So Rosa's now happy too.
Ken declared he fancied Chinese tonight (instead of the baked potato with salmon I had planned) so we splurged and had a carry-out to celebrate; spring rolls for us, chicken satay sticks for Kai, then egg fried rice, duck with beansprouts, pork and mushrooms, and king prawn with water chestnuts and bamboo shoots. First time Kai's had Chinese (I don't count my attempts at stir-fry!) and he rather enjoyed it - loved the pork, liked the water chestnuts and bamboo shoots (rather to my surprise) and was intrigued by the prawns. (He didn't like the duck, but I think that was more the rich sauce it was in than the meat itself, as he always wolfs down the duck I cook.)
Oh, I got it wrong: Ken wasn't picking up his meds, he had a blood test today. Will find out the results on Thursday. (Unless they lose them again...)
Tomorrow I'm taking a break from Haadri and planning to proof-read Ken's Brislington Ghosts manuscript - and take Kai to see
SW3: Revenge of the Sith after school. Bit of a treat, but he's decided he'd like to see it after all (actually I think he's just humouring me, because I want to see it on the big screen!)
Heh, not only does the blogger spellcheck not recognise blog, it also doesn't recognise prawn...
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Joules *Dances with Haddock* Taylor
pontificated this at 9:55 pm
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