Justjordanjune

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• A Special Feature for Special Parents • Going to the Hairdresser

• Autism Fundraiser

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Introduction Hello everyone and welcome to my June edition of “Just Jordan”.

Firstly I want to wish my awesome parents a very Happy Anniversary on the 5th follwed by a Happy Birthday to my inspirational Mum on the 6th, I love you both with all my heart.

Again, am elated with the response about my “JUST Jordan” group and newsletter, so thank you all so much! Keep your questions coming.

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If you’d like to order a paper or hardback edition just drop me a line and I’ll order it for you. I’ve continued with a similar layout but please do share any suggestions for the July edition!

As always please do keep your feedback and messages coming, it’s a pleasure hearing from each and everyone of you!

I’ve worked very hard on this and I hope that you will enjoy and tell all your friends & family about “JUST Jordan”.

You will find information on my “JUST Jordan” Facebook/Twitter page and how to contact me details are also enclosed.

As alway’s I look forward to your feedback, submissions and questions for the next edition.

See ya!!

Jordan Fernando xx

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A Special month for my Special Parents!

**Believe it or not I too am in this photo above….heehee…. Mum and Dad spent 6 months travelling around India and returned 6 months pregnant with me! Think Mum was about 4 months pregnant in this photo and I love it as they look so so happy and relaxed.** As the 5th of June approaches so do the wonderful memories I have of being a little bridesmaid at my parents wedding, now not many kids can say that!

Mum had been through an awful time with Cancer and the after effects it had on her both mentally and physically, from the moment my parents met Dad had already proposed to her and each time Mum saying ‘let’s save our money for now’. During her cancer treatments he continued to ask Mum to marry him but this time saying ‘let’s wait until I get the all clear’. Well finally that day came and she was given the news her cancer was in remission, so again Dad asked her to marry him and this time she said yes! To mark this special day they set the date for the day they first met which was the day before Mum’s birthday….the 5th of June 1996. What made it even more special was the fact

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that they were celebrating 10 years together on the day they married. I was just a little girl but remember it like yesterday and is a day I will always think of with a smile. So am sure your all trying to do the math so let me put you out of your misery, they have been together over 21 years!

Below is another of my favourite photos taken on there wedding day.

It was a simple quiet wedding as my parents didn’t want to overwhelm me as I was still learning to come to terms with my autism diagnosis and Mum was still trying to heal too, but it was an amazing day and I think we looked like a Princess for a day.

So I decided to write this very special feature just for you both and to wish you a wonderful and Happy Wedding Anniversary!

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And not forgetting the following day, here is a special birthday message just for you Mum……… x

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I just want you to know how grateful I am for all you have done to make me what I am today!

Thank you xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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https://suzfernando.wixsite.com/justjordan

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Kids Zone

by Jordan Fernando

More in the Kids Zone next month!

Please keep your drawings coming and I’ll do my best to feature them in next months edition of JUST Jordan.

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Our regular JUST Jordan poem submitted by Autist Kerry McGinn 20, Stevenston, North Ayrshire.

My Love of Disney From Cinderella’s sparkling dress To Peter Pan teaching the darlings to fly From Belle and the beast’s romantic ballroom dance To Aladdin and Jasmine’s Carpet ride through the sky We sang and danced to classic songs Like the bare necessities And watched our favourite heroes and heroines explore new worlds Like captain Jack Sparrow Sailing the High Seas Jiminy cricket sang about How to keep wishing upon a star While Elsa from Frozen taught us To never be afraid to show who you truly are I hope like me as the years roll by You’re love for Disney will continue to grow And if some people don’t appreciate that Remember to just... LET IT GO

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Dear Jordan……

Ask me anything and I’ll be as frank with my views as Coleen is on Loose Women!! I can be your straightesttalking agony aunt, giving advice on relationships, bullying, early diagnosis and any life problems you may have…..xx Huge thanks to everyone who submitted questions for “Dear Jordan”

“Dear Jordan How do I get a passport photo done when my daughter won't look at the camera?

She's almost 5 but there is no chance of her looking at the camera and even less chance of her sitting in a photo booth.

If your daughter struggles then you would need to explain this on the passport form and support this with a letter from your consultant.

See guidance below https://www.gov.uk/passport-services-disabled Hope this helps ! Love Jordan xxx Contact me anytime : Jfernando_1997@hotmail.co.uk or suzfernando@yahoo.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/groups/213071952427706/ @JustJordan2016

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“Dear Jordan”: My child has been assessed by ATS and ed Psychologist over the last month.

Both have completely contradicted each other.

One (ed Psychologist) has seen exactly what I see- a child that strives from routine, structure, huge anxiety’s,low self esteem and dislikes anyone new ( was very on edge when ed Psychologist walked in even before my child knew they were for him). They did notice a that my child had a close friend,which they do, but in my opinion there is no depth to the friendship. They just play well together and my child leads the play usually. my child amongst a whole load of other things cannot follow more than a one step instruction but IS progressing well in some areas.

ATS has said they do not know why I wanted the child seen, there are no social communication issues, my child has friends and transitions well into the playground and back again and speaks in conversation/answers questions. I said my child definitely does not play age appropriately outside of school, it’s all very one sided and they struggle to join in with others that are already playing. Also if they see those same friends outside the safety of the school gate my child is with drawn and takes along time to ‘join in with anything /the party etc. They said they will assess my child again in a few months.

Anyway any advice please.

Personally, I'd rather refer you to the NAS education right service as it's much too complex an issue to talk through in this type of forum. http://www.autism.org.uk/services/helplines/education-rights.aspx

Hope this helps ! Love Jordan xxx

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Autistic children and the HAIRDRESSERS!!!

Many parents find that taking their child to the hairdressers can be a very difficult experience for all involved, I was one of those children, I hated it and screamed the place down. For mum it was an easier decision as we wanted long hair like her so she trimmed our hair herself, stopping split ends etc.

It can be very distressing for any child to have their hair cut, but for a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) a visit to a hairdresser may be particularly upsetting. This document provides a guide for parents to explain briefly why an individual may become distressed when having a haircut, and also suggests some strategies to help with these situations.

It is known that individuals who have an ASD often experience sensory difficulties. This is frequently overlooked as a possible cause of behaviour, but perhaps needs to be considered when going to the hairdressers. It is important to look at the environment of the hairdressers and to break down the process of having a haircut to gain better insight into why this experience may cause distress.

Many individuals experience difficulties with their touch system. Touch can be very painful for someone with an ASD which can make having a haircut very difficult. An individual may not like a hairdresser brushing and washing their hair, and the feel of the scissors or vibration of the hair clippers may be very uncomfortable. When having a haircut, a towel or drape is usually placed around the shoulders and neck of an individual which again may aggravate.

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The hairdresser or barber will also need to stand near the individual, and may brush against them, which may be distressing.

It can be uncomfortable for an individual to tilt their hair back or forward when having their haircut. This could particularly be an issue when having to tilt the head back to have the hair washed. The spray of the water may also be quite annoying for someone with an ASD. If a child is sensitive to noise, then this needs to be considered when going to the hairdressers.

It can be a noisy experience with the sound of hairdryers, hair clippers and background noise.

Most hairdressers tend to have powerful lighting and the bright lights may reflect from the mirrors causing discomfort. Some individuals may also find the strong smell of hair products very unpleasant.

If it is your child's first visit to the hairdressers, then perhaps not knowing what to expect may distress a child. If there has been no preparation for what is to be expected at the hairdressers, then the sight of an unknown person holding a pair of scissors near to the child's head can be very frightening. Sometimes there may be a particular word which triggers a negative reaction. For example the word 'haircut' may have to be replaced with 'trimming' or 'shortening the hair'.

There may also be the problem of the individual not understanding the reason why they should have their hair cut, and may not actually want their hair to be shorter (which looking back was my reasoning too, I didn’t want my hair cut).

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There are a number of ways in which you can help your child prepare for the experience of having a haircut. The following are suggestions that you may wish to try.

Many parents have found that it can help for a child to watch another person having their haircut so they have an insight into what to expect. If possible, it could help to make a video, perhaps of a sibling, going to the same hairdressers. This could include videoing the haircut and if you felt appropriate, the child getting a reward afterwards.

Some younger children may benefit from play-acting, pretending to cut the hair of a doll. It would be important to make this is as real as possible, and emphasising the sensory aspects that are a part of the process.

You could also try use child-friendly scissors with your child, to cut up paper at home. This may help them become familiar with the use of scissors and reduce any anxiety which is caused by the sight of scissors.

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Social Stories can be an extremely useful resource to help explain why we have our hair cut, and about the process of having a haircut. In My social stories book (Gray 2002), there are a number of examples of Social Stories about having a haircut. This is a good starting point to introduce the haircut to a child.

There are other ways in which using visual support can also be useful. Rather than surprising the child when the haircut is happening, it may be useful to use a haircut symbol on a calendar, so that the child is aware of when it will be taking place. It may help to choose a hair appointment near to the beginning or end of the day when it is likely to be quieter. Inform the hairdressers that your child may become very anxious if having to wait for their appointment. This will hopefully make the hairdresser aware of the need to be prompt when you and your child enter the shop. If you have booked an appointment, then it would be helpful to use a visual timetable for the day with perhaps a nicer activity after the haircut.

The child may also like to know how long the haircut is going to last. By using a timer, you could visually show when the haircut starts and finishes. It would be useful to set the timer for slightly longer than anticipated, to prevent the timer ending when the haircut has yet to be finished.

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In a similar way to Social Stories, a simple flip chart or tick chart could be used whilst having the haircut. A series of simple pictures can be used in sequence to warn the child of what is happening next. This can be used in conjunction with verbal warnings from the hairdresser to say what they will be doing next. It is important that the hairdresser provides verbal instructions of the process, so as not to alarm the child when his head is being touched or the chair is being raised. It is also important that when talking to the child, the hairdresser is made aware of the need to keep their language clear and simple.

If the sound or feel of the clippers causes too much distress, then it would be advisable to use scissors instead. If they are to be used, then warning the child when it will be turned on is crucial, and perhaps the child could get used to the vibration of the clippers when the barber is holding them.

Some parents find that providing the child with earphones and perhaps a personal stereo with their favourite music on helps to keep the child calmer. This can help to shut out background noise which may annoy a child. If this is used then visual prompts must be clear to indicate when the hairdresser is going to touch the child.

A number of hairdressers will have books or toys to entertain the child while having their haircut, however it may be more beneficial to bring favourite books or toys from home, even a hand-held computer game may offer valuable distraction. An alternative would be for the child to have a stress ball or Koosh ball to hold and manipulate whilst having their hair cut.

If your child is very sensitive to strong smells and is to have their hair washed at the hairdressers, then it would be advisable to take unscented shampoo or the shampoo that he/she is used to from home. If the process of having the hair washed may be too much added pressure, then perhaps it would be more suitable to ask the hairdresser for a dry cut, or just dampening the hair with a water spray. Some children may like to get involved with the cut, by perhaps spraying the water themselves? If a child resists having their hair brushed, then encouraging them to brush their own hair may help them get more used to the experience of touch to their head when having their haircut.

Once the hair has been cut, a child may find it irritating if there is stray hair on their skin. It may be useful to bring a change of clothes, so that hair won't be stuck to the top they are wearing.

Many parents find it easier for a hairdresser to come to the home to cut their child's hair. This would eradicate the issue of a new environment; however, all the preparation as mentioned above should still be considered. A word of warning with this is that if it is a particularly bad experience for the child, then there may be a problem caused by associating this experience with the room where they had their haircut. However, this is only a small consideration when thinking of the practicalities of having the haircut at home.

If you choose to have the haircut at home, you may need to ensure that the there is a mirror available so that the child is aware of what is happening, whilst the hairdresser is standing

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behind them. Any unexpected touch (if not warned or if the child cannot see when he is being touched) may cause further anxiety.

Some parents have found that the haircut is made easier by hugging their child in their lap.

This can provide gentle pressure which may have a calming effect for the child and reduce their anxiety, whilst having their hair cut.

Whether you choose a haircut at home or at the hairdressers, it may be useful to provide the person cutting the hair with information about ASD prior to the haircut. Also talk to them specifically about your child and about expected reactions, and don't hesitate to provide strategies and suggestions that may make the experience easier.

These are only suggestions that parents may wish to try, and as a parent you will know your child the best and what the reasons may be for them resisting having their haircut. Some parents may have found that all of the above have been tried before and not helped a situation. Parents in this situation have found that they have to resort to cutting their child's hair whilst they are sleeping as best they can.

I no longer have any issues with having my hair done as once I met Mums friend Tammy who is a hairdresser, I instantly liked her and trusted her, it also helps that we go to her house for a cuppa and a catch up while we all get our hair done and it’s really fun. I still wouldn’t go to any other hairdresser though but I’ve made progress and am very proud of myself for that.

Anyone in the Ayrshire area who is looking for a lovely calm hairdresser who is great with autistic kids then just click on the link below and drop her a message, I can’t recommend Tammy enough! This is her facebook

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007726124838

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What’s On in Ayrshire

***Ayrshire Veteran Breakfast club also meet every Monday morning at 10 in the Melbourne Café, Saltcoats. All welcome!***

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https://www.facebook.com/groups/476315025910707/ or https://www.facebook.com/VintageRoseTherapies.co.uk/

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Nas Largs Branch https://www.facebook.com/NAS-Largs-Branch-405708889866923/

For anyone wishing for an additional needs assessment in education, this is a draft letter to make a request just fill in the relevant information required, hopefully helpful: [Date]

[Parent’s Name] [Parent’s Address]

[Head of Education] [Council Offices Address]

Dear Sir or Madam, Re: Name of Child, Date of Birth – Assessment Additional Support Needs I am writing to request that my [son/daughter], who is a pupil at [School], is assessed to establish the extent of [her/his] additional support needs and to establish if [she/he] is receiving the correct level of support, as is the education authority’s duties under Section 6 and Section 8A of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004.

[Description of the reasons why you believe your child has additional support needs, specifying areas where your child is struggling and your suspicions as to what their barriers to learning are and the areas where your child needs support in order to benefit from their education]. As a result of this, [Child’s Name] is not currently receiving an adequate and efficient education, which the education authority is under a duty to provide under Section 1 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980.

Therefore, I request that my [son/daughter] is, in the first place, assessed by an education psychologist, to establish a baseline of [his/her] needs and what further specific assessments are required, to establish whether [he/she] has additional support needs within the meaning of Section 1 of the 2004 Act. [If possible, specify other appropriate professionals that you believe should assess your child (e.g. speech and language therapist; occupational therapist; physiotherapist), and why. Example: I also believe that an assessment by a speech and language therapist is required, because my son has difficulties communicating, which is having a detrimental impact on his education, and he is not currently receiving enough support to overcome those difficulties.]

I believe that my request should be dealt with as a matter of urgency, as my [son/daughter] is effectively being denied an education.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

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Apply for a Blue Badge: https://www.mygov.scot/apply-blue-badge/eligibility-who-can-have-one/

POLL: What would you like to read about in “JUST Jordan”?

Let us know by contacting us via email: jfernando_1997@hotmail.co.uk or suzfernando@yahoo.co.uk

HOW TO SUBMIT AN ARTICLE. If you would like to submit an article, picture, ask a question or offer support in next month’s newsletter please contact me via email: jfernando_1997@hotmail.co.uk or suzfernando@yahoo.co.uk

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Fundraiser A Huge Success!

We had an absolutely fantastic night raising funds for The National Autistic Society Scotland and The IMC Project Group.

A great time was had by all at Victoria Bar!

Together with local support, we raised over £900- and we’re all absolutely delighted and want to thank each and everyone of you who helped make the night a success!!!

Have to say big thank you's too Jim Watson and Louis Ferguson from 3tfm, the wonderfully talented Emma Durkan who played both the Harp and her violin and sang like an Angel x

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Also the 3 gorgeous ladies from The Isle of Cumbrae Pipe Band you were as always outstanding and most definately raised the roof!

And not forgetting our Headline Act of the evening the extremely sophisticated and very tanned....I mean talented Mr Mark Findlay who entertained us with his amazing voice where some got the chance to reminisce the good old days with a bit from the rat pack and The king himself!!

Mark is currently taking bookings so don't delay folks and get in touch!

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Very well done to everyone who won a raffle prize including Mr Alan Miller and his lovely wife Mary who both won 10 tickets for the Galleon Leisure Centre and a voucher for K.M.D Mobile Valeting and Detailing during the Raffle! Alan and his lovely wife donated the holiday at his cottage in Lochwinnoch complete with hot tub. Congrats to Mr Suave himself Mark Findlay who won the holiday auction and to Billy who won the Rangers FC Tour for 6 people in the 2nd Auction!

Not sure who else won what but am sure they will all love there prizes, just so many to mention!

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To our lovely friend Marion....well what can I say, such a gorgeous, kind, generous and talented photographer...you made the night complete providing us with fantastic memories to look back on, thank you!

I was absolutely blown away with the generosity of our local businesses who donated such amazing prizes....thank you thank you....so many to mention but here goes: Margaret Wilson at Vintage rose therapies Yvonne Clark - Morrisons Rachel Blades - Cupcakes.

Ken Macintosh (Presiding Office at The Scottish Parliament - Scottish Parliament Whisky

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Paul's Pattisserie - Cupcake Bouquet Appleberry Catering - delicious platters Maggie Smyth - delicious home baking All Things Sweet - Who made the delicious cakes laid out on your tables last night!!

Artby ElainaJamieson - Artby - who donated one of her own Snowy paintings Farmfoods Kerry Elliott & Shelley Elliott from The Little Box of Distractions Shara Sneddon - Carrick Irvine Caroline Anne photography - vouchers for various photo shoots Candy Crafts - various gifts including wine glasses and a clock Rangers Football Club - Tour for 6 people Oscars - Voucher ATK Wedding Cars - ÂŁ50 voucher Elaine at The Melbourne donation xx Alan - Little Arches Cottage http://www.hoseasons.co.uk/cottages/little-arches---s-s4665 Russ Banks - Who is not only one of Mums old Military Police colleagues but a wonderful friend with a beautiful talent for Art - He very generously donated a piece called - Todays Soldier I was very jealous not to have won that!!!

Sadly our Caricaturist Chris Taylor couldn't make it on the night but has generously offered to send us a caricature to be bidded for on the next event.

To Viking Cafe for the delicious food, couldn't have arrived at a better time!

Karen Jeffrey who donated a sweet hamper which we'll get for next event.

Scott Mitchell who is sending us some RAF memorabilia for our next event.

Catherine Wyllie- voucher Jane Dawson - Voucher

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Ron Howie - Clay Shooting Many items handed in by the lovely community on the night, apologies if I've forgotten anyone.... and much much more.......

A massive thank you has to go to the lovely Laura Moss for making the stunning Autism Cake....just wow!!

All the very best Jim as you take on the mighty Mount Everest come home safe!

If you didn't manage along to the event but would still like to make a donation please follow the link: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/justjordan21

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And definitely not forgetting our dear friends James & April who are always there to lend a helping hand!!

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Happy Anniversary & Happy Birthday Mum!

“JUST Jordan” Copyright of Miss Jordan Fernando Jfernando_1997@hotmail.co.uk suzfernando@yahoo.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/groups/213071952427706/ @JustJordan2016 https://issuu.com/justjordan19/ Disclaimer: All articles and information in this newsletter are of the writers own personal experiences and opinions.