Help lost and confused

mommy3t

I need serious help! I have a now 3yr old lil girl she went for testing yerterday to see what her diagnose would be but she was diagnosed with pica last month an since tested positive for lead an we found out she is eating paint off the walls we did not know the paint was lead when we moved in an I lost my job last month due to not finding a daycare that will take her because they did say she was special needs an everyone is afraid of the pica she eats everything including my newborns nails. But anyway I need to move but I lost my job an struggling to make rent here I need to know if there is anyone to help find another house or housing or anything its not safe for her here an I am a single mom with 2 other children. Is there any organization that can help?

toast

You have a lot on your plate at the moment. No wonder you are feeling overwhelmed and lost. But one thing at a time- firstly your daughter. Waiting for a diagnosis is tough. Does she have any other issues / developmental delays?

RE the pica. My daughter does this too. For her it is her way of exploring her environment. We cannot stop her from doing it. All we can do is offer alternatives for oral stimulation and try and make the environment safer so she cannot cause herself harm. She has a chewy necklace - chewlery. We've also tried chewy tubes. Have a look on the fledglings website here for chewy toys: http://www.fledglings.org.uk/ You may also find some baby things on the high street that could work

RE making the environment safer, you may be limited if the building is unsafe. Do what you can. For now can you put up wall hangings - fabric throws etc over the loead paint? Or just try and keep her away from the areas of paint? Contact your council housing team. Involve advocacy services. Citizens Advice Bureau should help you. Gingerbread is a good organisation for single parents. SWAN are a special needs organisation supporting families with a child who's special needs are undiagnosed

I am shocked at the attitude of your daycare provider - they cannot refuse a child because of their special needs. That is against the disability discrimination act. I would approach other nurseries and report that one

mommy3t

She has a speech delay she didn't say a word until 9 months ago now she says 3 word sentances. She also has a sleep problem like 5hrs a day an not all at once, she has serious behavior of aggression twords everyone and tantrums.
I will call an email all 3 I was told lead paint taste sweet an after 8 it causes serious brain damage an the higher it gos it will go into her bones an if she ever gets pregnant in the future she will pass the lead over to her unborn child an that scares me.
I thank you I will report them I didn't know they can't deny her

Natasha Brown

you ned a key person who can help cooridnate and suppot - start with your ehalth visitor and keep badgering her to get you th supprot you need - she can write to housing. early years provision a council and so on.

also ask for assessment as a "child in need" from children with disabiliies social worker team - they can also support you for housing etc. social services can help you here - it doesnt mean you doing bad job - they have team for children with disabiltiies and they can hold the key to day care, housing and so on as they can draw everone together .

ask health visitor for referral to local support for children with disabilities - depens on where you are who that might be but strt by tellign what you said on here to health visitor and ask health visitor to support you by referring to housing social services etc. sure/start/homstart might also offer volunters etc to help you at home few hours per week