HI all,

I want to get my son a PC for xmas, left it a bit late I know, but I couldn't decide if he was old enough yet...

He has Aspergers Syndrome, and finds it difficult at school doing Handwriting. He is going to be having IT lessons with a specialist from the Ryegate centre in order to get his typing upto speed so that he can do most of his work on a pc instead.

So I would like to get him one at home to also be practising on,

I want one that is internet ready, it doesn't have to be top of the range, i've just had a look on dell and I find Dell's website exceptionally difficult to get my head around.

So, can anyone here help? do you have or do you make pc's to certain spec? and would that be cheaper?

What I don't want is some monolithic creation which won't even boot up (i've been down that road already)

So it has to be modern, have cd at least, dvd better, and be good enough to get on the net, he'll be wirelessly connecting to our network, so it doesn't need an internal modem.

Thanks if you can help my boys christmas! :)

A computer for an 8 year old ? send him to my house i bet he could teach me a few things:|

No Offence ~ But he probably could! lol :)


Thats the thing with having a child with AS, sure he's not socially as adept as other children his age and does have his own problems, but once he has chosen to focus his energy on something, then he knows everything about it, and can certainly teach me a thing or two about a lot of things.


Indded only last week he was showing his teacher in class how to use Google to search for websites about the planets, to show her how far away from the sun they are.

Einstein had AS ;)


So has Bill Gates.

I hope you saw that drama on BBC last night, "Magnificent Seven", based on a true story of a woman with seven children, and at least one of them had AS.

Anyway, back on topic....I wouldn't go with a Dell. It'd probably be better to go to a local retailer (including Comet and PC World), and get some advice. There are some good deals out there.

EDIT: Have you made enquiries of your local AS Support Group, who will probably be able to advise you on what they believe is best for your son.

Originally posted by beansforyou
No Offence ~ But he probably could! lol :)


Thats the thing with having a child with AS, sure he's not socially as adept as other children his age and does have his own problems, but once he has chosen to focus his energy on something, then he knows everything about it, and can certainly teach me a thing or two about a lot of things.


Indded only last week he was showing his teacher in class how to use Google to search for websites about the planets, to show her how far away from the sun they are.

Einstein had AS ;)


So has Bill Gates.

And so have I... :(

In fact my very first ever post on here was about it, search the archives to find it.

If anyone missed Magnificent 7 last night and wants to watch it, I taped it through my TV capture card and have burned it to a DVD, if anyone wants to borrow it send me a PM.

As for getting a PC for an 8 year old, ask Thorne House services for Autism (http://www.thorneautism.org.uk) as they are a specialist Autism specific support service who are originally based in Thorne near Donny but have offices on the Manor here in Sheffield, and in Lincoln, Nottingham and Hull.

he is definatly old enough, internet is an issue though, blocking unwanted material, but a lot of software is avaliable.
for 200-300 pound oyu could pick up a really decient spec pc, most pcs dotn have wireless technology as standard where as most laptop do now, but its easily added.
My advice would be to go to a computer shop, theres a few on london road and more all over, most these places will discuss your needs and budget and come up with a custom built pc for you.

Yes I have seen the Programme about Luke and his family before, I actually watched it before Michael (my son) was Diagnosed, and said to myself ' Thats Michael in another 7 years time'.

I'm reading Luke's book at the moment 'Freaks Geeks & Aspergers' it's very very good, it's a bit old for Michael to read himself yet, but its really made me feel much more at ease with the whole thing.

I've been Ill myself since I was about 12, and it took years for the doctors to diagnose me (I have Fibromyalgia along with other weird & Wonderful things) so it was a relief to find that the team at Ryegate were so helpful and professional.


Rich: My mum used to work with your mum at Dora Websters, we have met before but only very briefly, I have looked through the archives and read some of your very informative posts about AS before.


Back on Topic, the Internet is a concern for me, due to all the adult content flying around, I was going to look into the Nanny style software before purchasing a pc, but I also don't intend to leave him on his own, as i'd be getting him to use software to help with his schoolwork and the internet would be for revision etc, he has his games consoles for entertainment (although he does like Neopets :D )

I suppose he could just use mine or my partners, but I thought it would really make his christmas to wake up to have a new pc to himself.

Have you made enquiries of your local AS Support Group, who will probably be able to advise you on what they believe is best for your son.

I'm not aware of any local support groups for AS?

He is in mainstream school , they are undergoing his statement of educational need, and he also has a team of people helping him from Ryegate House, it is part of this team that are going to be helping with his IT, but like most things there are waiting lists :)

Just give him a carboard box - he wont know the difference. It also has the advantage to help him develop his creativity.

Only joking - I have to make 5 posts before I can advertise things to sell .. so posting nonsense. Good luck in getting him a computer he'll use. I have a family member with aspergers syndrome .. I think an old cheap laptop with do him nicely - to be more mobile than a desktop.

Here - now I can finally post other websites, check out http://www.sterlingxs.co.uk/scpages/oneofflaptopspecials.html It has more than you need - at a cracking cheap as chips price .. bargain, next day delivery too. Great customer service.

Cheers for that, but I can get a brand new Dell Laptop with dvdrw for £330 delivered.


And he'd get the cardboard box free ;)

Originally posted by insomniac
he is definatly old enough, internet is an issue though, blocking unwanted material, but a lot of software is avaliable.
for 200-300 pound oyu could pick up a really decient spec pc, most pcs dotn have wireless technology as standard where as most laptop do now, but its easily added.
My advice would be to go to a computer shop, theres a few on london road and more all over, most these places will discuss your needs and budget and come up with a custom built pc for you.

Far be it for me to say anything good about AOL, but in this case they might be good for you, as they have inbuilt software which moderates what kids see online and blocks any nasty stuff.

Just don't try and ring their techies if you have any problems, they're fugging hopeless :loopy:

Note to the Mods, soz about using an F word.

My first question is, how much would you like to spend?

I would suggest a laptop rather than a desktop, as he can take it to school with him, etc. Far better to have your own setup at school and at home rather than a different one at school to home.

Next thing I would suggest is don't purchase a top of the range, brand new laptop. If it is going to school, it is more than likely going to be used and abused and we all know what kids are like.

Depending on how much money you have to spend I would suggest getting a refurbished laptop, and spend the extra cash saved on some beneficial learning software.

Refurbished laptops at these two sites......
http://www.studentcomputers.co.uk/refurbished-laptops-uk/cheap-laptops-uk.htm

http://www.laptopsuperstore.co.uk/laptopviewer.asp?ID=49&type=usedlaptops

and
tier1-online
on ebay :)

Originally posted by beansforyou
Yes I have seen the Programme about Luke and his family before, I actually watched it before Michael (my son) was Diagnosed, and said to myself ' Thats Michael in another 7 years time'.

I'm reading Luke's book at the moment 'Freaks Geeks & Aspergers' it's very very good, it's a bit old for Michael to read himself yet, but its really made me feel much more at ease with the whole thing.

I've been Ill myself since I was about 12, and it took years for the doctors to diagnose me (I have Fibromyalgia along with other weird & Wonderful things) so it was a relief to find that the team at Ryegate were so helpful and professional.


Rich: My mum used to work with your mum at Dora Websters, we have met before but only very briefly, I have looked through the archives and read some of your very informative posts about AS before.


Back on Topic, the Internet is a concern for me, due to all the adult content flying around, I was going to look into the Nanny style software before purchasing a pc, but I also don't intend to leave him on his own, as i'd be getting him to use software to help with his schoolwork and the internet would be for revision etc, he has his games consoles for entertainment (although he does like Neopets :D )

I suppose he could just use mine or my partners, but I thought it would really make his christmas to wake up to have a new pc to himself.



I'm not aware of any local support groups for AS?

He is in mainstream school , they are undergoing his statement of educational need, and he also has a team of people helping him from Ryegate House, it is part of this team that are going to be helping with his IT, but like most things there are waiting lists :)

If you're looking for local support groups, ask social services about Thorne House who I've mentioned previously in this thread.

Oh and what's your Mum's name? I'll see if my Mum remembers her from Dora's.

Hi! My son is also 8 and has numerous disabilities (Tourettes, OCD, AS etc) and has mild learning Disabilities and motor learning problems. He finds writing, especially large amounts, very hard. He has use of an Alpha Smart word processor for school that was provided by STEPS. I'm not sure if STEPS are still about as an organisation as they had some kind of shake up and got a new name I think (or something like that!)

He doesn't use it all the time but it's really usefull for high volume work such as story writing and enables him to produce a piece of work that is legible and looks nice. There are one or two kids at his school who use them and a few at my daughters old senior school too.

Maybe you could ask his school to enquire about the use of one? iT's really helped him no end. And just like your son, he excells at I.T and can show most adults a thing or two!!

As for support groups, there is an excellent one in Hillsborough called Ray of Hope. Pm me if you'd like some details :)

HI FF,

Funnily enough when I went to University I had an Alpha-Smart (I have Fibromyalgia and writing is painful for me)

When I finished I gave it to my sons school, never realising that he may end up using it one day!

I would like more details about ray of hope, thanks :)

Originally posted by beansforyou
HI FF,

Funnily enough when I went to University I had an Alpha-Smart (I have Fibromyalgia and writing is painful for me)

When I finished I gave it to my sons school, never realising that he may end up using it one day!

I would like more details about ray of hope, thanks :)

I just tried to PM you to ask you what they call your Mum to see if my Mum remembers her from Dora Webster's but your inbox is full...

Mods, I know this is off topic and perhaps not apt for this thread but I'm just bringing the fact that I tried to PM bfy to their attention.

On the videolan thing beansforyou............. You need to clear your PM's :wink:

HI

inbox emptied...sorry :blush: