"The team are amazing and so understanding"

My teenage son has Down syndrome, congenital heart disease and a missing right hand. He collapsed on holidays when there was only myself and him. I thought it was his heart but after a lot of investigations and overnight stays in hospital abroad and at home we were told it might be panic attacks.

It was a very scary time for both of us and I just felt our wee lives had changed forever and it was so unfair. Had we not enough to deal with with his heart etc.

I started to talk more to my son about what was worrying him and after a few weeks of putting all the bits of the jigsaw together I discovered it was school. He has severe learning difficulties and his speech can sometimes be unclear. He was being bullied by a much bigger boy who was never in his class before. No one seen anything and I was never told.

I arranged a meeting with the Principal of the school and after a lot of discussion he agreed it was best to move the boy. He got a key worker and a promised a permanent classroom assistant. Although his key worker has already changed I’m happy enough he has a familiar face to see everyday.

After being to Doctors several times we actually got a referral to Camhs. I just seem to have a fight everything we try to do.

We have been a few times and I can see light at the end of the tunnel. We are both practising breathing exercises. He seems not as anxious and the team are amazing and so understanding.

I don’t feel as alone anymore as I now have them for help. As a single parent living alone with my son it is hard but a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.