School bell makes autistic pupil life hell
For most pupils the school bell is a familiar sound, but for autistic 15-year-old Luke Tiller it is the very thing he fears - so much so that he doesn't want to go to school any more.
His mum Anne Tiller says their life has become a hell because of the school bell.
She believes if it wasn't for this, Luke would be able to concentrate fully on his lessons at Baycroft School, Stubbington, which caters for children with special needs.
She said: 'He is not Luke at school, he is so nervous. With autism it is all sensory and he can't cope with the bell.
'He will run to the other side of the school field to get away from the sound.
'He doesn't want to go to school any more because of the bell.
'I have to drag him in - it is awful.
She added: 'I have been told by the school that Luke could achieve a lot more and I have said to them "get rid of the bell then".'
Miss Tiller, 51, has suggested the school replaces the electric bell with a hand-held bell or a buzzer.
She says neither of these would affect her son.
Luke, of Perseus Place, Crookhorn, Waterlooville, wears ear defenders when he thinks the bell will go off but often doesn't know when it will ring.
And he has even written a powerpoint presentation on having autism and how the school bell makes him feel.
In the presentation, Luke says of the bell: 'It makes me jump.
'It makes the blood drain from my body. It makes me feel nervous.
'I want them to take it out. Having autism makes me sensitive to all these noises it hurts my ears.'
In a statement, Chris Toner, headteacher at Baycroft School, said: 'Strategies have been put into place to try to alleviate the situation regarding the noise from the bell for this particular student.
'These include allowing ear defenders when the bells are due to sound for break and lunch.
'The bells cannot be turned off as they are part of the school fire alarm system.
'There is a legal requirement for a minimum of 65 decibels, I will though arrange for a meter reading to check their current levels.
'The school is currently looking at upgrading the system to a 'beep sound' in 2010 as and when resources permit.'
DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY
Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates to people around them.
People with autism have difficulties with everyday social interaction. About a third to a half of individuals with autism do not develop enough natural speech to meet their daily communication needs.
Some people with autism have selective hearing or find specific sounds distressing, disturbing or even painful.
The main three symptoms of autism are:
Difficulties with social interaction – being unaware of what's socially appropriate
Problems with verbal and non-verbal communication
Lack of imagination and creativity such as not enjoying role-play games.
>> Vote in our latest web poll. About a third to a half of individuals with autism do not develop enough natural speech to meet their daily communication needs.
Some people with autism have selective hearing or find specific sounds distressing, disturbing or even painful.
The main three symptoms of autism are;
n Difficulties with social interaction - being unaware of what's socially appropriate
n Problems with verbal and non-verbal communication
n Lack of imagination and creativity such as not enjoying role-play games.
WORRIED Ann Tiller with her son Luke whose life is disrupted by the school bell Picture: Ian Hargreaves (094336-2)
School is urged to act as autistic pupil says bell makes his life hell
DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY
Luke is overcome by terror every time the alarm sounds in class
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