Help! - resits

[Alliegid]

Hi, my son is resitting one of his A levels this week as he only dropped 1 mark from a B apparently. Anyway, he has a painful medical condition and for the last couple of months has been on max doses of 3 different painkillers - cocodamol, naproxen &pregabalin and versatis plasters at night for the last few months .Some of these make concentration very hard and I wondered about submitting a letter to the examining board. Does anyone else have experience of this, what does letter need to cover etc . He attends a pain clinic, orthopaedic dept and the GP writes prescription, who do I need to contact and how long do I have to do this.
Thanks

[sherrardk]

Contact the school/college's examination officer (although you may have left it too late).

[Alliegid]

Thanks sherrardk - just didn't think of it before a friend mentioned it. Will contact college tomorrow & hope that it isn't too late. Surely examining board can't expect warning for all illnesses?

[China Doll]

A consultant could write a letter but I think you will have left it too late now, try asking the orthopaedic department, I guess a GP could do it too but I only know about consultants doing it. Is it a chronic condition? Because if so and he's never had or needed a medical letter for exams before then they might not see why he should do so now. Ring the consultants PA and your GP surgery first thing in the morning.

[daffy654]

Speak to the SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator) at your sons college/school tomorrow. They will know what needs to be done.

My son who has Asperger's Syndrome is allowed extra time in exams because of his condition and his SENCO said that children don't actually have to have a statement of special educational needs to be allowed extra consideration in exams.

[Alliegid]

Thank you China Doll & daffy654.
It is a very rare condition and he has never had a flare up during exam time before, so it hasn't been an issue. For some reason this time it has gone on & on with no respite and so had interfered with him getting to grips with revision.

Didn't realise that the SENCO dealt with physical problems too, he is also dyslexic so will be getting extra time for that

Will definately get on the phone tomorrow and see what I can fnd out

[Alliegid]

Quick up date, spoken to college who said get a letter in within 4 days of exam - apparently I can write one and so can GP. Spoken to GP who has written a letter briefly explaing condition & mentioning lack of concentration pain related to his various drugs. So mission accomplished - just hope that he did as well as he could in the exam - apparently he had it on his own in the gym as there was no other room available, as after a dyslexia assessment college did, they said that it would help him to say things out loud! He said it was chilly, so they found a little heater to plug in next to him - bless! I think the invigilator is used to him now!

[joko]

i had similar problems at college... many years ago now, but for me it was the cocodamol and prozac... it seems to make me unable to organise my thoughts... i forgot things i had been able to do for years like technical drawing etc... i didnt know until i sat down ready to do it and then would just be blank.
it did affect my marks... and i was offered the chance to re-do things and up my marks due to this, as the tutors knew the situation...but i didnt really care so i didnt do anything about it

i would speak to your gp, and contact the school, they will be best to advise