Hi all
My DD just turned 7, she has autism, non verbal, and just started a new school. We live abroad, but it's basically a special needs class within a mainstream school. All special needs mixed froge 7 to 12 , only 2 kids with ASD. Most of the other kids seem fairly high functioning but that's just my impression.
DD has always been very fond of swimming pools, lakes, sea etc. It's really her thing, except she can't swim just yet. She needs individual classes with a special needs instructor and we haven't got around to that yet.
Her new class is going to the pool once a week for the whole school year. In theory that's great but in reality it's not. They don't make any arrangement/adaptation to the children's level, whether they can swim or not they have to stay in the big pool (2m deep) and hang on the side during the session (doing I don't know what).
DD is panicking big time because her feet don't touch the bottom and she's not allowed to have armbands or a ring. From her point of view, her fear is very understandable as she thinks she might just drown....
Last week she must have been so terrified that she hurt her fingertips on the edge of the pool really badly, her towel was covered in blood and her fingertips are still sore and not healed 7 days later.
So I requested that they make some adaptation for her, for instance let her stay in the medium pool where she feels more secure and learn from there. The school refused - saying it's already small group (12 kids) and they can't let DD do her own thing. She must stay in the big pool with the others no matter what (some of them can't swim either but don't panic like her). And "if I don't want her to go to the pool I should keep her at home" (they know I'm not working).
So am I overreacting in thinking this is totally unfair? DD will just develop a phobia and it will take ages to break that. Which makes me mad because she always loved swimming pools so much.
I've looked into private classes but everything around here is fully booked until January. I also spoke with a swimming instructor who thought it didn't make any sense to teach children (SN or not) that way.
Should I keep DD at home those days or insist until they make some efforts for her?
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Swimming sessions with school - Am I overreacting?
13 replies
eskimomama · 04/10/2016 16:05
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zzzzz ·
04/10/2016 19:07
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PolterGoose ·
04/10/2016 21:16
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zzzzz ·
05/10/2016 10:27
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