How do you get a child to recognise their limitations?

[ChopsTheDuck]

We've had 6 weeks off school, where I've been watching ds like a hawk, and I can see when he is getting tired and he needs to slow down or use his chair. He still gets to go on his bike, go swimming, run, climb etc. but it is all carefully paced.

Now he is back at school, he is overdoing it again. Was a complete nightmare after school yesterday, tearful, violent, and basically a little terror. Threw his car seat cover out the window while we were driving, punched his little brother, wouldn't talk or make eye contact except repeating 'clever!' constantly. Numpty here, decided I would still go to morrisons and had to drag him round holding both hands.

We got home, and he was trying to take his bag of comics upstairs (had told him to go up and rest) and howling cos of pain in his hands and wrists and he couldnt hold it. Spoke to dd and she told me his legs had started giving out in the playground, he couldnt stand and had to sit. She made sure he had a chair and he stayed on it. But he still went ahead and did PE later in the afternoon. Then he ends up impossible.

The school are supportive, and the idea is that he does as much as he can, but HE doesnt know when to stop. I can't really expect the teacher to recognise it neither. I've talked to ds no end, but it isnt sinking in.

[HairyMaclary]

I've no advice but I'm going to watch this to see if anyone has, DS is heading the same way. He's just started reception and while they are on top of it now and will probably be for infants I can see the issue becoming bigger as he gets older. It's hard as I never want to actually have to tell him that he can't do something because of his CP as we do all sorts with him, and as yet he's too little to see how carefuly it's all planned!

[Scottie22]

I have a much younger dd - she's only 2 but I'm forever having to 'rescue' her from tricky situations she gets herself in as she has no idea she can't physically manage things. She has poor balance and low/fluctuating tone but will try anything, runs constantly which is very painful to watch and climbs.

I'm wondering already how to deal with this situation when she gets older and is away from me at school so again, no useful advice (sorry) just a close interest!

[ChopsTheDuck]

maybe there jsut isn't a solution, other than goign to school with him

I was lucky in that his previous teacher was really good at spotting when he was overdoing it. But juniors is so different, I don't think the teachers can watch any particular child that much.

I could start taking his chair to school, which would encourage him to rest more, but then he'd probably go the other way and overuse it. He needs to exercise as much as poss to strengthen the joints, just not to the point of collapse!

[ChopsTheDuck]

Bumping up again, in hope!

Had an routine appointment with the senco yesterday. He is adament that ds must learn his limitations, and seems unwilling for the school to intervene very much.

I'm concerned abotu any long term damage ds is doing by overstraining his joints, but have no hard evidence to present to the school on that basis. I don't want him to end up using a wc more than he has to, or not being able to do the normal stuff that he enjoys.