To feel sad that it’s always my daughter ( but aware she is not the only child in the school )

[Alwaystheway2012]

My daughter is in year 6 and I’m just gutted for her again.
swimming apart of the school curriculum but they choose specific years to do it each year due to funding. Last year was only the year 6 class. Daughter did school swimming in year 4 and not last year. Due to the curriculum stating that by the end of year 6 they should be able to swim 25 meters the school are again focusing on year 6 this year and those who can not yet swim 25 meters.
my daughter I medically complex and requires a iv central line ( Hickman line )
which goes in to the main vein of the heart/ blood stream.
we got the all clear to do swim lessons in year 4 and on holidays etc with a protocol of

swimming - shower - dressing change of Hickman line and changed to the end connector with in 30 minutes of leaving the pool. This was all good swimming was at the end of the day and I met them there showered her and did her dressing.

Dressings should ideally only be done once a week so swimming day became her dressing day.

however for short periods like for example a holidays more than once a week is allowed just her for extended period of time.
The school are aware of this as at the time I had to get medical clearance
so anyway with really short notice the school have announced year 6 will do swimming differently and instead of going to the swimming pools once a week. They have hired a swimming pool for the playground for a few weeks and instead of doing week sessions through term they will do daily lessons for these weeks. The pool is chlorine treated so as protocol she would need to shower.
there is no showers at school. They are getting changed in tents in the playground, then will have showers at home after school. Her dressing would need to be changed after but then again after I showered her at home so 2 x a day dressing changes which really isn’t feasible.

the only way I can think is that he does every other day and the last lesson of the day so I can collect run her to shower and change dressing at home making it just once and every other day ( which is fine ) but I can’t dictate the timetable as again she is just one child so the timetable can’t be based around her.

so I’m guessing yet again I will have to tell her that she don’t go in the swimming pool with her class 🥹🥹

no point in this post apart from a rant because it’s always something 🙈

No so apparently cheaper than taking them swimming weekly to the local pools. They hire the pool and if comes with staff ( teacher and life guard )

I have emailed the school and they are generally quite good but I do always feel like it’s us trying to change something !!!
ive emailed her team to just in case they don’t see an actual issue with the scenario.

Omg please do not risk this - as a fellow Hickman line person on TPN it is far far far too risky for sepsis. Just a big no.
the school should however recognise this is unreasonable for her and provide alternative options - a community shop visit during swimming time with a TA to develop independence skills? Another fun activity in the community like ice skating?

That's difficult. Long term Hickman's save lives, but you obviously want to avoid her developing sepsis & having the access replaced.

I attended hydro with one of mine, depending on my situation medically at the time but would not have risked it without a shower afterwards. Other times it was a no no

If they can't move things about for your daughter (reasonable adjustments) what about cleansing the site & surrounding area & lines with additional chlora prep? It depends on the reason for the line I guess, her medical team have approved swimming, when most wouldn't, so it's worth exploring all options.

I never had much luck with waterproof covers but it's been a while.

I hope you/they come up with something, life's hard enough with medical issues.

She is all cleared to go swimming. Has been for 3 years the issue is not that swimming is unsafe it’s the no shower / timings / and when we would do the dressing changes.
I’m hoping they will agree she can do end of day and then I can collect and take directly home shower and change dressing instead of either doing it twice because of lack of shower or leaving dressing too long after. I have emailed her team so hopefully they will get back to me it so hard because academically / cognitively she is just like her peers and so attends a mainstream setting.

Same reason as you but they changed the swimming protocol a few years ago.

I worked in a school which had one of these temporary pools about 12/13 years ago when they were just starting up. It was heated to the same temperature as a normal public pool.

And OP, it is absolutely fine to flag this up to the school. If anything, it's probably best to have Y6 swimming last as they're not likely to need 3 hours to put their socks on. Quicker changing means they can swim longer. Plus it's minimum interference with relentless SATS practice that dominates Y6 days.

I wouldn't worry about being "that parent". For other people, it's easier to go with the flow. It's different for you. If I were a parent at the school, I wouldn't mind at all if swimming lessons were changed time, alternate days etc to accommodate your DD.Hope you can find a solution

Can you take her home to shower at any time of the day OP?