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SN children

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Original poster

DS refusing to go swimming now

13 replies

coff33pot · 01/11/2011 11:49

Still not seen an OT yet about DS sensory issues can anyone give me any advice so I can help DS enjoy his swimming?

In the summer we lived on the beach with the dog in the evenings and he was in and out of the sea all the time. Admittedly fully clothed in shorts and t shirt. I then changed him to dry clothes no problem.

Now swimming at school he is dreading going. He starts Sunday night "is it swimming tomorrow as I dont want to go" Then he asks the same on monday and repeats monday night. It is on a tuesday and he wont come in end of play. School says to pick him up early and maybe he will learn if he misses his chance on swimming. Already told them that is exactly what he is trying to avoid.

I have agreed that today I will pick him up early as there is no way he was going to sleep and it was gone midnight. He says he hates it, that his clothes feel funny and stick and then feel rough to put on.

He hates the feeling of clothes at the best of times so I guess I can understand that once his uniform is on he is loathe to take it off and put it back on (I have to help him anyway as he gets mixed up) . Also they dont help him and he has ended up the two weeks he went coming home in someone elses trousers, and then someone elses underpants and distressed because they couldnt get his back. He has diffulty drying himself which I think adds to the stress.

It could be he doesnt like everything noisy and there are a lot of children going so that may be the problem. But it cant be the actual water as I cant get him out of the sea or bath!

OP posts:

LunarRose · 01/11/2011 11:59

Is he at SN school or mainstream? Guessing mainstream. No you can't just say he will learn by missing out, he won't. He'll just learn if he kicks up enough of a fuss he's get out of doing what he's nervous about

Is he a youngster? can no-one help him get dressed and dry, surely there is someone at the school who can help? Might talcum powder help to get him feeling dry?

does sound like his distress at swimming is as much anxiousness about getting in a muddle getting changed as the swimming itself.

what about earplugs, or these

Original poster

coff33pot · 01/11/2011 12:06

He is in mainstream Lunar and he is 6. I am going into school a bit early to actually ask if his 1 to 1 cannot help him get dry after all she does go to swimming with him. And maybe help with the clothes.

Its daft the way they do it anyway. Everyone rips their clothes off and then its all left in a muddle. You would think the teachers would encourage them to put their clothes in their bag as they take it off or something like that. Also they never check to see if anything is left behind. But this is the norm anywhere I think :)

Talcum powder is a good idea, if they give him time to do it that is. Its always rush rush and he cant keep up. He is part time and just stays this extra hour for swimming as of course I want him involved in as much a poss, but when I have picked him up, he just has his vest on and his school jumper back to front, even his trousers have been backwards and no socks on his feet (he hates the feel of socks anyway) And they leave him like it :(

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LunarRose · 01/11/2011 12:33

That's really sad

Mine just started SN ed, I think sometime the parents have a lot smoother ride in special needs schools than mainstream. from what I remember of DS statement help with dressing was a part of it,could it be incorporated into yours? I know it's piling the pressure on you, and you shouldn't be the one to have to sort out everything they can't be arsed to do but is there anyway they'd let you in/you could go in, to help him for swimming?

how on earth do they manage PE either????

Original poster

coff33pot · 01/11/2011 12:44

He would only do PE if it was aparatus and he could climb so he could be higher than anyone else (away from them) Too many children for him to contend with in such a big space. So he would practice ball games with his TA with his clothes on

I am in the process of re wording the statement for a meeting so I just looking into putting that in there somewhere :)

I just had one idea, if I give him on small towel to dry and another in a bag sprinkled with Talc already to rub over maybe that might sort it. I did offer to go to swimming with him but they said no as other children are present changing (Yessssss I know! but I can see where they are coming from there)

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LunarRose · 01/11/2011 12:56

Why can't they CRB check you as a volunteer helper??? Our school actually asks any CRB checked mums to come in and help after swimming

Original poster

coff33pot · 01/11/2011 12:59

Worth asking! maybe the expense of CRB check just might tempt them into helping him dry himself and change Off to school now so I see what I can sort out.

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IndigoBell · 01/11/2011 13:09

If you don't want him to do swimming, he should stay at school and be given other work to do.

He shouldn't have to go home.

IndigoBell · 01/11/2011 13:10

I'd use this opportunity for him to catch up academically with whatever he's weakest at :)

He doesn't have to go swimming.

tryingtokeepintune · 01/11/2011 13:25

When ds was in ms, his 1:1 helped him get undressed and dressed or is at least around to help him if he needed it etc and made sure that his things were in the bag. Like you say, afterall, she was going swimming with him.

Dawndonna · 01/11/2011 13:58

Mine hate swimming, the pool distorts noise, they can't hear properly, and it frightens them. They didn't do school swimming. They are 15 and 16 now and only one will go, and then only at quiet times.

Ineedalife · 01/11/2011 14:03

I used to volunteer to go with the school when Dd3 started going, mainly to keep an eye on her. It was a real eye opener. The children were rushed getting dressed and undressed and the first time Dd3 went she was called a slowcoach. I looked daggers at the stupid cow teacher and she never said it again.

It was too late for Dd3 though she stopped drying herself altogether and just shoved her clothes on in a panic.

I would recommend that you are really firm about this, if your Ds needs help they should be helping him not leaving him to struggle.

lisad123 · 01/11/2011 14:11

my dd1 hates school swimming too, her hair is long and her jumper gets wet on ride home, she hates the teacher, the noise and the fact they moved her down a group really made her mad!!
I would ask if its possible for him to get out the pool 10 mins early to give him enough time to dry properly and without so much noise.

DH (who we believe has asd) has to be completely dry before he will put a single piece of clothes on!! me i couldnt care less.

Original poster

coff33pot · 01/11/2011 14:38

Well Head not available so will have to have a word in the morning.

He is part time till 1.15. They allowed him to stay and swim as part of the curriculum and the TA volounteered to go with him. Now I think they phone me up so that the TA can go help everyone else regardless of wether he goes or not.

I dont have much clout in this department as they are funding his 1 to 1 at the moment. Once his statement is finalised (if I dont have to go to tribunal) and there is in black and white 25 hours 1 to 1 for him solely then I can suggest he stays and learns something when he hopefully goes back to full time.

He was quite happy which is as I expected engrossed in half a dozen encyclopedias and dictionairies. Makes me laugh really he cannot read well so you would think they would actually look at the books with him Never mind we have borrowed some and my current lesson is Cleopatra and her asp (I did say ASP

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