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Hand dryers in school

8 replies

millyk · 28/06/2018 15:19

How do you cope with sensory issues with your girls? And how accomodating are school? My 6 year old is in mainstream and struggles massively with hand dryers. Wouldn't go near a public loo for years, still very reluctant even with ear defenders. They have hand dryers at school. In year r they covered it up and she was fine. When it came to year 1, she was allowed to carry on using the year r toilets. This worked for a while, until the year r children started to question why she was using them and then I think she felt pressured into using the year 1 toilet with the hand dryer. We started to get school refusal around this time, I think not just because of the hand dryer, although this was a big part of it. So school agreed to take the fuse out and she is now using the year 1 toilets with no hand dryer. As we transition to year 2 school plan for her to use the year 1 toilet next year still, but after last year, I'm wary we'll end up with the same issues. I would like them to take the fuse out so she can use the same toilet as the rest of her class. Is this reasonable? Or am I asking to much? We try not to shield her too much but do take her lead on things mostly. Personally I think she should be as comfortable in the school environment as is possible. I'm sure school think I'm being over the top. I think they think if she is exposed more to these things she'll just get use to them but that's not the experience we have at home. Anyway, sorry for rambling, just curious to know how everyone else approaches these things. Thank you.

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Frusso · 28/06/2018 20:20

The same set of children that questioned it in yrR will be the same ones that will be in yr1 next year.

Why can't they just replace the fuse I. The yr1 toilets and take the one out of the yr2 toilets instead?

millyk · 28/06/2018 23:46

That's the thing. It's so simple, and we'll complain until they do. But I hate their attitude. It's like they think she should be getting used to them by now and by keeping the hand dryer they are preparing her for the real world. That's how it feels anyway.

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Frusso · 28/06/2018 23:55

In the "real world" Hmm she'd have access to an accessible toilet when out and about.

CaptainKirkssparetupee · 29/06/2018 15:12

The real world doesn't dictate you have to use hand drayers, in fact a lot of people these days hand antibacterial gel instead.

LadysFingers · 30/06/2018 13:46

DD is grown up and while her SPD has got better in that she can tolerate loud noise (like the cinema, music, etc) better; she still can’t cope with the noises that really get to her like hand dryers, women’s high pitched laughter, etc!

IMO, the school is being unrealistic in expecting your DD to be able tolerate noises like hand dryers by Y2!

LightTripper · 06/07/2018 09:47

I actually asked my DD's school about this (she is just about to start reception) as I noticed there were hand dryers, and they say they turn them off anyway as they are distracting for all the children: they only turn them on for parent events. Feels like a very easy thing for a school to do, to just use paper towels instead!

millyk · 06/07/2018 11:21

Feeling angry with them today. She's not done a full day since January and it feels like such a simple thing yet they just don't want to accommodate her. Makes me question whether it's the right place for her to be honest.

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millyk · 06/07/2018 11:22

I hope your daughter settles in well LightTripper.

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