School Swimming Lessons and Autism.

[JAKEJEM]

Hi all, just after a bit of advice if anyone can help. My son who is 7 and has asd is already panicking about school swimming lessons which are due to start in May. One of the many hurdles apart from the fact that he can't dry himeslf (and doesn't want his 1:1 to either), can't swim, can't tolerate the noise in the pool etc etc etc......is that he is really getting stressed about wearing the "compulsory" swimming hat/cap that we have been informed he "must" wear due to Health & Safety reasons. Although I have expressed deep concern about this at meetings, due to severe sensory issues - i.e. haircuts, anything near his ears result in pain etc etc, I am still being told by HT that is regulation and he MUST wear one, otherwise he cannot go into the pool. I did read somewhere, a while ago, that this does not count as a "reasonable adjustment" under the Disability Discrimination Act, but I cannot find it anywhere, please help, my DS is getting really anxious about this

Well, it's like a teacher saying 'oh no you wear glasses, now all the children will want to wear glasses, so can you take them off and just be the same as everyone else?'

Hi everyone, just got chance to read this, thankyou for all your fantastic advice and support, you have given me the courage to carry on xxxxxx

The thing is though, that it might be hard to explain to the class whilst retaining the child in questions right to privacy. You can't say "x is disabled, you are not!". Perhaps the mother could give the teacher permission to explain to the other kids, but what about the other parents? It sounds so simple and the best thing to do for your child, but just maybe they are trying to make it so he isn't different? Or perhaps they are just jobsworthy sods!

Hello,

As far as the Discrimination Act, ACE or IPSEA could advise. Have you approached Parent Partnership the may be able to approach the school.

Our daughter at that age was in a unit within the school. She refused to put on the cap or submerge her head in the water. She hated water on her face. She would cover her ears in the changing room and as well at times in the pool due to the echoes of the children.

Our school was not bothered about the cap. Though they manage to put one on her at the end of a term. There are two caps available: Latex, which some children are allergic to or spandex, which we liked because it went on comfortably.

Our daughter at that time could not swim. We spent weekends at the pool. She would panic if anyone tried to teach her. But she loved the water! With that said, she overcame the fear as we challenged with small targets: "chin in" (aproxim. 4 weeks), "Chin, mouth"( 4weeks), Chine, mouth, cheeks" etc. The same we did for the googles, "just place them on the face, and off" then pool, "on face and pull elastic" then pool. Each on of theses examples built into a final target. The same with dressing at the pool.
Just the motions of drying - count them! teach each one separately. Maybe some time on one motion perhaps after bath time. After, four years. Our daughter joined the special needs swimming club and loves it! She wears goggles, changes, etc.
She just loves the water. Skill after skill it compounds. Love and patience.

P.S. I don't think that is a reasonable adjustment, because perhaps his sensory system cannot tolerate a cap, not only that he cannot focus/funtion to the best of his ability during these sessions. I would "WRITE" to the Educational Psychologist/LEA to confirm this in writing. Or ask his recommendations.

Love and Patience..

HI, i am new to mumsnet,and have a 11 year old boy who is in the process of being assed for a.s.d and dyspraxia. He never wanted to go in the water and we first thought he was hydrophobic,but have realised that it is part of his condition. We paid a lot of money to a wonderful and very very patient swimming teacher,who got him into the water(this took three lessons!!). After months and months he can now swim,and enjoys it. He doesent like public swimming pools,and we are lucky that a family member has a pool in their garden which we use.This whole process is a learning curve for myself and my extended family....getting my mum to understand is very hard!!...any advice and helpfull hints would be great.

Hi dillychimp. This is a very old thread. You'd be better off starting your own thread, just click on 'Start a new thread in this topic' near the top of the page just under the blue bar with 'Topics....' on it and you should get more answers.