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swimming/ advice schools and asd can any parents advise please

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Hello everyone,

 

just wanted to know about the problems your children have encountered/or not with regards to swimming. What happens to children when they are physically exempt, do you need a doctors certificate to make them exempt from swimming.

 

Our k has bowel problems so do i ask the school what he can do instead. He will be in year 5 even though he is going to be 10 soon. What year are they supposed to learn. I told him he may have to go swimming this year, big mistake. The school and the LEA have said they want us a parents to get him used to the swimming pool so we should take him. They kmow about the MS. They did not even ask if we could manage this or not and what other help we could seek.

 

My better half has MS and cannot manage, i could take our k myself but he is not wanting to go and i just about cope with him on my own at times with his behaviour. I would like him to swim but its a no no and unless he has better support at school its not going to happen. This is something they have not even put in the statement so whats the point of this. So angry that they (LEA) are inconsiderate.

 

What are your experiences as parents when having to deal with this, how did you manage ?

 

Many thanks

 

sarni.

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my son learnt to swim but hated it, he had problems with geting changed, foot bath(the manky water ) the noise and shouting in the pool , he has dyspraxia so struggled anyhow.It,s important they learn to swim but he has to feel comfortable, what about 1;1 teaching or classes aimed at those with disabilities, have you enquired at your local leisure centre.As far as the school goes have a meeting with senco and head, explain your worries and concerns, school can disapply from swimming , they did it with my son in yrs 11-13 with regards to pe.

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Hi Sarni

 

I took my son swimming when he was less than a year old for a few months. I can't remember there being significant difficulties, possibly because I kept him mostly upright in the water and I always held him. The real problems were in the changing room then as he never stayed still! These were lessons held in the swimming pool of the special needs pool with less chlorine than the norm and a higher water temperature than usual swimming pools.

 

He started swimming again at age 3 when he had a weekly swimming lesson at his Special Needs nursery which happened to be the same swimming pool as before. This was around the time when his problems with bathing at home - getting his hair washed and getting splashed - were becoming more apparent so the first lessons were simply to get him used to dangling his legs in the water then bit by bit going more into the pool.

 

On holiday this year we had private use of a small pool for an hour. It was clear that my son still has a lot of problems with being splashed and (I think) feeling quite unsafe in the water but after a while he relaxed and was laughing (my husband kept hold of him at all times). The temperature of the water was quite low which was quite different to what he is used to. This seemed to make quite a difference as he went into another pool later on in the holiday which was very shallow an described as 'tropical' so a little warmer and his feet touched the bottom and he enjoyed himself from the start! The getting redressed is an issue as he has problems with getting water on his clothes too.

 

I think that learning to swim has been important for my son. He has to deal with many sensory difficulties but comes home and tells me with a big smile on his face that he has 'splashed in the water' when I ask about swimming. We have seen improvements with regards to going out in the rain (he can now cope with this) and he can now enjoy being in the bath with his sister who splashes like a maniac and is in close proximity to him! He also no longer panics when he spills water or juice on his clothes (he used to get very upset, saying it was 'dirty' and wanting his clothes taken off).

 

The school obviously think it is important too. Now in Primary 1 they have increased his swimming lessons to 2 per week.

 

I don't know how any of the above applies to your son having MS and being older however, is there some way he could attend lessons with assistance to accomodate his various difficulties and anxieties whatever they are? If you are being asked to take him yourself to get him used to the water are there any swimming lessons available locally where you could get assistance? Quite often there are shallow pools for younger children and perhaps you could use one of those? A mum chum of mine has a little boy with Cerebral Palsy who also has the school lessons but also goes to the local pool with a carer who is paid through Direct Payments. He has limited mobility but my understanding is that it is very good for his muscles and he enjoys his lessons. He goes when it is quite quiet so there's less risk of being splashed or banged into.

 

Lynda :)

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Hi

 

My youngest loved swimming, until he went to Junior School. For one thing another child peed in my eldest's shoes, plus the teacher told him to "swim 3 widths underwater". He took that literally and tried really hard to swim the whole 3 widths under the water. He hates swimming now :wallbash:

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My lad had a lot of trouble with swimming at primary school. I always took him swimming from a very early age and he loved being in the pool, but he just wanted to play in the water. He'd find a boat and walk around the edge of the pool floating it around and splash around, etc. When it came to swimming at school it was all business and no playing and he couldn't handle it. I used to go with them to help him to change in the changing room and his TA would take him into the pool. He would become totally over-excited though and splash wildly and be totally uncontrolable. They used to try to get him to cooperate with some of the exercises, floating him on his back and trying to get him to kick, but his head would be in the water half the time and he'd squirm and splash wildly and was all over the place, totally uncoordinated. In the end they banned him from going. I continued to take him and he was happier just to be free to play. I couldn't get him to cooperate with actually learning to swim until he was about 14. By then he hadn't been swimming for a while, as he was too old for the little pool and couldn't play in the big pool like he used to. When he was 14 I decided I would actually teach him to swim properly. It was difficult but he was ready to listen and cooperate and he did learn to swim but found it hard going. He was so proud of himself though and it was the first time he'd ever actually pushed himself and persevered at trying with anything, and he'd succeeded!! After a couple of months though, he decided it was all too much like hard work and he started getting moody and grumpy when I took him and then he decided he didn't want to go anymore. He hasn't swum since, even when we're on holiday he refuses to go in the pool and it's a real shame as, if he'd stuck at it, he would have been quite a good swimmer by now. I guess he'll go when and if he's ready but I fear he's been put off for life now.

 

~ Mel ~

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I think that you should tell the school that you are unable to take him swimming due to needing to support your partner with MS, and the fact that he refuses to go. Just admit you cannot do it.

Ask the school in writing if they can contact anyone for advice, and also if he will have TA support during the swimming lessons if he agrees to go and get in the water. Ask them what they will do if he does refuse to get in.

 

And if they decide not to risk taking him that is further evidence that they cannot support him.

 

My son did go swimming with his former school. He had a TA that helped him with getting changed.

 

He did nearly drown once! My son has to wear goggles and a nose clip. Apparently his nose clip came out and he just sank under the water and the lifeguard had to get him!

 

At his new school they have their own pool. You can stand up in it at both ends, but it is deep enough to swim and have fun in, and the OT and TAs get into the water with the children. And they have lots of toys and canoes to play in. He loves it.

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