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Advice With Walking

SpencersMum

Firstly sorry i orignally posted this in another section but feel it my be more suited here so have copied it over...!

Hi everybody Im new here so will give a bit of background info on my son.

Spencer was diagnosed with Right Side Hemiplegia at 6months and was referred into the Multi Disiplinary Team. By age 2 his weakness in his arm and leg was minimal and now causes him hardly any issues.

I reported concerns about Spencer's behaviours from 14months, and just after his 2nd birthday in April his Neurolgist, an Epilepsy specialist and a pyschiatrist recommended a diagnosis of Autism, for which we are currently awaiting a MDA in our loacl area.

One main problem i am currently struggling with is his refusal to walk outside the home. His physiotherapist has confirmed that his 'physical diagnosis' should not be causing his mobility any issues, and this can be seen inside the home, at pre-school etc. Once outside in open air, at shopping etc he just will not walk. Not even from the house to car, car into school...you can seen where im going with this!

At present were not really getting any help from local authorities, and his care in under review with the MDT. He has exhausted their apparent 'only' behavioural service (a bit like portage as they don't cover my area)

So basically... Can anyone offer any advice or been through a similar problem with their child. I don't know by carrying him whether im just reinforcing the behaviour, although forcing him to walk either results in him lying on the floor in meltdown refusing to move, or jumping up and down in meltdown clinging to my leg whilst i try and walk!

I have also applied for a Blue Badge to which i hold out no hope, but their sending us for a mobility assessment so we shall see!

Many thanks. x

  • Thanks for your reply crystal12.

     

    He does have a good understanding of whats said to him, but he is just so stubborn! Its his way, or meltdown! I do try to make him walk everyday - So if i pull up at nursery we'll do the usuall argument about walking and then ill say 'Right im going to school on my own then, you stay here if your not walking' and start to walk off. This then results in meltdown everytime, with either him jumping and clinging to my leg or just laying on the floor.

    Also, for example when we take my daughter to school, he is carried from the car to the playground, where he'll then get down and run around, but then when they open the gate for us to drop off/collect, he then needs carrying all of 6metres through the gate, where he will then get down an play again!?

    I just can't understand the issue behind it. I also really dont want to be reinforcing or allowing him to not walk. Thinking back it intially started with refusing to walk in rain/damp weather and snow. He would look at the ground outside the door and gag. I just dont know how we've quite esaclated to this! x

     

  • Hi - sounds like your son has a rule that walking's only for indoors.  It may poss have come from using the car when out + about + he's taken it to the extreme of not walking at all now when outside.  Does he understand what's said to him?  I'm asking because my son when about 10 yrs had a rule relating to only using a certain company's taxis.  All other taxi firms were a real serious no-no.  One day, to cut a long story short, I gave him a choice as a taxi was heading our way (1 not of his choice).  We could get this taxi or we cd go home.  He got in the taxi without a murmur + we went where he was looking fwd to going.  That was forever the end of it.  I don't know whether you could adapt this strategy to your situation in that if he likes going places then a bit of walking outside's got to be done?  So if you pull up at nursery of wherever + he refuses to get out + walk, then you turn right round + go back home??  Would that be poss or is he too young to understand??  Sorry if I'm suggesting something that cdn't be implemented for whatever reason.