Hey.
My son, who is 8, has an ASD with sensory processingproblems. We have an issue with school that I would like advice on.
He was withdrawn from school swimming lessons, at our request, last term because he was struggling to cope with the cold water that he finds physically painful, the feel of the poolside on his feet and dressing himself as he hates the textures on his hands and feet. We were told last week that he has to join in from this term as swimming is part of the curriculum. We explained our feelings to the teacher and received a call today, saying jack will have to take his kit tomorrow to swim and we are summoned to the headteacher.
He has been very anxious since he's been told he has to swim. His ritualistic and rigid behaviours are full throttle and he's having a lot of meltdowns. When he tried swimming lessons last time it was horrendous afterwards because of sensory overload. However, he does tend to hold it together whilst he's at school, which is probably why school don't understand how it affects him.
I am so cross with the school, partly because they are forcing him to do something he finds physically painful, partly because they have gone about it the wrong way. He hasn't got an IEP but he does have a diagnosis, they could have called a meeting to discuss what strategies they could implement to make the sessions manageable for him.
Do I make him do it????
