Tuesday 3 July 2007

The Sound of Silence - or Why Mum Doesn't Answer

Today we had disabled swim. The county council has a scheme called The Key where you can register your disabled children and get advise and a few extras, one of which is free swimming at our local pool. Today we were supposed to have a photo taken but Ram is so stressed at the beginning that we asked if we could go straight in and sort out the photo card later.

I needed to go to the toilet so I left Ram in the changing cubicle for a few minutes. When I got back I had been expecting to see him in his swim trunks, but he was still standing there in his closes, seemingly not having moved from the spot where I left him!

I didn't say anything then because it was clear that he was stressed and not thinking clearly. When we got into the pool area we sat on the side for a few minutes and he was able to tell me that the getting changed and getting to into the pool is the worse bit, and that he is much better when he is in the pool.

We had a great time today, as there was no music like last week. We played with a ball which was fun. Throwing and catching a ball is important to develop their hand eye coordination, and it certainly has helped mine!

Getting out again was difficult, and he just seems to close down. He goes quiet and pale, but I can't really see what it is that it difficult, unless it is just the transition.

We then went out and had his photo taken for his pass. His last card for the swimming pool was blank because he refused to have his photo taken, so we have progressed here!

Our little bit of shopping wasn't too bad, but they didn't have his usual iced bun that he has at the bakery, so he chose crisps instead. They had loads of other things but he will have the same thing every time.

When we got home he went straight onto the computer to play Dawn of War again. I know that it probably seems like there is nothing educational about it, but I am sure there is. Just what, I am not sure yet, but one day he will come out with something that he will have learned from it.

We did talk later about why he didn't get changed when I was in the toilet, and he didn't really know why, but we have agreed that I have to leave him better instructions in future if I want him to get changed when I am not there.

We managed to get to bed early tonight! But Ram couldn't get to sleep. He was awake for sometime and I woke more than an hour after we had turned the lights out and he was still awake. There isn't much I can do for him but at least because we co-sleep it means that I know he is safe beside me. When he was younger he used to watch TV and when he was really little I used to have a four hour Thomas the Tank Engine video for when he couldn't sleep, so at least I could get some sleep.

Now he wants it absolutely black with no sound. Well, there is one sound, the sound of him talking to me, and the sound of me not replying because I am already asleep, then the even louder sound of him asking me why I haven't answered his questions!

No comments: