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Monday 18 November 2013

Learning to beat 'the wall'

A friend shared this link:

20 things parents of kids with special needs should hear

I especially liked the reference to running a marathon because I certainly felt that I've 'hit the wall' recently. The wall is the point in the marathon when a runner's glycogen (stored energy) within the muscles is depleted, causing sudden fatigue and loss of energy. I find the analogy helpful and it is possible for the marathon runner to beat this wall by being prepared for it: eat right and train at the right level.

Well I've been trying harder to eat right and I've joined a gym so that should help with keeping the energy levels up. I'm certainly feeling better for it. But it's not just that. Seth's birthday is coming up and that's always a difficult time for me. It should be a celebration of his birth but instead it's a reminder of a very dark time. Craig and I have been pushing forward ever since then and we need to be able to keep motivated for Seth. It certainly helps to be able to celebrate some really fantastic achievements like Seth's swimming.

Last week he swam a whole length unaided! He swims on his back kicking his legs like a frog. He came home from school with a certificate and I'm extremely proud.

Seth has also been playing with a new toy we have on loan from the Cerebra lending library. The toy is a bubble tube which changes colour. It come with a switch and a microphone so you activate the bubbles by pressing the switch or even by making a noise. You can even change how long the bubbles go on for to encourage the child to have to press the switch again. I recommend the library - it's free, you just register and choose the toys you want. It's very popular so you do have to wait. But it's worth it. They even arrange for the toy to be collected again. The only thing I would say is that the switch that comes with the toys isn't very sensitive and Seth doesn't have the strength to use it. However, I was able to get hold of an adaptor and plug his switch in instead.








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