Nancy Starts Nursery

Starting nursery is a big step for most three year olds, but for a disabled child it can feel like a gigantic leap, as Tracey Davies explains.

It’s been an eventful three years since my identical twins – Nancy and Lola – were born. Looking back, their time as babies now seems all too brief and, at the grand old age of three, my precious little monkeys are at nursery school!

There is one significant factor in play, however. As I explained in Able magazine last year (March/April 2008 issue), Nancy was diagnosed with hemiplegic cerebral palsy when the girls were 18 months old.

Nancy and Lola now attend the nursery at Paxton, our local primary in south London; Nancy is the only child in class with cerebral palsy. On the plus side, the girls have been coming here with their older brother since they were born, and – even prior to Nancy’s diagnosis – I knew that the special needs facilities here were excellent.

Although Nancy has come on leaps and bounds she is still unable to walk independently. She’s got a new set of wheels in the form of a shiny green Kaye walker which she has mastered brilliantly and speeds around the school like she’s Top Gear’s Stig. However, on the first day it became apparent that, as independent as she was, Nancy did need additional help. The school’s special educational needs co-ordinator, Jenny, has been incredibly supportive; from assessing Nancy’s abilities to recruiting a one-to-one teaching assistant for her, she has taken any concerns out of my hands. Jenny has also started the ball rolling for the all-important statementing process.

Our physiotherapist visited the school in the first week to meet with the teacher and to advise Nancy’s new assistant on ways to include physio exercises into her everyday activities.

On the first morning I stayed to settle the girls in. Looking adorable in their little navy uniforms, they were both very excited and it was me who had a tearful wobble. The anxiety I felt about leaving Nancy without my ever-watchful eye was omnipresent but I knew that it was important to let her go. Thankfully, my little girl is very confident and not afraid to ask for help, which in a busy nursery environment is important.

One of my major worries is the socialisation that comes with starting school. Would the other children accept her disability or would they treat her differently? This is where being a twin comes in very handy. Nancy and Lola have a very close bond and, despite being a whole two minutes younger, Lola is very protective of her “big” sister. As it turned out, however, the other children in the class have been wonderful, welcoming both Nancy and her walker with friendly curiosity.

We’ve now completed our first half-term and the girls have fully adapted into nursery life. It has been an emotional few weeks but both girls are thriving with their new found independence. I know we have many years and possibly many obstacles to overcome during Nancy’s education, but this is the best possible start I could have wished for.

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