Boots On PLEASE

If you have ever skied before you know how uncomfortable ski boots can be. But for a child with autism, they can be the scariest part of skiing as they were for my student today. Some of you know that I am a level III certified alpine ski instructor but I am also a level III adaptive ski instructor with the ability to teach any individual with a disabilities how to ski. Today was my first adaptive ski lesson in 3 years. My student was an 11 year old boy with severer autism I will call him Timmy for this post which was not his real name. Timmy put one foot into the boot and freaked out he felt like his foot was stuck and he would have nothing to do with the boots from that point on. I got a larger size boot fit it to a pair of skis and we took off into the forest on the snowmobile ride. He liked the ride and I was happy to get away from his parents. We spent the next 2 ½ hours trying to get the boots on his feet. We played with the boot and the buckles, put flags in a circle around the boots and carried them everywhere we went. We made snowmen, and snow angels with our boots right next to us the whole time. Timmy even road the magic carpet (a conveyer belt that brings the kids back up the hill) while carrying his boots. It was my hope that they would get heavy and he may what to then put them on his feet and not just on his hands. At one point I was able to get just the liners on his feet and we slid down the hill on them and road the magic carpet with them of course. Every time I would try to put them on his feet he would run off in his socks on the snow burr. Then after all the kids when in for lunch, and his parent brought me a bag of M&M’s and a Sierra Mist, what would we ever do without candy and soda, low and behold I got the boots on his feet. We walked down the hill in the boots and he was ok and yes we road the magic carpet in the boots too. Great progress but I was not ready to stop we had 30 minutes left and a full bag of M&M’s. Timmy then carried one ski in his arms down the hill we put it on and he loved sliding on it and called it his skateboard. Then it was time for the big step 2 skis and yes 2 boots I too put my skis on and down we went. Timmy had great balance and I could see he was going to be able to ski, with my help and the help of some special adaptive equipment to keep the skis together at the tips and webbing that connects to the tips of the skis, around his legs and to my hands. I use the webbing to control his speed and direction. With only 15 minutes left we headed for the chairlift and off we went with his Sierra Mist in hand, this was to keep his hands off the wedding, we skied all the way down the hill to where his parents were standing. To say the least they were presently surprised by all his progress. Yes 2 ½ hours to get the boots on and 30 minutes to learn how to ski. What a challenge. Tomorrow I am working with one of my students from school, he too has autism but the good thing is he knows how to put the boots on because he mom owns a ski shop. This lesson should be a piece of cake.