Water safety is especially important for children with emotional, behavioral, and communication disorders. What are the challenges and benefits of teaching Sara to swim?
Water Safety benefits seem obvious. All children need to learn to swim. In the situation of a child who is less aware of his surrounding and challenged with communication, it is even more crucial.
Where and how can an autistic child learn to swim? Check with the local YMCA and with the special education department in your school district. Often, classes or one-on-one instruction is available. Many school programs for children on the autism spectrum take swimming field trips, some as often as once a week. Have any of your child's teachers been swimming instructors in their previous lives? She may be open to working as a swimming tutor off school time for a reasonable fee.
Large Muscle Development and Coordination Every child uses large muscles to swim (as opposed to the "small" muscles used in handwriting). Swimming involves coordinating arms, legs and breathing to say up or to keep going.
Cognitive ProcessingNot only is swimming great for large muscle development and coordination, it is great for cognitive processing of multiple steps or multiple things to do. For example: jump in the water, hold my breath, move arms and legs to tread water, breathe so as to not inhale water, float when needing a break.
Relaxation Water is relaxing and theraputic. Children who have difficulty processing the sensory input in the world often find swimming to be a welcome respite.
Building Self Esteem Swimming is a positive accomplishment for any child. Too often, children with special needs miss the goal. They know that they don't quite measure up at school or with social interaction with peers. Swimming offers that opportunity to succeed that all parents want for their children.
Socialization Where will you swim? Swimming pools (unless in someone's backyard) have people. Other swimmers say Hi! Can you get that ring? Lifeguards remind children to walk. Swimming instructors give instructions and teach by visual example.
The next article in this series:
Teaching a Developmentally Delayed Child to Cross the Street Safely
Note: All children in this article are fictitious and represent general characteristics of the disability. Activities represented here are ideas. Parents (not the author) are responsible for choosing an appropriate activity for a particular child and for the consequences of that activity.
