ASD and learning to swim?

[kthomson]

My 7.5 yo DD has a PDD-NOS dx. She has hated water on her face since she was a baby. She loves the bath and the pool, but if they are on her terms of no one trying to get her to do anything (blow bubbles, put face in wearing goggles, etc). She has been to many swim lessons, group and private, over the years but was not motivated to want to learn. She said she wanted to learn to swim this summer so I asked around and found a recommended instructor. I won't go into it but let's just say it was a disaster and I'm afraid she won't go near the water at all for a long time.
Does anyone have any insight on ASD and swimming in particular ? If it were something like riding a bike (another activity she's not a fan of) I wouldn't be pursuing it at all. But because of the safety aspect I worry. Are others reconciled with their kids never learning to swim?
My plan now is to enciourage her that she doesn't have to get her face in to learn to swim, but we'll see how that goes.

[Lollybrat]

My son is 6 and has ASD. Our community rec center offers swim lessons for kids with special needs and DS has been in that program for a little over a year. (We had parent-child lessons until he was 5.) The former Aquatics Director was very dedicated to providing swim lessons for special needs kids and making sure instrutors were properly trained in working with these children. Myson has made wonderful progress in swimming. He also is reluctant to put his face in the water while swimming, put he can backstroke, jump from the low board, tread water, and loves the water.

Our rec center is affiliated with the local Red Cross chapter (the former AD now works at the RC regional office). So you might want to call your local Red Cross regional center and find out if they know of any swim instructors who are trained in swim instruction for special needs kids.

[lolar2]

One thing that springs to mind is that a physical therapist might be able to recommend an instructor who has special needs experience. All the adults I know who have some kind of ASD, can swim just fine, so there are some anecdotes for you.

[Linda on the move]

It specific to the child, and not an ASD thing. My DD who is on the spectrum LOVES water and always has. She learned to swim at age 3 and swam competitively for a couple of years.

Some kids are deeply afraid of water. My neuro typical DD was like that. She eventually learned to swim when she was 9.

Can you just take your DD swimming? May be she would like a lake better than a pool because it is a gradual rather than a drop off.

I firmly believe that what keeps kids safe in the the water is the watchful eye of the parent, not swimming ability.

[EJP]

our ds (6.5 yrs) loves the water but really dislikes water on his face, splashing, etc. and also putting his head back (which is obviously key for the star float). anyway, long story short - his PT taught him how to swim in less than three lessons - it was really amazing - i mean, he isn't a proficient swimmer by any means but he can doggy paddle and by the end of 5 lessons, he swam a width of the pool on his own - there is no way that he would have done that with me - the key was the one to one lesson and the PT who has a lot of experience teaching special needs kids how to swim - she really pushed him but also was great at getting him to relax - she'd sing fun songs as they went around the pool - the first session he was screeching when she was trying to get him to lean back and rest his head on her shoulder - and when she was trying to get him to get up on a floating platform - major screeching - but it didn't phase her - by next week, no screeching. every week, he got more and more comfortable - she even dunked him - holding him together on the count of three and then they went under!!! he didn't like it very much but he did it - anyway, i think the instructor is key -i couldn't believe my ds' progress - i wouldn't have pushed him like she did - she was just very matter of fact about it all - and she did fun stuff too - i also learned so much just watching - which i will practice with him this summer...but i know that it wouldn't have happened unless the instructor had a lot of experience with his particular issues (including his low tone, spatial issues, etc -this is why it worked so well with the pt as the swimming instructor).

[EJP]

just to add to my last post - since the swimming lessons with the pt, my ds has been dunking his head in the bath, wetting his face, etc. all on his own with no pushing from us - he NEVER would have done that before - it is total progress - today he came home from school and washed his hands and FACE - and in the bath tonight he wet his hair and told me that he was giving himself a little hair wash (hair washing is always a struggle as he doesn't like water in his face, tilting his head back,etc.)....again, this all started after going to the swimming lessons...