swimming

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Autism Aquatic Therapy – find out how it worked for one child here

Autism Aquatic Therapy: Isabella’s Story

Autism Aquatic Therapy: Isabella’s Story

When she was 2 years old, Isabella was diagnosed with autism after she had suddenly stopped speaking. Since then, her mother has been taking her to the Autism program at the Nicklaus Children’s Dan Marino Outpatient Center in Weston, Florida, for treatment including Aquatic Therapy.
Aquatic Therapy utilizes the properties of water coupled with traditional therapy techniques to provide comprehensive intervention. Aquatic Therapy is used as a medium to treat children on a one on one basis and is designed specifically for the child’s individual needs.

Autism Aquatic Therapy: Isabella's Story from DanPerezFilms on Vimeo.

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“Camp WindSpark” – a fantastic OT opportunity for the autism community.


Camp WindSpark Flyer

Camp WindSpark Flyer

My name is Marielise Jacobs. I am a pediatric Occupational Therapist. I am contacting you in hopes that you will help me to spread the word on a day camp program called “Camp WindSpark” that I’ve organized to happen over Labor Day weekend, Sept. 5-7. I have attached a flyer for you to review and hopefully share with others who may be interested. Please e-mail or call me if I can answer any questions you might have.

The camp was created as an opportunity for children/youth to be exposed to a fun, positive outdoor experience and; at the same time, to learn new skills to enhance their quality of life and improve function.

Camp WindSpark is designed to provide support to families who have children with Asperger’s Syndrome and/or high functioning Autism. Camp activities will engage the kids in a way that is meaningful, while helping them to learn and practice using skills that can be challenging such as social interaction and motor coordination. Learning to windsurf requires skills such as balance, attention, and coordinating a sequence of movements. Volunteer OT staff will be assisting campers during windsurf instruction provided by Calema Windsurfing. OT staff will lead land-based games and crafts that promote sensory and social skills in a real world environment during the camp program.


Research shows that kids with Autism often have less opportunity to participate in leisure and outdoor activities.

Research has also shown that spending time outdoors is a great way to promote health. As an Occupational Therapist with a former career in outdoor programming with youth, the idea for Camp WindSpark was born. I am also a currently certified Red Cross WSI (Swim Instructor), and Aquatic Therapy and Rehab Institute certified. I believe that children with special needs often have untapped potential and that the use of outdoor activities opens their world in a wonderful way. I want to give kids an opportunity to do something that goes beyond the walls of the clinic that can help them to thrive and grow as children while improving function in their everyday lives.

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Concern as one in five children experience near-misses in open water – this is useful information for parents of children with autism


Open water near Jaipur

Open water near Jaipur

• New research released today by the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) shows that a fifth of children have experienced trouble in open water, with 40% of parents saying it was a serious incident
• ASA launches the biggest ever open water safety initiative Swim Safe for the third year running today
• The ASA is urging parents to make sure their children are proficient in open water situations and not to rely on others to ensure their children’s immediate safety

The Amateur Swimming Association and RNLI are today launching a new campaign to educate parents on the dangers of open water swimming. Despite the RNLI warning that swimming in temperature below 15 degrees celsius can seriously affect your breathing and movement, 26 per cent do not believe cold water would affect their child’s swimming ability.

Furthermore, although most fatalities occur in open water or in the sea the research reveals that nearly half (43%) of parents wrongly believe that if their child can swim in a pool they will be safe in the sea. More worryingly, one in eight parents admit that they don’t always supervise their children when they are in the sea or open water, even though one in seven parents say their child cannot swim (needs floats, doesn’t take their feet off the floor or can’t swim at all).



The ASA and RNLI are urging parents to take more responsibility for their children in open water and concerned that the message of the added dangers and difficulties of beach swimming are misunderstood by both parents and kids.

The push is part of the ASA’s annual Swim Safe programme which is a joint initiative between the organisation and the RNLI which aims to give children aged 7-14 years old visiting the coast an opportunity to understand and learn about the differences between swimming in a pool and the challenges of swimming in an open water environment

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4 Essential Water Safety Tips for Parents of Kids with Disabilities – a guest post from Patricia Sarmiento


Every child should get to experience the joy of swimming. It’s an excellent

4 Essential Water Safety Tips for Parents of Kids with Disabilities

4 Essential Water Safety Tips for Parents of Kids with Disabilities

physical activity with proven mental health benefits as well. While every parent should educate their child on water safety, parents of children with disabilities must take extra precautions.

I recently read a statistic from the National Autism Association that drowning is a leading cause of death for autistic children. That was startling, and it got me thinking about what precautions my neighbors and I should be taking to help protect the children with special needs in our neighborhood this summer.

So, where to start? First, I wanted to educate myself about general water safety. I recommend this overview resource on swimming safety for all parents. It touches on a wide variety of topics related to water safety. Then, I did some research to try and figure out the biggest areas of concern for children with disabilities. Here are a few essential tips:

Look for an adaptive life jacket. This great video from Safe Kids Worldwide is full of tips and addresses the needs of children with different types of disabilities. Its information on the importance of finding the right adaptive life jacket for your child is especially helpful.


Always be within arm’s reach. Danger in the water can pop up for any child in a heartbeat. Because some children’s disabilities may prevent them from protecting themselves, as May Institute notes, a parent or caregiver should always be close by when they’re in or around the water, even when the child is wearing a life vest.

Know what to look for in a swim program. As BrightHubEducation.com points out, swimming has many physical and cognitive benefits for children with disabilities. The article also explains how to take advantage of those benefits by finding a swim class that works for your child. It recommends looking for small classes with an experienced, trained leader.

Double check barriers. Pool fences are an important way to protect all children. Neapolitan Family Magazine suggests taking it a step further and using an alarm system that will alert you when someone has breached the area.

Time in the water can be extremely beneficial and enjoyable for children with disabilities. By following these tips, parents can feel confident in taking their child for a swim and everyone can truly enjoy the summer.

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Patricia Sarmiento is a health and fitness buff. She loves blogging about health, wellness, fitness, and other health-related topics. A former high school and college athlete, she makes living an active lifestyle a goal for her and her family. She lives with her husband, two children, and their shih tzu in Maryland.

 

 

 

 

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Children and Health – continued concern over the quality of school swimming. Watch Steve Parry and Duncan Goodhew explain why school swimming is so important.


Watch our video of Jon Glenn (Amateur Swimming Association),Duncan Goodhew MBE (Olympic Gold Medalist) and Steve Parry (Olympic Medalist).


As the new curriculum beds in to primary schools across England, questions are being asked of school inspection body Ofsted as it is revealed that the standard and regularity of swimming is overlooked in school assessments.

Schools and swimming

Schools and swimming

This lack of accountability is worrying for two fifths of parents who have not been informed of their child’s swimming ability, and is particularly concerning with 45% of 7-11 year olds (primary school aged) unable to swim 25 metres unaided.

That’s according to a new report released today by the ASA, which recommends that schools should be allocating at least 25 hours of study time a year per child for curriculum swimming.
However, the report, which surveyed primary schools across England, shows that less than half of all schools offer that level of swimming instruction, while one in 14 schools (over 1,300) offer no swimming provision at Key Stage 2. This is despite a 40% increase in fatalities amongst all young people in the water in the last year.

If primary schools can commit to adopting the recommended approach, the ASA estimate that approximately 200,000 additional children would leave primary school being able to swim.