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LizK

Learning to swim

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How did you teach your kids to swim?

 

We are moving house hopefully but near the new house is a flood tank which has been dammed :huh: and has turned into a mini very deep lake! Hopefully it will get undammed but it has rather brought to light the fact that DS1 nearly 6 cannot swim. We did a series of swimming classes before he started school which were more about water confidence and basic swimming techniques and coordination (he's very uncoordinated!) but he's not been swimming since. Partly because he's too knocked off after school and partly because of laziness on my behalf :blink: Also he doens't like the loud noises and whistles in the simming pools.

 

Anyway he is now on the waiting list for group swimming lessons at the local pool and they are fine about his autism. I however am not thinking about it! His understanding is not age appropriate so he might have difficulty with following instructions, he's still scared of the pool initially (fine once in there) so will probably want me in the water and I know he'll freak out when the whistle is blown as swimming instructors seem wont to do. Whistle at school causes him great distress. So I am now wondering whether this is the right thing. The pool does 1-2-1 lessons but there is a 2 year waiting list :blink:

 

Any thoughts, advice, experiences?

 

Thanks

 

Liz x

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Hiya...I think you need to think about the class sizes and the noise levels etc. My son started swimming lessons at one of our large sports centres...the pool was huge and there was bout 6 diff classes all going on in the pool at the same time, as well as other general noise from rest of the pool and kiddies. He learnt practically zero...he couldn't concentrate, and spent most of the time going there doing his own thing. We also had the problem of him being too tired after school.

 

In the end i found a smaller sport's centre, who did classes on a sunday morning that seemed to be the last choice for many people and thus they were really small classes. I think not many grown ups want to entice kids out of bed early (around 9 ish etc) on a Sunday...but for those of us who are up anyway - its great!

 

Also made a huge difference to my son that the instructor did not get in the pool with them, so was able to get a much better view of what they were doing with their arms and legs ans help them accordingly. But is was/is a smaller pool.

 

Hopefully you can find something similar in your area

 

Rgds

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Hi

 

I have a six year old. Luckly we have a swimming club at the local high school pool and Adam has lessons there. He started off with me in the water with him. Then he progressed to going in on his own. The teacher went in the water and a helper as well. They put an extra helper in the water because of Adam. He has now progressed to a higher group, and just uses the floats. His coordination is coming, but he has great difficulty understanding the instructions. He has got used to going now and does not pull his trunks off as soon as he gets out anymore.

 

It is a relatively small class but I resisted from putting him in a 1-2-1 situation, as I feel he his progressing.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Mandy

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Hi

 

My son is 5 and has AS. I was really worried whether he'd manage to follow instruction, etc, but he's doing really well so far. I made the instructor aware of my concerns and I think the fact she has some kind of understanding has helped massively - she's taken him under her wing a bit. Rs even going on to the next level.

 

My feeling was that we could give it a try and if group lessons didn't work out, we could try 1-2-1. Maybe you could see how he gets on?

 

Caroline.

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Hi liz,

 

It may be worth looking at small private swimschools, not necessarily more expensive but smaller groups and possibly more understanding.

 

I teach swimming lessons and never have more than 5 in a group, they are grouped for ability rather than age. I have successfully taught a number of ASD kids and whilst some will never achieve a great stroke technique, their confidence and ability to cope in deep water are the most important skills.

 

You may also be able to find crash courses during the hols, we run one in August and they swim every day for a week. It is amazing how quickly they come on and they don't forget!!

 

Good luck and remember, learning to swim is a life skill.

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Hi Liz,

 

Our daughter struggled to learn - over the years she went to several learn to swim groups but didn't stay til the end.....there was always something that upset her - the noise, the water splashing in her face, etc.

 

However, she did learn to swim about 18months ago (she's 14 now) - and it just happened like that - from trying to doggy paddle to suddenly (a very funny looking) breast stroke - it was when we was on holiday in a very quiet resort with a gradual walk in pool.

 

She manages better outside with the noise rather than the echo inside. Also, I believe she was really nervous until she got to a certain height and weight (she was until this past 18mths very very underweight and small for her age) - if the water waved a little it would knock her over - whereas now she can stand more firmly so feels more secure (if you know what I mean).

 

Never give up hope - we thought it was never going to happen but it did (p.s. still can't manage to ride a bike though!! - but I'm still holding out on that one too!!!).

 

Take care,

Jb

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Hi,

Jack, started to take swimming lessons at the age of 4, He is nearly 10 now.

at 1st we could not get him in the water, spent few lessons going talking about getting in then we got him goggles ! - Yep did the trick, he loved the lesson not able to swim but liked the teacher.

 

The local pool then closed after 12 months, we move him to another pool, they would not let him have goggles on.. Another hurdle to manage, Teacher great he got in the pool with him, and Jack never seemed to learn anything from one week to the next but he likes the teacher... and that was enough for us, he seemed to enjoy the lesson ( even had a swimming party for his 5th Birthday )

 

As he got older and changed class The teachers expected more, until the breaking point came, when the so called teacher who teaches children with special needs " bellowed " at Jack, Jack let him have it back the teacher then carried on rowing with him, I has to run over to the pool side, as Jack was distressed in the pool.. The remark i got from he teacher was " does he not know the water is deep and he should listen , and do as he is told " - I got Jack out of the water, he refused to swim again with that man. We were unsure what to do, Jack liked swimming even though 5 yrs of practice still meant he was swimming widths in the pool.

Then we enrolled Jack in the local swimming club, they asses his skill and he joined a group most sessions have about 6 children in, the teacher is fab, he has been going since sept and 6 years on he has not yet progressed to the lengths , He is allowed to practice 4 times a week and what a difference in his water confidence and his technique oh boy he can swim like a real swimmer !

This month was just the best The came home with "swimmer of the Month " Trophy - it was like he had won the gold medal at the Olympics. :thumbs:

He won't swim with the school as the teacher is the man who was rude and aggressive to him, I just sat that is fine..

I also found out that the reason Jack finds it hard to swim is because he also has hypermotability and reduced muscle definition

The 4 times a week has really made a big difference to him, sometimes he does not want to go , we make him go and every time he comes home with a great story of what he did , also means I get or my DH does a coffee and a 45 minutes of me time..

 

I say yes hang on in there for the swim - I dread to think what we have spent on lessons, I would spend it all again, cause I love to see his face as this is something he can do , bye himself and others do not matter? Who needs team games!

 

K Mum to Jack with ASD

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J (now 8 and a half) started swimming lessons at 5. I booked him on an intensive course - one half hour session a day for two weeks at the local pool with maximum ten children, aimed at gaining confidence in the water. After that he continued with group lessons at the same pool.

 

He struggled a lot at first, he didn't have a dx at the time and some instructors could manage him while others couldn't, despite being informed of his behavioural difficulties and that he was being assessed. He enjoyed being in the water but it over-excited him, he he became very silly and out of control, couldn't focus or concentrate, missed instructions and just splashed around a lot of the time. One particular instructor was horrible with him and kept shouting at him, said he was deliberately defying her by not cooperating. I advised strategies eg giving him individual instructions, putting him first in the line etc but she wouldn't. In the end she threatened to drop him down a level 'if he didn't improve his behaviour' and he went to pieces, that was when I went to the manager and said I didn't want her teaching my son again. He joined another class the following week with an instructor who was eager to help and that made a huge difference. Unfortunately there are all too many instructors like that first one and the latter are like hens' teeth.

 

Part of the problem was that if his feet could reach the floor he'd stand, then he'd get into trouble for not cooperating - he came on in leaps and bounds once I started taking him into the main pool, with floats first and then without when he began to swim more strongly. TBH it was me who taught him by taking him swimming before his actual class, then later (he developed an irritation to chlorine which made him feel ill if he was in the water for more than half an hour) I'd take him another time during the week to practice. I found that if I used his obsessions he'd cooperate well - we'd have Hogwarts championships and nothing would hold him back if he was Harry competing against Draco Malfoy (though there was one amusing backstroke incident when he raised his arm mid-stroke to cast a spell and sank like a stone...)

 

With supportive instructors he does very well now - he's got used to the noises, lights etc and most of the time copes well. Occasionally he clashes with other children but usually the staff notice and keep them apart. He's working towards Level 9 now and loves it, but he still does most of his learning with me and mainly uses the formal classes to prove himself and win the certificates.

 

Although you say that the pool staff say they 'are fine' with your son's autism, I'd check out what they mean by that. They may have unrealistic expectations of how he'll behave/cope in the lessons so I'd advise giving them plenty of information about autism generally and your son's presentation specifically, so that together you can look at any difficulties that might arise and work around them. Your son will probably struggle at first because there'll be a lot of new stuff to deal with - the changing rooms for a start can be a nightmare - but maybe if you prepare him with a social story before classes begin he might find it easier. Take photos of all the essential areas - changing cubicles, showers, the poolside, the instructor if possible - so that he can be familiar with everything and eliminate a bit of stress. Read it through with him before each lesson so he knows what to expect.

 

But do stick at it, many of our kids love water and it's lovely to see how much fun they have.

 

Karen

x

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My Son has one to one swimming lessons at my local health club / Gym. As i am a member we can take him. Do you have any health clubs in your area ?

 

The lady who teaches him also teaches at the local sports centre, but due to earth quake damage it is currently closed. She now goes to a local hotel with a swimming pool and teaches some of the sport centre members there. They just pay �2 to use the pool plus her normal 1 2 1 fee.

Maybe you could approach a hotel and look for a teacher seperatley.

 

My son did not really learn anything when he was in a group of 6, he was too busy watching everyone else and messing about. He has only been having lessons for about 6mnths (1/2 hr a wk) and now swims the length of the pool and i have had to buy him pool toys so he can dive to get them from the bottom of the pool. I would recommend 1 2 1 if you can manage it.

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Thank you everyone especially for the advice and positive stories :)

 

Have found out about someone who does individual or very small group swimming classes in hydro therapy pools so will give her a call and found out more info

 

Liz x

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