I HAVE A CHILD WITH AUTISM
What is our first reaction?
Private vs. small hand picked classes What are the risks?
What are the benefits?
Are you a part of their IEP team – you should consider yourself as a member and act accordingly.
DISABILITY SERVICES ACT 2006
Inclusion in the community
Services should be designed and
implemented to promote the inclusion of
people with a disability in the life of the
community.
DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT 1992
Education
(1) It is unlawful for an educational authority to discriminate against a
person on the ground of the person’s disability or a disability of any of the other person’s associates:
(a) by refusing or failing to accept the person’s application for admission as a student; or
(b) in the terms or conditions on which it is prepared to admit the person as a student.
DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT 1992
Sport
(1) It is unlawful for a person to discriminate against another person on the ground of the other person’s disability or a disability of any of the other person’s associates by excluding that other person from a sporting activity
IT IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE
What is an ASD child’s greatest asset Mimicry
Build in predictability and confidence
Make sure you sing even if badly – music is a soother.
Other children also benefit – fearful, ADHD, other learning disorders.
Get parent buy in – they are so used to segregation
they know nothing else.
ANYONE KNOW VGOTSKY??
Father of collaborative education
Inherent social nature of learning Play is used to learn the social rules
Children learn from peers and their community How does this apply to children with ASD ?
Biggest issue is social development but skills are being developed outside of your swim class.
How do you take this theory and keep both sets of parents happy.
DO I NEED TO DO A COUPLE OF ONE ON ONE LESSONS FIRST??
Not usually they love being beside the other swimmers – not necessarily with them.
See if you can manage the behaviours first may need to modify approach
If troublesome can start with a half and half
approach which can also be successful
THE TYPE OF CLASS IS CRUCIAL Siblings if close in ability is good
Team with students who are at same level or below – let them be king if only for a little while.
Don’t team with outright timid students but with slightly fearful students.
ADHD and ASD are great together – however be
warned you will be exhausted.
Walk with children holding your hands – 1, 2, 3 kisses.
All monkey back to start Repeat
Then add a step element e.g. ears in the water
As they often don’t have language you need to listen for cues of anxiety and also excitement.
Do not change your circuit for at least 6 weeks then either add an element or change an element.
Floating or kicking on back on mat
Eyes in the water to the wall – teach turns but be quick
Monkey
Pool Noodle paddles Jumps with support
in deeper water – I can do 3 at a time Monkeys
Fun floats and jumps
Start with a splash
Jumps to the teacher together Turn and go to the side –
monkey’s
Paddle to the middle have a rest on the teacher and paddle the rest of the way across the pool – monkey back to step
Paddle all the way across the pool no rest
Do big arms Repeat circuit.
This class is done with a
sibling who has high level ASD – she can stroke without
breathing – we are working on our medium level ASD
swimmer doing his arms – demonstrate.
CAN WE GO FURTHER
Scope so far has been a beginner breathing class
All love kicking with kickboards Some will race others will not
Tandem swimming or mirror image
swimming – join hands and do it with
them.
WHAT ABOUT SCHOOL SWIMMING
Make sure you are included in any IEP meeting with regards to swimming lessons at school if practical If not video your lesson to demonstrate what they can
do – beware of foreign persons on pool deck . Possible Melt down time .
Help parents advocate for their child at lessons . Too many times I have seen perfectly capable children sitting on the edge of the pool doing nothing much as the teacher was unaware or didn’t know how to deal with the child.
MELT DOWN TIME
How to handle it or avoid it
Do you know your cues – visual or oral
How do you cope with everyone – find an activity in a safe place for everyone and deal or take a BIG step back and do an activity that they will enjoy.
Enlist parents help if needed – avoid head banging - rocking and singing helps
SO DOES IT REALLY WORK
Best success is with sibling classes Next best is ASD and ADHD together
Sometimes private lessons are the only option but are only used as a last resort and opportunities are
grasped to do the odd class with other students.
SOME LAST THOUGHTS
Are all your children prepared to meet children with special abilities in their life.
Are their parents ??
Is it our role to help change the paradigm that these children should be segregated into a private lesson away from everyone else??
Am I meeting the needs of all my clients if I just put the troublesome ones in a private lesson ?
Can I stretch my professional capacity to include these students in my classes.??
Remember swimming lessons are for life – what does that mean to you ?
