PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Well, it’s true. Water takes away many things that are on land:
- gravity, making movement easier
- noise, making inward focus possible
- exposure, making a place for us to just be without concern of judgement from others.
Water is unlike anything else on our planet. Water is an environment that offers us support and freedom, two things we need to develop and grow. Water creates a place that offers all people, especially people with disabilities, a place to grow and thrive.
Find Your Fins offers discounted, one-on-one swim lessons to people with disabilities. We teach children as young as 6 months.
“Raising a child with special needs is an uncharted journey. Its a journey toward helping them reach their maximum potential with the unique skill sets they’ve been given. Being a mother of three boys, water safety has always been a priority in our family. Having a child with special needs makes water safety not only a priority, but an essential survival skill as well. It’s a grim statistic to learn that drowning is the leading cause of death for children on the Autism Spectrum. Many children with special needs have a natural attraction toward the water, which emphasizes the need for water safety skills In order to remain safe and enjoy the therapeutic properties water can bring to children with special needs. For my son, as he has gotten older, learning new skills (such as swimming) has gotten more difficult with the interplay of other co-occuring conditions, such as anxiety, attention problems, sensory integration issues, and social challenges. Developing water survival skills at an early age, regardless of the child’s abilities, will ensure they have the tools to be safe and thrive in this environment.”
Jessica S.
- Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in children 1-4 years old.
- Children 14 and younger on the Autism Spectrum are 160x more likely to drown than neurotypical children.
- Before age two, children learn from direct sensory experience. Unlike older children, fear of the water is rare, resulting in less stress while learning these skills.
- As a child grows, so does their strength. Learning these skills early will avoid struggles that could result from increased strength.
- No usage of floaties and puddle jumpers. These devices teach a false sense of security in the water, promote the drowning position, and make learning aquatic skills more difficult.
- Whole body benefits including increased muscle tone, coordination, body spatial awareness, calming effects, etc.
- Have life-saving skills that will last a lifetime.
