Four Tips To Use When You Want Your Autistic Child To Learn How To Swim

9 May 2017
 Categories: Entertainment, Blog

Share

When you live near water, it is important for your child to be able to swim in case they fall into the water one day. If you have an autistic child, it can be very difficult to teach them how to swim on your own. Swimming lessons are often the best way to ensure that your autistic child is able to swim if they need to one day. The following guide walks you through a few tips to use to ensure that your child is able to learn how to swim quickly and easily.

Invest in Private Swim Lessons

The first thing you need to do is sign your child up for private lessons. You want to be sure that your child is able to focus on what the instructor is teaching him or her and that they are able to learn everything that they possibly can in each lesson. Paying for private lessons from companies like Jersey Wahoos Swim Club ensures that your child gets the one-on-one teaching that he or she may need.

Let the Instructor Know that Your Child Has Autism

Before your child starts swimming, you need to let the instructor know that your child has autism. This will allow them to be patient with your child and work with him or her in a way that makes them feel most comfortable. Teaching an autistic child how to swim may require a different approach than the instructor would use with a child who does not have autism.

Be Visible During the Lessons

During the lessons, you need to be visible to your child. This will help them to be able to relax and focus on what they are being taught. If they cannot see you, they may spend the entire lesson looking for you rather than focusing on what the instructor is trying to teach them.

Do Not Force Your Child to Swim

There may be times when your child may feel overwhelmed or fearful of the water or of the lessons. Do not force him or her to do anything that they do not feel comfortable doing at that moment or it could cause them to not want to do it again in the future. It is best to let your child learn at his or her own pace.

Take your child swimming on a regular basis to ensure that they do not lose their new swimming skills and to ensure that they are comfortable with the water. If you do not take your child swimming on a regular basis, they could start to fear the water or forget the skills that they learned.