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Learning to swim

Lou31

Does anybody out there have any good advice/tips on how to encourage a reluctant 6 year old with ASD/dyspraxia/sensory processing disorder to swim?  We are going on a summer holiday with easy access to pool so I thought this would be better than the local pool which is very hot/noisy.  I have no interest in forcing the matter but in an ideal world (?!?) would like him to learn for safety sake if nothing else. 

This is probably a stupid thing to say, but I don't want him to feel too self conscious when he sees that the other kids at the pool are able to do it when he can't.  I don't want his confidence knocked any more than it is already. 

Now I'm asking if it's even worth it???  Perhaps I should just let him splash about in the little pool if he wants to.  Any thoughts?

Thank you!

  • Thank you both for your replies.  Sensible advice that I shall put into action - exactly what I was looking for!

    All the best 

  • If I were you I would try to get him some lessons before you go, but shop around. My son was like this and aged 4 he had an absolute meltdown at the side of a pool in Turkey, when we tried to get him into the lessons we had booked from him. In fact it was then that a winess mentioned ASD to us. When we got home I managed to find someone who specialised in one to one lessons in a warm hydro pool - yes it was more expensive than the local sports centre, but she managed to help him overcome his fear of the water. Now he loves swimming and is getting pretty competent. He always has to wear goggles, though as he hates the water getting in his eyes. Hope this helps.

  • I learned to swim when I was little, but I despise getting water in my eyes, so I always wear goggles. The main method my poor swimming teacher used to lure me into the pool (when public primary schools had swimming pools) was by using the foam floats. It was fun to try and get on them, bob about etc.

    You can probably coax him into the pool using these sorts of things to make it into a game. Telling someone 'splash about but do it my way or drown' (essentially, thats what most do) just puts them off, giving him an incentive to engage with the water himself will make him happier and more comfortable.

    And with the foam floats, they help keep him buoyant enough to feel safe in the water, and can be used to keep his upper body afloat as he comes to terms with kicking his legs properly so he can propel himself, like a little speedboat. :) Once hes happy with that, then you can start showing him how to paddle using his arms. I prefer the frogpool (*** stroke) as I get to keep my head above the water (so I can breathe) easier than the traditional side to side method, which I learned later in life. After all, if you fall into a pond/pool/lake/the sea, the most important thing to know is being able to just stay afloat and breathe rather than specifically getting anywhere. :)

    Also, if your son doesn't get exposed to the fact that other kids his age can swim about like tadpoles, he may never have any incentive to learn. If anything, it may help encourage him so he can swim about and play with the others if he feels up to it.

    Good luck!