The Ohio State University announced the expansion of a pilot program developed to aid autistic children.
An OSU Wexner Medical Center initiative aims to make water a safer environment for children on the autism spectrum. Instructors lead students in personalized therapy and develop physical, behavioral, and social skills for real-world scenarios.
“When you think about typical swim lessons, often there is one teacher giving the same instruction to the whole group,” Erika Kemp, clinical assistant professor of occupational therapy said. “That’s where we get into some difficulty with kids with autism. Often, they need the instruction presented in a different way or in a one-on-one environment.”
The National Autism Association lists drowning as the number one cause of accidental death for autistic individuals, and Kemp believes that this program can save lives and has witnessed progress with her students.
“Every kid that we’ve put through the program has made gains in things like water adjustment, comfort in the water and their ability to go under the water and hold their breath,” Kemp said. “Then, we work on being able to maintain their balance in the water, maintaining a float and getting themselves to move through the water.”
Each child has individual goals set for them, according to Kemp.
“One child that we’ve been working with wouldn’t even come into the pool at first, and now she willingly gets in, can move through the water and is starting now to lift her feet up off the floor, which is a really big skill gain for her,” she said.
OSU will be expanding the adaptive swim program in the hope of launching similar initiatives in other locations.
Interested parties may find more information via the OSU Health website here.
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