Dad on a Mission to Teach Children with Autism to Swim
The YMCA is trained to stress the importance of certain techniques
At the YMCA in Burlington, Vermont, instructors are giving 24 individuals on the autism spectrum free swimming lessons. The Autism Speaks Swimming and Water Safety Scholarship Fund selected the YMCA to identify individuals with autism who are financially disadvantaged and to offer them scholarship funds for swimming and water safety lessons.
As part of the lessons, techniques such as counting and repetition are used to teach the students about water safety. “There are some severe attention things, so we’re really dedicating these lessons one-on-one so we can accommodate and best communicate with people one-on-one to best fulfill their needs” said Jess Lukas, assistant aquatics director at the YMCA.
