Re: Re: Swimming and apraxia?

[Guest guest]

Hi, we are in our second year of swim lessons w/ my six year old daughter

who has a similar diagnosis to Tanner -- it took longer than her sisters,

but she's swimming now and having lots of fun in the water. In fact, we get

her best speech bursts after the pool -- the water really helps her SPD a

lot -- it's like therapy itself.

On Wed, Jul 7, 2010 at 5:44 PM, kiddietalk <kiddietalk@...> wrote:

>

>

> I don't know if it's apraxia or just kids getting used to the water. My son

> Tanner was diagnosed severe/profound apraxia when younger (hyptotonia -motor

> deficits in the body etc) but we just kept putting him in swim lessons and

> as I recall he took a bit longer but he eventually was able to master more

> and more. I believe he didn't have as many kids his age as most in his class

> were younger -but I didn't care and Tanner didn't seem to notice as he was

> little too. Like anything it can take a bit longer with apraxia and the

> motor planning but that doesn't mean you'll teach swimming that much

> different than any other -I mean I know for sure for Tanner he went to a

> regular swim class and again eventually picked it up.

>

> One thing that we got Tanner used to as soon as possible was putting his

> head under water...that is a huge one for any kid =but for Tanner and I

> think lots of our kids it's even bigger for some reason. How you may ask did

> we do this? You know those throw toys that sink to the bottom? We started in

> shallow water and just kept getting them into deeper and deeper water.

> Tanner has always been competitive and we made a fun game out of it of

> course " who can get the most? " and would throw most right near Tanner

>

> Tanner knows how to swim great now and has for years -and in fact now that

> we are in Florida he swims sometimes daily- he's right now jet skiing and

> rafting in our backyard -and has no fear of going under and in fact

> deliberately jumps in water and goes under! Times do change! So again keep

> in mind that while apraxia may affect this area too...it doesn't mean that a

> child with apraxia can't master the breath control needed if provided a bit

> more time and patience. I recall that is exactly what Tanner's instructors

> provided (and yes I shared about his apraxia with them...they were not

> professionals for special needs but they did GREAT!!!) It's funny because

> when you are used to paying for therapy and then you sign your child up for

> something like swim lessons and hear the price you're like " for the entire

> season? That's what I typically pay for an hour!! " to yourself...I mean you

> don't want them raising the price or anything!!!

>

> Below are some learning to swim and breath basics courtesy of Youtube

>

> Pop up

>

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> Roll over

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> Rhythmic breathing

>

>

> How to get out of pool if they fall in

>

>

> =====

>