Swimming is best form of therapy for children with special needs
CHENNAI: No matter how much occupational or speech therapy they tried for their son, nothing matched the impact swimming had, says Balaji Kannan, a PR professional. 'His comprehension has improved, his spatial awareness is better, and he's started becoming vocal,' he says about Hruday B, who has ADHD and moderate autism spectrum disorder.
Hruday still isn't fully conversational, but he is able to express himself now.
Some, like 14-year-old V Krithik, have developed a passion for the sport. 'It became his calling. He went from hyperactive and restless to being focused,' says his mother, Gayathri V.
Many parents of children with visual and hearing impairments, and intellectual disabilities are turning to swimming to help regulate their children's hyperactivity and sensory issues.
Pools such as SDAT's in Velachery and the one at National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities (NIEMPD) in Muttukadu offer free classes.
Unlike regular facilities, the hydrotherapy pool at NIEMPD maintains a water temperature of 36°C (while regular pools are 24°C) to avoid sensory overload and relieve pain for wheelchair users, says Dr B S Santhosh Kanna, head of the department of physiotherapy.
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'We incorporate play activities with balls and floatation devices. The pool is shallow and wheelchair accessible.'
But what is it about swimming that seems to work? 'The pressure of the water during swimming regulates their anxiety and eases sensory issues,' says Sharanya Ravichandran, behavioural therapist and clinical psychologist. 'It helps improve their emotional, motor, social and communication skills and over time, they follow instructions better.'
However, it may not work for all as some struggle with arm movement or kicking. Most are nonverbal initially and hesitant to enter the water. 'Our first step is to teach them how to float, and we build from there,' says Selvan Kandasamy, director of Yadhavi Sport Academy. Training children with special needs requires immense patience and emotional support as many of them deal with low muscle tone, difficulties in sensory processing or communication barriers.
But the payoff is enormous.
'Many children are now coming in to train for national open water swimming tournaments and there is a growing interest in the city. Recently we trained a child for a 12km race,' says M D Thouseef, a physiotherapist at Saga Physio.
For many children, swimming has become a potential career. 'My son wants to pursue a career in swimming. We will be opting for the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) system, which provides educational opportunities to those who may not be able to attend regular schools,' says Balaji.
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