The Oct 2020 edition of Autism Parenting Magazine expounds on the benefits. “Imagine there was a way to improve your child’s concentration, mental alertness, responsiveness, and peace of mind in 30-40 minutes. The day-to-day challenges faced by autistic children like anxiety, concentration, overstimulation, and social interaction can all be improved.”

For individuals with an ASD diagnosis, the sensory experience of being immersed adds a layer of calm that can’t be duplicated anywhere else.

“In the water, everything feels calmer. It’s like all the noise, feelings, and business of the outside world just stop. The feeling of the water is interesting, and the way light moves through it can be fascinating.”

In addition to all of the benefits of learning to swim and having autism, you might also stop your child from being another statistic! It’s estimated that one out every 59 individuals has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and according to a 2012 study in Pediatrics, 49% of children with ASD have a tendency to wander or bolt from safe settings. Individuals with ASD are often attracted to water yet have little to no sense of danger. Drowning is a leading cause of death in children with ASD. – (NAA – National Autism Association). Give the gift of lifesaving swim lessons this season and help your child become “One With The Water! ”

*Private and public lessons available in packages of four and eight.

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Swimming and Autism: Does it really make a difference? appeared first on One with the Water.

With the COVID-19 crisis in full swing, many of us are turning to state parks, lakes, and of course, the ocean to return to the water. With that in mind, let’s do a quick refresher on safe swimming in natural bodies of water.

Safe Swimming in Natural Bodies of Water

First and foremost, understand the risks.

• Check the weather before leaving. Sudden weather changes can make the natural water setting more dangerous. (True story: I once accidentally went camping on the beach during a hurricane. That was a high-speed pack out. Seriously, check the weather before you go.) Even in known or designated swim areas, sudden inclement weather can change water levels and current and create new hazards. Once at your destination, continue to monitor the weather situation.
• Check out whether bacterial levels in the water are monitored at your local beach and whether the beach is open for swimming (information available from EPA and is only for U.S. coastal/marine and Great Lakes beaches).  Local Beach Information
• Pay attention to posted warnings, particularly current and tide conditions. More than 100 people die annually due to rip currents on our nation’s beaches. These strong currents can form on any shoreline where waves break and can carry a person away from the shore, so anyone near a beach must be careful.
• Watch out for the “dangerous too’s”: too tired, too cold, too far from safety, too much sun and too much strenuous activity.
• Enter open water carefully. It is difficult to estimate water depth and to see hidden objects underwater in the natural environment. Head, neck, and back injuries can occur from hitting bottom or striking an object in the water.
• And finally, never, ever swim alone.

Healthy Swimming

Remember, too, that even in natural water environments, the rules for healthy swimming established by the CDC remain mostly the same.

Check for a lifeguard.

• If on duty, a lifeguard should be focused on the swimmers and not distracted.
• If no lifeguard is on duty, a “No Lifeguard on Duty” sign should be posted.
• If no lifeguard on duty, check to see where safety equipment, such as a rescue ring or pole, is available.

Check yourself.

• Stay out of the water if you have diarrhea.
• Stay out of the water if you have an open wound (for example, from surgery or a piercing) not covered with a waterproof bandage.

Protect yourself.

• Protect against sunburn by using sunscreen with at least SPF 15 that blocks both UVA and UVB rays.
• Use well-fitting Coast Guard-approved life jackets for flotation assistance rather than foam or air-filled toys.
• Don’t pee or poop in the water.
• Don’t swallow the water.
• Keep an eye on children at all times; kids can drown in seconds and silence.

Take frequent breaks.

• Take kids on bathroom breaks.
• Reapply sunscreen.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Dry ears thoroughly after swimming

Natural water swimming can do wonders for both mental and physical health, but as always, know before you go!

Sources:

• https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/atg/PDF_s/Preparedness___Disaster_Recovery/Disaster_Preparedness/Water_Safety/WhereisitSafetoSwim.pdf
• https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/oceans-lakes-rivers/index.html
• https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/swimmers/steps-healthy-swimming.html

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Safe Swimming in Natural Bodies of Water appeared first on One with the Water.

At One with the Water, we use three overarching principles in our guided, professional swim coaching. Harmony, inclusion, and mastery. Harmony, in particular, is our gentle approach empowering all students to feel safe and comfortable in the water. Statistics show just how necessary that principle is.

According to the CDC, approximately two-thirds of American adults are afraid of deep, open bodies of water and 46% are afraid of the deep end of a pool and 37% of Americans self-report being unable to swim. In order to even begin to overcome a fear of the water, it is our job as coaches to demystify the water, both explaining and teaching the properties of buoyancy and what happens when it is properly applied.

Buoyancy is a force in physics that is driven by Archimedes’ principle – fluid exerts a buoyant force, (opposing apparent gravity) on an immersed object that is equal to the weight of the displaced fluid. It is driven by the average density of the object, so simply translated, if the density of the object is lower than the water, it floats. Additionally, buoyancy is not affected by depth, so The buoyancy of the human body is the same in deep water as it is in shallow water.

Based on the above principle, we know floating is attainable in water, but we also know due to the varied composition of individual bodies (fat versus muscle and bone) that we each have a unique density. To complicate matters, humans, as a rule, are not symmetrical objects.

So how do we maximize our buoyancy, learn to float, and take the first steps in becoming One with the Water? We do it by teaching balance.

Teaching balance.

Balance is the most important concept in swimming and the first step of our teaching progression. To build good swimmers, the first thing that you need to learn is body balance.

First, we position the whole body on the surface with your head in a neutral position and legs on the surface, not sinking behind them. (The back of the neck needs to be elongated, the face is in the water and eyes are looking down.)

Second, it’s important in learning this technique to know there are two main points on the body for swimmers

• Center of buoyancy (chest)
• Center of mass (hips)

Failure to keep the hips and head in line will result in hips and legs sinking. This, in turn, causes swimmers to bend their knees to kick, creating an undesirable vertical body line and for new swimmers, a panicking feeling as their lower body sinks.

So what should you do to keep the hips and chest on the surface?

1. Kick your legs. This will help bring hips up towards the surface and result in good hip position
2. Press your chest down. This will force the lower body, hips, and legs to move towards the surface
3. And finally, put more weight in front of your chest/body. This is achieved by keeping one or both arms in front of your body.

Register today for premium swim lessons.

Don’t let a misguided belief that you can’t float drive your fear of the water. We are trained in helping both children and adults overcome their fears to become One with the Water. Sign up for your premium lessons today.

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Achieving Balance in the Water appeared first on One with the Water.

As 2019 is ending, we’d like to take a moment and say thank you. Our mission at One with the Water is to provide access to the lifesaving skill of swimming to everyone, especially children and adults with high risk, high needs, and limited resources.

Steven is a ten-year-old boy with a complicated mood disorder. Starting out, Guy was like every other child, happy and enjoying his little life. Between the ages of 3 and 6, behavioral issues began to occur that defied any typical diagnosis. After suffering abuse at the hands of a biological relative, Steven’s problems began to escalate. His mother fought for accurate diagnosis for years, finally getting help even as Steven’s issues peaked with self-harming and threats of suicide. 

With new doctors and a tailored treatment plan, Steven began participating in the swim lessons offered at One with the Water this year and loves it! He received a full scholarship and has made vast improvements in his personality and anger issues. 

The problem for children like Steven is real. According to decades of research, children with disabilities are statistically more likely to present in a low-income environment. (The average cost of private swim lessons in Los Angeles is over $200/month).

We know, again, based on decades of research, how powerful the therapeutic benefits of swimming can be for children with special needs. Water buoyancy allows previously restricted individuals to move freely and helps build muscle in low muscle tone individuals. Additionally, self-regulation, speech, oral motor control, strength, and coordination are just a few areas that can improve with therapy in the water.

Research also shows that participation in swimming for individuals with disabilities afforded the participants heightened senses of self-concept, independence, ability and pride, and an enhanced perceived quality of life. Athletes found that they were able to redefine their physical capabilities, strengthen social connections, and improve acceptance among their peers.

Lifesaving swim lessons create safer, happier, healthier, more confident kids. We can’t do it without you. As your year draws to an end, consider giving to One with the Water as part of your year-end giving plan. 

Finish strong by saving lives. Join us by donating to help provide need-based scholarships for high risk, high need children. When you give to One with the Water, you impact a child’s life on every plane – mentally, physically, and emotionally, for their lifetime. Please donate today to provide the lifesaving skill of swimming to those who need it most.

*Name changed for privacy reasons.

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Give to Save Lives appeared first on One with the Water.

This Giving Tuesday, you have the opportunity to be the neighborhood hero and offer life changing transformation to local kids who need it most. 

The harsh reality is that one in every five drowning deaths occur in children under the age of fourteen, and accidental drowning is the leading cause of death in California between the ages of 1 and 4. Children with special needs have increased drowning risk factors and are statistically more likely to present in low income families, creating a potentially fatal combination of high risk and little to no resources to address the dangers.

Help prevent drowning this Giving Tuesday.

Drowning prevention for members of our most vulnerable populations is literally a matter of life and death. Aside from an increased risk of drowning, children with permanent disabilities who lack consistent therapeutic interventions face increased isolation, increased care requirements, decreased mental health, increased fear and anxiety, and shortened life expectancy.

Swimming provides measurable health and therapeutic benefits for our special needs community, in and out of the water. From better balance and gross motor skills, to improved speech and communication, our athletes are changing their lives by learning to swim. Their risk of accidental drowning plummets by 88%. Being a part of a team reduces isolation and creates positive peer relationships that carry over outside of the pool. And finally, they have the confidence to conquer their fears.

For seven years now, One with the Water has been offering need-based scholarships for premium swimming lessons to children with special needs, service disabled veterans, and low income families in Los Angeles county. Staffed by expert competitive swimmers and former Olympians, we have the only Level 5 Disability certified swim coach in Southern California.

 Be A Local Hero

We know you want to be compassionate, involved members of your community. When you donate to One with the Water, you create real and lasting change in the lives of our adaptive athletes. They are confident, courageous, successful, and safe, thanks to you!

All you need to do is give.

Every dollar you give, whether it’s $10 or $200, goes DIRECTLY to providing swim lessons. Each penny counts, so don’t be intimidated by large amounts. It takes a village, and you are ours.

Communities are changing. Families are changing. Lives are changing. Don’t miss your chance.

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Be a hero this Giving Tuesday appeared first on One with the Water.

Sometimes the news can be overwhelming. Right now, LA County caught on fire seemingly overnight. Hundreds of thousands of Northern Californians are without power. Hurricane Dorian almost shut down the entire East Coast last month. In any disaster, natural or otherwise, it’s easy to feel panicked, helpless, and out of control. 

Take drowning, for example. It doesn’t always look the way we imagine it would. This post, written in 2010, goes viral at the beginning of every summer, but let me summarize the facts. Drowning produces what’s known as the instinctive drowning response. It’s silent, as victims are physically unable to cry out for help, fast (less than 30 seconds), and doesn’t involve a whole lot of thrashing around. And perhaps the most alarming, over half of adolescent drownings each year occur within 25 yards of an adult, and in 10 percent of those incidents, the adult will watch them drown with no idea what is happening.  

CPR Saves Lives

I know this is true because it happened to me. My three-year-old passed out in the water with two adults nearby while all our  attention was focused on a minor emergency outside the pool. In those crucial seconds, he decided to swim across the pool, was unable to reach the side, and passed out from holding his breath. Thankfully, he was seen, rescued, and resuscitated by  my cousin using CPR, with no damage to his brain and body. In those moments, however, it became shockingly clear that I was unprepared to give him CPR. In fact, according to a study done by the American Heart Association, less than 20 percent of Americans are equipped to perform CPR during a medical emergency. 

Why does that matter? Well, if a bystander does not perform CPR, the survival chances of a victim will decrease 7% in every single minute of delay. And European studies done on Cardiac resuscitation show that early initiation of basic lifesaving measures increases the chances of survival up to 2–4 times. Additionally, a Canadian study done on out of hospital cardiac deaths related to drowning found, “most drownings are unwitnessed, occur in public locations, and present with non-shockable initial rhythms, suggesting that treatment should focus on bystander CPR.” 

Learn CPR

What’s the point of all this? Simple. Learn CPR. There is a form of CPR known as hands only, eliminating many concerns of individuals concerning the spread of disease or proper breathing techniques. Regardless of how or to what level you learn CPR, you need to learn it. You might very well save a life one day. To find classes, you can access this course finder, taught by the American Heart Association, or this one, prepared by the American Red Cross. 

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post CPR Saves Lives appeared first on One with the Water.

“At One with the Water, we teach swimming lessons using a Growth Mindset approach, is a foundational pillar of our coaching philosophy. Pioneered by Dr. Carol Dweck, the Growth Mindset is predicated on the simple belief that while everyone’s starting point may differ, our most basic abilities can grow and develop with consistent hard work and dedication.”

On a practical note, however, what does it look when we start a nonswimmer in the water? While we believe all students are capable of growth, improvement, and success in the water, the starting point for each athlete can be very different. Let’s review the necessary water safety skills for success your swimmer will learn upon beginning swim lessons with One with the Water.

Water Safety Skills for Success

When coaching, we develop individualized swim goals for each client based on the individual, the skill or stroke being learned, the assist levels needed (can be physical assistance, or verbal, visual and tactical cueing), and the specific conditions of the individual and the environment.

All goals start with the following skills progression to ensure you or your child are safe and fully at ease in the water.

1. Safely enter the pool.
2. Safely exit the pool: Steps one and two may seem obvious to the untrained individual, but learning to enter and exit a pool safely increases confidence and teaches the child to be more at ease in the water. Basic swim skills, including entering pool, surfacing, and moving oneself approximately 25 yards can reduce the risk of drowning by up to 88%.
3. Floating: supine, prone, alternating, recovery: When just learning to swim, young children and new swimmers can tire easily.Learning to float can aid in recovery and rest time before managing to swim to the side or an exit point.
4. Blowing bubbles: standing, kicking, swimming: Both breath control and submerging the mouth in water are necessary to prevent inhalation of water and are the final steps before beginning to learn the individual strokes.

Register for Swim Lessons

Fifty-eight percent of parents do not consider drowning a threat to their children. In fact, drowning is the second leading cause of death for children under the age of 14 and almost half of US adults report not knowing basic swim skills. Swim lessons matter. Swim skills for water safety are a vital part of keeping your children safe and successful in the water. Register today!

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post 4 Basic Water Safety Skills For Swim Success appeared first on One with the Water.

At One with the Water, we talk a lot about the power of a growth mindset in every area of our lives. We believe that how you teach is just as important as what you teach when it comes to swimming lessons because we believe in equipping our clients for success in all areas of life. It informs every part of our coaching, teaching, and decision-making process. So what exactly is our coaching philosophy?

What is the Coaching Philosophy at One with the Water?

At One with the Water, we teach swimming lessons using a Growth Mindset approach. This is a foundational pillar of our coaching philosophy. Pioneered by Dr. Carol Dweck, the Growth Mindset is predicated on the simple belief that while everyone’s starting point may differ, our most basic abilities can grow and develop with consistent hard work and dedication. As authority figures, the messages we send to students and clients about success can often cause them to fall into the fixed mindset, as their success breeds a fear of failure. If success means they are smart/talented/brilliant/athletic, then failure means they are the opposite of all those things. At One with the Water, we praise our clients based on the growth processes used to perform – practice, study, effort, consistency, and persistence — and connect it to the outcomes, successful or not. And we are always developing new strategies and approaches. Because everyone is different. Because everyone learns in a different way.

Register now to take advantage of our premium lessons and start your journey today. 

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post One with the Water Coaching Philosophy appeared first on One with the Water.

Did you know 4th of July is the number one holiday for alcohol consumption in the US? Combined with Independence day also being the busiest boating season, and prime time for water activities, it’s important to remember these vital safety tips both in and out of the water.

In no particular order:

1. Remember all water can be dangerous. Even inches.
2. Always swim with a buddy no matter what age you are.
3. Enter the water feet first. In natural bodies of water, have a good swimmer scout the water first for hidden dangers.
4. Weak swimmers should use a USCG approved lifejacket in the water, no floaties or noodles for drowning prevention.
5. Designate a water watcher or assign a lifeguard, but keep counting your own children. (It’s how we saved our son’s life). 
6. When not around the water, use pool barriers and other protective measures.
7. Avoid distractions when watching children. As in, STAY OFF YOUR PHONE.
8. Don’t consume alcohol when operating water toys, watching children, etc.
9. Assign swim breaks. Give yourself a chance to rest, rehydrate, and reapply sunscreen.
10. Educate yourself. Know what drowning looks like. (HiInt: It’s not what you think.)
11. If a child is lost or missing, CHECK THE WATER FIRST.
12. Learn CPR – this applies all year round! Drowning victims need oxygen – know how to give it.
13. Remember, swim lessons are the number one tool of drowning prevention. Register with us today if you haven’t yet taken this lifesaving step for you and your loved ones.

Now go out there and celebrate! (Safely).

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Water Safety: July 4th Edition. appeared first on One with the Water.

Swimming Therapy for Stereotypical Autistic Behavior

It’s been common knowledge for some time that aquatic therapy has a myriad of positive outcomes for children with ASD. However, in 2004, some researchers set out to determine the specific effects of swimming on motor performance in children with ASD, with the following results. After ten weeks, not only did strength and flexibility increase, so did balance, agility, and power. Also, the number of stereotypic behaviors decreased by about half. These included spinning, swinging, delayed echolalia and no reaction or delayed reaction to a stimulus within 5 seconds. (2)

An additional study done of occupational therapists reported that while reducing stereotypic behaviors was a goal always addressed only half of the time, therapist-reported decrease in stereotypic behaviors reduced across all sessions over 50% of the time. (3)

The literature, while still sparse in this specific area even now, is clear. The natural repetitive motions used in swimming and therapeutic properties of the water can mimic the repetitive and self-soothing behaviors used by children with ASD.

Aquatic therapy for children and adults with an Autism Spectrum disorder offers a definitive decrease in stereotypical autistic behavior, along with the previously discussed benefits of increased cardiovascular health and better overall fitness levels, enhanced social skills, improved aquatic skills, and better adaptation to change.

At One with the Water, our founder, Coach Rippetoe Coach Kenneth has extensive knowledge of the principles used in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and the ethical considerations involved in working with children with autism. Additionally, Coach Rippetoe is a Level 4 Disability Swim Coach certified by the American Swimming Coaches Association.

Register today for our premium swim lessons.

*Sources:

(1) Dickie, V. A., Baranek, G. T., Schultz, B., Watson, L. R., & McComish, C. S. (2009). Parents’ reports of sensory experiences of preschool children with and without autism: A qualitative study. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 63(2), 172-181.

(2) Yilmaz, I., Yanarda, M., Birkan, B., & Bumin, G. (2004). Effects of swimming training on physical fitness and water orientation in autism. Pediatrics International, 46, 624–626.

(3) Dubois, M. (2011). Aquatic Therapy for Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder: Occupational Therapists’ Perspectives.https://soundideas.pugetsound.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://scholar.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1021&context=ms_occ_therapy

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post The Effect of Swimming on Stereotypical Autistic Movement appeared first on One with the Water.