Living on Lake Michigan’s shores, one ISR parent* and her family have spent many summer days near the water. But, splashing in the water became a concern as her daughter wasn’t progressing in traditional swimming lessons.
“She has autism and personal thoughts about safety never enter her mind,” said the parent.
Both fascinated and fearful of water, traditional swimming lessons did not provide progressive behavioral support that would help her daughter learn to survive an accidental fall into the water. Statistics from the National Autism Association report that children with autism are among the highest at-risk for drowning subsequent to wandering and elopement. Determined to provide her child with the skills to survive, the parent remained vigilant in supervising her child around the water and researching swimming lessons in her area. She received an ISR Self-Rescue™ scholarship from Autism Society of West Shore and enrolled her child in lessons with ISR Certified Master Instructor Michael Petrella.
“Her first lesson started just like all the other lessons with a death grip around Michael’s neck,” explained the parent. “But, he wasn’t fazed at all. Over the course of several days, Michael helped her relax enough to turn around and hold her facing the pool. In the next six weeks, his patience and ‘chaining of skills,’ always building a new skill on the previously learned skill, taught her to float on her back, turn over and swim, and then rotate to float again. These skills gave her the confidence and competence to swim to the edge of the pool and pull herself out of the water.”
Before ISR Self-Rescue™ lessons with Michael, the parent was anxious at pool parties as her daughter would dangerously attempt to cling to other children in the pool. She accompanied her daughter to another pool party where her daughter proudly paddled around the pool, showed off her float independently.
“I was still supervising her as much as I had before, but this was the first time I could watch her put her head under the water and have the time of her life with her friends,” shared the parent. “She was all smiles, beaming confidence while I held back tears of joy. We will still respect the water in pools and at Lake Michigan but I now know my daughter has the knowledge and skills to help save herself should she need to adding another layer of protection to her safety.”
ISR Certified Master Instructor Michael Petrella has used the same techniques to teach many children ISR Self-Rescue™ skills that have proven effective in helping more than 800 children rescue themselves from drowning. He proudly shares this family's story as “the most extraordinary and rewarding experience” in his ISR career.
For more information about how our program supports children with autism and other pervasive developmental disorders, please contact us at mediarelations@infantswim.com.
*Please note the parent's name has been withheld to protect the child's identity.
