The Role of OT in Swimmers with Autism

     I started thinking about occupational therapy as a career while in undergrad at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. I think one of things that stuck out to me about occupational therapy was the wide variety of ways therapist can use to work with clients. There are so many different routes a therapist can take to make a client feel motivated through the process. While listening to the podcast "Au" some Swimmers: The Role of OT in Swim Lessons for Kids with Autism," I learned about a specific program where OT students consulted with lifeguards to help teach children with autism about swimming. Now, this program did not specifically teach the kids to swim, but maybe to overcome some challenges they face with water. Whether that was swimming, touching the water or pouring it over their heads, these students and lifeguards were able to work with the children. 

    Although this program was already in place, Kim Persons and Nick Murray stated they went in as consultants because many of the lifeguards did not know how to work with children with autism. There were many barriers the lifeguards faced as they dealt with non-verbal or non-compliant children and distractions such as noises that the children heard. Persons and Murray went in with three main objectives: enhance communication, minimize the turnover rate of employees, and increase knowledge about autism. They had the mindset of focusing on the kids and how to work with them rather than focusing on swimming. There were many ways they went about this change in mindset, including changing the schedule of some children to minimize distractions and implementing a student log to show progress and add more consistency. The outcome of this program was extremely positive and many of the children were able to learn the things they previously had difficulties with. 

    I enjoyed learning about a specific program that helped children with autism. As an OT, I think it is especially important to find things that interest them. Swimming is a great way to keep kids engaged while also engaging their sensory and sequencing components. I learned from this podcast also how important it is to educate those working with kids. The lifeguards in this program were able to gain the knowledge to help these children overcome the hurdles they faced. Overall, this podcast was filled with great information and I look forward to learning about other ways OT's can work with clients so they can progress and get back to their best quality of life.