Citation

Pearn JH, Franklin RC. Int. J. Aquatic Res. Educ. 2013; 7(2): 157-162.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Bowling Green State University)

DOI

10.25035/ijare.07.02.07

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

One in every fifty individuals is born with a physical or intellectual disability which will potentially modify his or her life. A fulfilled life includes opportunities for swimming, sailing, boating, and other aquatic sports. There is a potential of increased risks of drowning if children born with a physical or intellectual disability participate in such water sports. These risks are potential, but ought not be realized. A mainstream responsibility (and challenge) for all involved in aquatic professions is to maximize the opportunities for aquatic experiences among individuals with disabilities without also allowing the potential risks to translate into drowning or other serious injuries. Three key themes for the inclusion of individual children and adults with disabilities are "respect, relationships, and opportunity." In this paper, we describe experiences with adapted aquatics for children with uncontrolled epilepsy and other disabilities who nevertheless can participate in aquatic experiences and sports with vigor, yet with safety. Our personal experience of children who do not meet traditional safety criteria is such that aquatic participation is still possible with extra supervisory provision. © 2013 Human Kinetics, Inc.

Language: en

Keywords

Drowning; Adapted aquatics; Disabilities; Child safety.