For many kids, summer vacation is an excuse to chill out and cool off in the pool. I grew up swimming on a swim team until I finished high school. It didn’t matter if it was 86 degrees or 32 degrees, if I wasn’t at school or doing homework, there was a very high probability I was in the pool. I have always loved water. I started swim lessons at about age three and as soon as someone told me I could get in, I was in the deep end. I had no fear whatsoever. In fact, my parents would sometimes say, “Adria, come back over here, you can’t go that deep!” They noted how every time I was in the water, I was so happy and so confident.
My parents wanted to find an activity that my sister Janelle and I could do together as well as one that would promote physical fitness. They decided to sign us up for our local swim team. Janelle was 6. I was 8. I wasn’t necessarily fast, but I loved being with the other kids and just swimming with them. All the other kids did not have any sort of developmental disability, at least not one that was openly acknowledged. Being part of the team was a great outlet for my social and emotional development as well as overall heath.
Today, I still swim three days a week at a local pool. Swimming is part of what I do to maintain good physical fitness, but also better mental health. Scientific studies have demonstrated that people diagnosed with various mental health conditions such as anxiety disorders, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder who regularly exercise show better response to treatment and less need for medication. Additionally, science still doesn’t know what causes autism, nor do they know why so many children and adults with autism tend to be attracted to water, but according to AutismSpeaks.org, individuals with autism show a higher attraction to water than the general population, and some may not understand the dangers it can present. Drowning is also the leading cause of death in those with autism, particularly individuals who have tendency to wander from safety.
When I am swimming, I feel free. It feels like I am doing meditation. Sometimes I think about things and sometimes I have songs I sing in my head, but I enjoy every minute of it. It’s one of my favorite parts of my week.
Nassim, A. (2023). Swimming Therapy. https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/articles/swimming-therapy.html