Did you know that wearing long sleeve cotton PJ’s in the pool during an adaptive swim lesson is beneficial for swimmers with sensory and motor challenges?

Over the years, we’ve learned that with a little creativity and an ability to think outside the box, we can help special needs swimmers overcome obstacles in a fun and engaging way. Discover the unexpected benefits of wearing PJ’s in the pool!

3 benefits of wearing pajamas in an adaptive swimming lesson:

  • Provides a Water Safety Experience
    Your swimmer will experience what it feels like if they were to accidentally fall into the water with their clothes on. This will help them to experience the feeling of swimming with clothes on and reduce the element of surprise if this unlikely event were to occur.
  • Overcome Buoyancy Challenges
    Swimming with PJ’s on will also help swimmers who are anxious to become familiar with the feeling of buoyancy. This small amount of weight, from the wet pajamas, provides additional gravity and may improve comfort for swimmers who find it challenging to control their body.
  • Touch Toleration
    If you have a swimmer who is sensitive to touch, this might be just the barrier between the skin and your hand that they require to accept some tactile contact. This, in turn, facilitates hands-on assistance in achieving swim skill benchmarks.
Ailene Tisser, MA, PT, Founder

Ailene is a pediatric Physical Therapist with more than 25 years of experience treating a variety of diagnoses, both in and out of the water. She is NDT (Neuro-Developmental Treatment) trained in pediatrics and is trained in DIR/Floortime. She is currently certified as an Autism Specialist by IBCCES. Ailene brings all of her Physical Therapy expertise into the water, where she helps children of all abilities feel safe, confident, and independent. She combines her passion and skill for working with children with special needs with the therapeutic properties of the water to achieve amazing results. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience by educating other Aquatic Professionals so that they can also make a significant impact on the lives of swimmers with special needs.

Cindy Freedman, MOTR, Founder

Cindy is a recreational therapist and an Occupational therapist. After working for ten years as a recreational therapist in a variety of settings, she pursued a Master’s degree in OT. Her career as an OT includes specialty training in sensory integration, reflex repatterning, and aquatics. She is currently certified as an Autism Specialist by IBCCES. As a swimmer and national champion diver, Her love of the water combined with her education and work experience created them an opportunity for Swim Angelfish to become a reality! “Our mission is to create an aquatic community of trained instructors so that together we can decrease the alarming statistic of drowning being the leading cause of death for children with special needs.”