Power of Transitions for Special Needs Swimmers by Improving Your Engagement and Interaction

What do you do when your swimmer overreacts, panics or refuses to transition from one activity to another?

As swim instructors, we often encounter challenges when working with special needs swimmers who struggle with transitions and those who show resistance towards engaging and interacting with us.

At Swim Angelfish, we understand that every swimmer is unique, and overcoming these obstacles requires a tailored approach. By applying the Swim Whisperers methodology, we can identify the correct strategies to help swimmers overcome their challenges.

In this blog, we discuss one of the 7 areas of focus we identified as ‘Transitions’ and one of the 14 most common roadblocks we identified as ‘Interaction and Engagement Difficulties’. We share advice on how swim instructors can help their swimmers to be more successful when facing these obstacles.

Identifying the Challenge: Transitions

Transitions play a crucial role because they involve moving from one activity to another, whether it’s entering or exiting the water, changing strokes, or transitioning between different areas of the pool. For some swimmers, transitions can be overwhelming and disruptive. One of the biggest differences between special needs adaptive swimming and typical swim lessons is that many special needs swimmers have daily difficulties with transitions.

Having a transition plan and adapting your approach for each swimmer will help you achieve successful transitions and will help swimmers feel more at ease. Being able to assess body language and interpreting nonverbal cues is crucial when helping swimmers with special needs.

Identifying the Roadblock: Engagement and Interaction Difficulty

How can you teach someone to swim if you can’t even get them to engage or attend to what you’re doing? Swimmers who struggle with social skills and/or anxiety can often demonstrate a lack of engagement and interaction with their swim instructor. This may manifest in avoidance behaviors such as disinterest, avoiding eye contact, or even verbal and physical resistance.

Understanding what works best for your student by talking to their parent, caregiver or therapist will give insight into their behaviors and will help you to adapt your approach, to encourage a positive experience.

Swim Whisperers® Strategies to Help Transitions and Promote Engagement

Let’s take a deeper dive and explore how to apply the Swim Whisperers® strategies when facing a challenge with transitions and interaction with a student. In this video, we meet an individual with Fragile X syndrome who loves to come to the pool but can have a hard time with transitions. Our swimmer also experiences social challenges, which impact the interaction and engagement with his swim instructor. Cindy shares that by adapting your approach, you can help swimmers to overcome these obstacles.

To learn about how one of our Swim Angelfish parents is impacting and inspiring the Fragile X community, check out his inspiring story on our Instagram Reels.

Overcoming challenges with transitions as well as interaction and engagement requires a thoughtful and individualized approach to swim instruction. By applying the Swim Whisperers® methodology, instructors who are certified can identify the correct strategies to help swimmers overcome these obstacles.

Try Our Top Tips for Easing Transitions: 

  • Set a timer so your swimmer can anticipate the end of a particular exercise or task.
  • Use a game of ‘hide and seek’ to get a resistant swimmer out of the pool.
  • Try taking a ride on the chairlift for swimmers that are mobile but just don’t like to get out of the pool.

Every swimmer has the potential to succeed, and with the right support and guidance, they can embrace the joy and benefits of swimming.

Looking for Aquatic Therapist Training?

We can give you the tools you need to help special needs clients achieve therapy goals and improve their independence in the water.

Learn new treatment and handling techniques, understand how to integrate reflexes and overcome roadblocks to help your pediatric clients achieve their therapy goals. We have 4 in-depth online courses to choose from.

Our online training courses will help you strengthen your aquatic therapy skills and allow you to earn CEU’s. Our on-demand platform makes learning flexible to fit into your schedule.

Dive into Our Specialized Pediatric Aquatic Therapy Program!

The unique program that Swim Angelfish offers is created by an OT/PT team with over 60 years combined experience. We have experienced Recreation, Occupational, and Physical therapists who are specifically trained in pediatric aquatic therapy. We use a fun, innovative and multi-sensory approach using the therapeutic properties of the water to reach your specific therapy goals.

We can help improve self-regulation, motor coordination, strength, balance, endurance, and more. There are several options for therapy sessions depending on your needs, including private, semi-private, and small group sessions.

Ailene Tisser, MA, PT, Founder

Ailene Tisser, a pediatric Physical Therapist with over 30 years of experience and co-founder of Swim Angelfish® and the Swim Whisperers® method, specializes in aquatic therapy and adaptive swim for children with special needs. Trained in NDT, DIR/Floortime, and certified as an Autism Specialist and Primitive Reflex Specialist she fosters water safety, confidence, and independence in her young clients. Ailene is also passionate about educating aquatic professionals, setting a standard of excellence for adaptive aquatics training and professional development.

Cindy Freedman, MOTR, Founder

Cindy, MS, OTR/L is an occupational and recreational therapist with over 30 years of experience specializing in pediatrics and aquatics. Driven by a passion for helping children with special needs reach their full potential, Cindy co-founded Swim Angelfish, an organization dedicated to providing adaptive swim and aquatic therapy services as well as professional training. Her expertise in sensory integration, reflex repatterning, and aquatics, coupled with her love for water and experience as a national champion diver, has enabled her to make a profound impact on the lives of countless children. Cindy is certified as an Autism Specialist by IBCCES, and shows an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of children with special needs.