We brought him to several different doctors, but we weren’t getting a full view of my son’s diagnosis. That’s when I started to do some research on my own. I searched online and came across the website for Children’s Specialized Hospital and made an appointment to see a specialist. At Children’s Specialized, Julian was officially diagnosed with Autism, and the staff there immediately started to help him reach his goals.
After Julian started seeing the team at Children’s Specialized, I got an email from the hospital about different activities that were available to the kids. Camps, clubs, special events - it all looked like a lot of fun and I wanted my son to be able to try something new and exciting. I worked with Kaylee McGuire, community recreation program coordinator, to sign him up for Adaptive Aquatics, a beginner swim class for children with special needs. I had no idea there was a program like this for kids like Julian. He loves playing in the water, but he had never been able to learn how to swim.
I was very nervous about Julian taking the swim class. Would he be able to understand the class? Would it be the right level for him? Would the other kids be nice? All of my fears washed away from the moment we got to his first class. The staff and volunteers were so patient and kind. The class size was small, and each child was paired with a volunteer who helped them in the pool. With their help and positive attitudes, Julian was learning how to swim!
Throughout his lessons my son had so much fun. He was coming out of his shell, interacting with the other kids and with the volunteers and staff. He became fast friends with the other kids in his class, and every week he was so excited when I told him it was time to go to the pool. As a parent, it made me so happy to see him learning and having a great time and relieved that he knows how to swim to keep him safe around water.
My main advice to parents like me who are nervous about getting their child involved in an activity is to do your research. Ask your doctors or therapists what might be a good activity for your child, look up programs online and most importantly, ask questions. Also, don’t let financial reasons turn you away from signing up. Children’s Specialized also has a benefit fund that makes it easier to pay for programs, and you can visit their website to apply.
After he had such a great time learning how to swim in the Adaptive Aquatics program, I wanted to keep Julian involved in recreation activities. We learned about Camp Kresge, an overnight summer camp that Children’s Specialized runs, and for the first time ever my son spent time away from me and enjoyed every minute of it. He even attended for his second year this summer!
If you’re thinking about signing your child up for a special activity – do it! Although you might be nervous that their special needs won’t be met and that maybe your child might not be able to keep up, you can trust in the staff at Children’s Specialized to support you all through your experience and help your child achieve more than what you thought was possible!