swimming

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I started swimming lessons about 2 months ago for my 9year old son J.
However he has been saying after haveing swam a little way that he cant breath ( more exercise than he is used to?, sensory issues? asthma?) This all induces a panic attack on top of everything.
So on the week end I took him in the pool myself, before we walked into the area, I gave him some ventolin. This seemed to help. He did start to freek out at one stage but I just stopped him and calmly explaned how to expand his chest and breath slowly. It worked!! !!
Yay for now any way, I think it will take him sometime to get used to.
The other thing I did, because he kept crashing into other kids and lane ropes was to have him follow a line under the water, and one on the ceiling. Again yay he swam pretty straight. High fives to J.
Just wanted to share.

Has any one else had issues with the breathing stuff at the pool? if so what did you do?

This may be completely unrelated, but when i was a kid i would not for the life of me put my face underwater. I always wore a mask that covered my eyes and nose. I still can't put my face underwater and I still wear that mask. I could never learn how to hold my breath and keep water out of my nose. Just a sensory thing I guess.

funny how everyone is different eh, my daugters favorite thing in the world to do is swim, she loves it. She would live in a pool if I let her.

I actually have a lot of problems breathing while swimming, my autism specialist/therapist said its due to sensory, when i feel a whole body of water around me, i feel like im having a panic attack, i start kicking harder and harder, soon enough i wear myself out. It happens to me in the shower or bathtub too, i get worn out real fast, like right after a shower i feel like i ran a marathon.

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Being Normal Is Vastly Overrated

When I was little, before we were allowed in the pool, we had to stand on the outside and do breathing exercises. You weren't allowed in the pool until you breathed right.

It was amazing how many kids (including myself) who took a deep breath while at the same time sucking their stomaches in.

Swimming googles helped my son enormously. He is alot calmer in the water with them on and can even go completely under.

Good for you - great job solving the problem.
My son always loved the water - used to jump in with his clothes on... couldn't resist.
Prefers swimming underwater... we're trying to teach him how to stay on top!

My 7 year old can doggy paddle and could save himself if he fell in the pool.

But he cannot do freestyle or any other strokes despite years of swimming lessons.

He becomes tired quickly because of his low one.

It is written into his IEP that he has a teacher aide 1:1 during swimming lessons at school.

Helen