6 minute read
SHORT STUFF
Adaptive Swim Classes Build Confidence and Safety for Children with Autism
For many families, summer means the start of swim season. But for those with a child on the autism spectrum, swimming can be an intimidating and dangerous proposition. Drowning is the number one cause of accidental death among those on the autism spectrum, meaning parents and caregivers need to be purposeful in teaching them water safety.
Advertisement
“Every kid is a little bit different, and a lot of the big challenges of teaching children with autism have to do with being able to learn in the same way that their peers learn,” says Erika Kemp, clinical assistant professor of occupational therapy at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and The Ohio State University College of Medicine’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. “When you think about typical swim lessons, often there is one teacher giving the same instruction to the whole group. That’s where we get into some difficulty with kids with autism. Often, they need the instruction presented in a different way or in a one-on-one environment.”
To give those learners the attention and specialized instruction they need, Kemp led a new study at Ohio State that offers personalized aquatic occupational therapy for young children with autism. Initial results show that the lessons not only improve swim skills and make the water safer, but also build physical, behavioral and social competency that goes beyond the swimming pool.
“Every kid that we’ve put through the program has made gains in things like water adjustment, comfort in the water and their ability to go under the water and hold their breath,” Kemp says. “Then, we work on being able to maintain their balance in the water, maintaining a float and getting themselves to move through the water. We set individual goals for everyone.” Cooper Sotello, 4, and his mom, Sarah Cline, participate in the new adaptive swim class led by researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. The class teaches swimming and water safety to children on the autism spectrum.
A new adaptive swim program led by researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center teaches swimming and water safety to children on the autism spectrum. The class aims to make the pool safer for children with autism, for whom drowning is the number one cause of accidental death.
Quit Bugging Me!
Tips on coping with bug bites and other summer perils
By Bob Shepard
Warmer weather has folks venturing outdoors, and while the risk of running into a snake, bear or other menacing animal exists, it’s more likely to be much smaller critters such as ticks, mosquitos, wasps and other insects that can pack a powerful bite or sting.
KEEPING BUGS AT BAY
Walter Schrading, M.D., professor of emergency medicine and director of the Office of Wilderness Medicine in the Heersink School of Medicine at UAB, says people should use an approved insect repellant while wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts if outside in buggy areas.
Products containing DEET are considered the most effective repellants, but picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus-based products are effective, comparable to lower concentrations of DEET.
Schrading offers these tips on the use of products containing DEET:
• Read and follow all directions and precautions on the product label. • Store DEET out of reach of children. • To apply to face, first spray product onto hands, then rub onto face. • Use only when outdoors, and wash skin with soap and water after coming indoors. • Check the label for the concentration of DEET.
A product with a 25% concentration of DEET provides about six to eight hours of protection. • Use just enough repellent to cover exposed skin and/or clothing. Don’t over-apply. • DEET may be used on adults, children and infants older than 2 months of age. Protect infants from mosquito bites by using a carrier draped with mosquito netting with an elastic edge for a tight fit.
An option for use on clothing or tents is Permethrin. It is an insecticide, not a repellant, so it should not be applied to the skin.
TACKLING TICKS
The likelihood of getting Lyme disease, a common tick-borne illness from a local tick bite, is low in the Southeast, according to Schrading. Ticks in Alabama are known to carry the bacterium that causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever, characterized by a flulike illness, followed by a red, raised rash on the wrists or ankles.
To remove a tick, he says, grasp the tick with tweezers as close as possible to the skin’s surface and pull straight up in an easy motion. Wash the area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Do a full body check after spending time in a potential tick environment. Ticks that have been embedded less than 24 hours are unlikely to spread disease.
DON’T GET STUNG
“One of the biggest outdoor risks is bee or wasp stings, especially for those with severe allergic reactions,” says Marie-Carmelle Elie, M.D., chair of the UAB Department of Emergency Medicine. “A severe allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis, can be fatal.”
She recommends that those with a history of an allergic reaction carry an epinephrine auto-injector, commonly known as an EpiPen, when camping or hiking.
OH, FOR GOODNESS SNAKES
Elie says the best way to avoid snakebite is to watch carefully for the presence of snakes while in the woods or near rivers or creeks and wear long pants and boots. She says the most important safety gear you can carry is a cellphone and your car keys.
“Get to an emergency department as quickly as you safely can, and that can often be accomplished by calling 911,” Elie says. “Snap a picture of the snake if possible but leave the snake behind.”
She says doctors do not need to see the snake. Some bites are dry with no venom injected or are from a nonvenomous snake. Bites from venomous snakes such as copperheads, rattlesnakes and cottonmouths that do inject venom will produce symptoms. The victim will have pain, swelling and discoloration at the bite site, often with fang marks. Bites where no venom is injected will show no symptoms over a period of several hours of observation.
HAVE A FIRST AID KIT
Ready-made kits are available at outdoor stores, or they can be assembled from materials on hand. Include assorted bandages and basic medicines such as Tylenol, Benadryl and aspirin. Albuterol will help those who have asthma or COPD. Include a 1% hydrocortisone anti-itch cream, foldable splints, alcohol wipes and cleaning agents.
Did you know you can sponsor a baby's diaper need for as low as $10/month?
Visit bundlesdiaperbank.org and signup for a recurring monthly donation to BLESS A LOCAL FAMILY
Businesses, local organizations & individuals all welcome!
Providing services for children with special health care needs and their families, and adults with hemophilia.
800-846-3697
REHAB.ALABAMA.GOV
CRS is a program of the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services.
