Meeting individual needs in the pool

Summer is with us agin. Diets and body movements have gained rhythm and showing off in swimsuits has almost become a trend. The swimming mania has kicked off. But for some, swimming is also part and parcel of their winter timetable.

This is certainly the case with Peter, Tom and Alexia. These three teenagers attend San Miguel Febres Cordero School, a school that caters for the education of children who have profound and multiple learning difficulties.

The pupils attending this school have limited cognitive abilities and physical difficulties; too little movement or too much movement. The aim of the school is to provide an education according to the individual needs of the pupils. One way of accessing this is through the use of a heated pool that the school has.

San Miguel School is one of the few schools in Malta with an indoor heated pool equipped with hi-fi and surround system. Within the same area there are changing rooms and showers.

The pool holds about 15,000 gallons of water. A pump room was built just outside the school and this is checked regularly by professional personnel to ensure that equipment such as pumps, filters, temperature and chemicals, keep the pool running smoothly.

As long as the pupils do not have any medical condition that prevents them from being in a 35°C water temperature, everybody can make use of the pool. A medical approval together with a signed parents' consent is always required. The school nurses play a very important role with regard to the children's health and safety both before and after the pool session.

The pool is used every day. Two days a week are dedicated to therapy - students are in the pool together with the physiotherapist. The warm water makes it easier for some to move their limbs. The pool is used by the teacher and assistant together with students for what we call 'water fun sessions' on the other three days.

There is a set time-table to ensure that all students benefit from at least one pool session a week, be it a therapy or a water fun session.

The running of each session requires good co-ordination. All those involved in the pool sessions know about the safety procedures to be taken in case of emergency.

Before going any further it is important to draw attention to what is involved for each pool session; and how many people (besides those already mentioned for monitoring temperature, chemicals and equipment in the pump room) are required daily.

Even though manual handling is avoided as much as reasonably possible, persons are required for safe lifting; this may still be manually or through a hoist. The same persons are required to be present during the pool sessions in case of an emergency.

Another team is required for the showering and changing of the students both before and after the sessions. There should always be at least two persons to help with showering, undressing and dressing of pupils. In some casees even three persons are needed; and we must not forget the role of the nurses. Every individual is important and no session can take place without any of these people.

Members of staff have been trained to give appropriate support during pool sessions. Professional instructors from abroad have given courses in what is called the Halliwick concept. This was developed to teach swimming to persons with a disability.

Well, maybe the students at San Miguel School will not learn to swim independently, but they will certainly become water confident and enjoy the feel of water and its movement.

This is in fact what we mean by water fun sessions. The main focus rests on giving the correct support in the water, thus making the session safe, enjoyable and as relaxing as possible.

The Halliwick concept has its philosophy. One of its points is that swimmers (we do refer to the students as swimmers) would benefit more when in the presence of trained instructors who assist them rather than when wearing floatation aids.

Support can be given more discreetly by a helper rather than by having to increase the support offered by floatation aids and after all floatation aids inhibit the instructor from getting close to the swimmer.

From practice, I can say this is very true and so I would like to share with you some of the special and unique moments during water fun sessions.

It was the first day of the second school term. A class was having a pool session. The age of the swimmers for the session ranged between 14 and 16.

Tom was inside the pool already. Peter was entering the pool area. Tom became very excited. His facial expressions and smile demonstrated excitement as Peter entered. There was a special link between the two.

Peter shared the interaction through eye contact, laughter and exciting sounds from his throat while waited for more responses and the continuity of that interaction. Tom and Peter developed sounds which had a definite meaning. Through their potential to develop communication skills, I dare say as an observer and writer, that Tom and Peter are friends.

The pool sessions are more than a social activity for Tom and Peter. Peter is unable to walk alone on land but he is able to walk to the other side of the pool independently while in the water. This independence and freedom justify Peter's joy and satisfaction.

However, correct support is always essential as it enables mobility possibly not experienced on land. Tom is unable to walk in the water but with the correct support, he is able to experience a vertical position and touch the pool floor with his feet.

This is one position which he certainly cannot experience on land. While he is in the water he is able to experience freedom from wearing any equipment to correct his spinal curve. He needs to wear it every day. Like many other students he is able to gain a safe and comfortable position that prevents any pressure sores.

Also, swimmers would benefit more when in the presence of trained instructors. Due to her added impairment, Alexia needs closer physical contact to be able to understand the proximity of the person holding her and of those beside her; receiving one-to-one support and having no floatation aids.

It was not easy for her to tolerate touch until she started enjoying contact with other persons and taking part in social interaction through a slight smile and sound. She has gained confidence in water. Alexia enjoys listening to music; listening to the voices of others in the pool with her; she enjoys listening to stories and enjoys the feel of the water and its movement.

We, as instructors, await her smile, a sound, an action. We become absolutely thrilled when we realise that for her learning is enhanced in the pool.

Students attending San Miguel School can learn while enjoying the comfort of the warm water of the pool. Some listen to a story while they relax in the water. Others may have reached the skill of recognising colours and co-operate as they reach for floating coloured objects to place by the pool's edge.

When you believe heartily in your students, you realise that story telling is a literacy session and that the counting and reaching for coloured floating objects becomes a numeracy session. While children in mainstream schools go to a laboratory for their science lessons, our students are in the pool as part of their learning.

Before sharing these experiences one might have thought of the pool at San Miguel School as a recreational area within a school environment. One could have even thought of deck chairs, cold drinks and who knows what else. A most important question should always be asked in each individual case before a pool session - what are the individual needs of this child?

While this question would seem appropriate for children with special needs, it is however a question suitable for any child attending any school in Malta.

In the pool environment, each child listens to music or voices, feels included and is encouraged to participate by smiling, making a sound or even putting on an expression.

Participation is communication and communication is essential for learning. Close your eyes... think of what you've just read... put your mind, heart and soul in it, so you'll understand what I really meant to say - I just wanted to capture and share some of the special and unique moments during a water fun session.

This is the third article contributed by the staff working at San Miguel School in Pembroke. For more information about the school, visit the Website at http//:schoolnet.gov.mt/sanmiguelschool, or e-mail sanmiguel.sns@gov.mt .