Communication is Key - Rhys’ Story
This is Rhys. Rhys has a hearing impairment and has to take both his hearing aids out to get in the pool. Pools have naturally poor acoustics anyway so this presents a huge challenge for him. Rhys tried group lessons for a few months but he was often left on the side and had no idea what was going on. His swim teacher called him ‘naughty’ when he wasn’t listening to what he was being told. Sometimes a different instructor would take the class and Rhys’ mum would have to explain that he is deaf all over again. The instructor would often get drawn away from Rhys because of the other children in the group which made him feel really isolated. It was difficult and upsetting to watch.
Level Water understand the need for face-to-face communication and 1-to-1 lessons. They have recently provided to opportunity for Makaton training for their swim teachers, so they can use gestures to communicate with children in the water. Rhys’ swimming instructor taps his shoulder to get his attention and uses visual aids to explain what he wants Rhys to do. His lessons mean that he gets to be like any other child, gaining confidence in the water and ultimately learning to swim. Being in water is fun for him and also a great form of exercise. Rhys learning to swim allows his family to be more confident in his safety near the water whether in a pool, beach or on holiday. Rhys is progressing brilliantly now that he has his own swimming instructor, able to give him the attention he needs in a difficult hearing environment.
Rhys’ mum comments “Swimming pools are difficult for deaf children because they can no longer wear their hearing aids but also because of the naturally poor acoustics. We appreciate Level Water allowing the delivery of these tailored lessons to children with additional needs. It has been fantastic to see the progress Rhys has made over the last year with his instructor. Giving the opportunity to deliver these lessons to children who need extra attention in the water is so important. The delivery of swimming lessons in a safe and structured way that is tailored to each child is essential so they can learn to swim just like any other child.”
Because everyone deserves to learn to swim and fall in love with the water.
