Swim teacher asked if dd was special needs/autistic

[LIG1979]

Dd is 2.0 and a daredevil. She went swimming and there was a new teacher and when dd dived underwater as she does and came up laughing she asked if she had special needs or was autistic. Would fearlessness be a sign of autism or is she just talking rubbish?

Dd doesn't have any other signs of autism but I do wonder if she feels pain. At nursery she is often in the accident book but they say she hasn't cried. She will cry if sick/upset but it seems like physical injuries seem to not bother her.

[Heyho111]

You have to have a difficulty in 3 areas - social, imagination and language to have autism. Children with autism often have obsession and sensory issues. Some like water. But that usually means they turn taps on, lay in puddles, tip water , sit in it. Not just love swimming. I would report her for being inappropriate.

[winkywinkola]

My ds2's baby gym teacher asked if he had delayed development when he was less than two years old.

I put it down to the teacher being 19 and perhaps not very used to children.

[Jellyandjam]

At 2 my DS was completely fearless. It used to really keep me on my toes the way he would just like the throw himself off things, climb everything etc. Now at 5 he is much more cautious and will only do things he is happy with. Very young children don't understand dangers and experiences and experimenting (along with our guidance of course) teach them about what is or isn't safe.
I am sure the teacher meant well and had the best interests of your dd in mind, maybe she could have gone about it better.

[Goldmandra]

Some children with autism are terrified of water, some are dangerously fearless around and some are in between. I am aware of lots of children with autism who don't recognise danger and I guess some of them would appear to be very gung-ho when in a swimming pool.

Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder. That means that is affects many areas of a child's development, not just one or two. So not recognising danger and an atypical response to pain would be considered significant in an assessment but only alongside numerous other symptoms. In isolation they are insignificant.

OP, I have a DD who has AS and doesn't respond appropriately to pain. This has meant her ending up very poorly due to being discharged from hospital twice with undiagnosed appendicitis and spending most of a day at school with a broken arm. Whatever the reason behind it, please make sure her unusual responses are noted if she needs medical attention so they can be taken into account.

[Softlysoftlycatchymonkey]

I've taught swimming for ten years and have come across plenty of little fishes.

She was out of order asking you that.

It absolutely does help if the parents fill you in on any of the child's needs as there are many ways to teach and it's about finding the correct way per child.

[EssexMummy123]

"Some children with autism are terrified of water, some are dangerously fearless around and some are in between" but that's true of all kids right?

[Goldmandra]

"Some children with autism are terrified of water, some are dangerously fearless around and some are in between" but that's true of all kids right?

Yes, although some children with autism can take it to greater extremes and may sit on the edge of a beach shaking with fear at the mere sight of the sea or launch themselves into a pond at an age where NT children would know not to.

[Deverethemuzzler]

This thread has just reminded me to book my two youngest in for swimming lessons.

[minipie]

Interesting OP - your dd sounds a LOT like my DD - who was premature and so is, I believe, statistically a bit more likely to have ADHD (but no more likely to have ASD).

DD has always been suicidal very enthusiastic in water - no sense of danger elsewhere either - and doesn't notice pain unless it's bad enough to cause bleeding/egg sized lump (but she's terrible with teething, illness or disappointment...). she's also very sociable, verbal, loves change and is a bit of a drama queen as you describe.

Off to look up ADHD now...

[DeWee]

I wouldn't worry if there's not other indications.

At 2yo one of mine would spend as much time under as on top and would happily jump into deep water without a care. She was as nervous as any other child by 5yo (without any incident that scared her).
Dd1 has very high pain threshold. She did a swimming party and 3 ballet shows one weekend saying her shoulder "was a bit stiff". Half way to school the following week she suddenly went grey and, at my insistance, we went home (her objecting all the way) and saw the doctor. She had pneumonia to a stage that the doctor was suprised she could even stand up. She doesn't like being fussed over, and prefers to get on and sort things herself. It does cause it's own problems at times because she'll deny any injury until it's to bad to cope with, but it's the way she deals with it.

Neither of them are autistic.

[LynetteScavo]

It could be that you DD is sensory seeking, which is basically the opposite of sensory sensitive. Does your DD like a good old boogie to loud music and loud disco lights?

[DownByTheRiverside]

if it helps, DS is on the spectrum, had no sense of fear or danger and had a ridiculously high pain threshold. He also had a broken thermostat and didn't feel the cold.
Sounds like the teacher was acting out of concern, however clumsily.

[LIG1979]

minpie we went through nightmare teething so she does feel pain - it is just when she wants too. I do often think adhd is a possibility but very difficult to tell at the moment.

lynette the sensory seeking is interesting. She does like loud music and lights but no more than any other 2 year old.

[Annakhan]

Hello , just wanted to share an incident that happened today at the pool, my 6 year old son diagnosed with mild autism last year has his first swimming lesson today he is level two he did his level one from a different location now that i moved i put him in the centre close to my house . SO, today was his first day and everything was okay at first he was sooo happy and excited for his lesson he loves to be in water not afraid of it at all when he got in the water along with 4 other kids the instructor started off saying everyone do a bob and my son who was looking at other kids and trying to figure out what to do the instructors two of them just looking at my son and each other smirking like is he stupid ? I said it 2-3 times and the whole time they were just laughing at nodding their heads like he s not normal kids while me sitting 3 feet away and watching!!! I was shocked !! I thought maybe im just thinking Too much maybe its not like that !!! But than they took them to the deep side we couldnt go there i was far still my eyes on them they are whispering, laughing my son is the last one they would pick while taking turns even tho he would b mostly in the middle and they are young kids probably in their early 20’s i was soo heart broken to see this act dont know what to do? If i should continue taking him there or find another place ? My son is so naive he doesn't even understand when he s being bullied i just don't know what to do?? When i was trying to ask him after the lesson he has no clue all he knows is he was in the water and he was happy!! Also when they were gliding taking turns one of the insturctor tells my son 3 times dont kick dont kick while 2 other kids did the same and he did good try to them and like soo many other things!!!

[DefConOne]

It’s very unlikely a two year old would have diagnosed even if they have ASD. My DD was diagnosed at 8 after a nearly 2 year wait. She was very lively as a toddler and has always loved water. She is hyper sensitive to pain and reacts really badly to injury or illness. She also hates loud noises so it possible to be sensory for some things but not others.

Seems weird the teacher mentioned it. Lots of toddlers have strong likes and dislikes and most of them don’t get an ASD diagnosis.

[AladdinMum]

@DefConOne there has been many examples of children diagnosed at 18M both in this forum, other forums, and some of the popular autism blogs are of children diagnosed before 2Y, so it is very possible. Many children that are diagnosed after 2Y old is not because the signs are not there, but because (at least here in the UK), the waiting times are very long (years in some cases) to go from a GP visit to a full assessment.