Swimming lessons for child with hearing loss

[Bubble54]

Hello,

I'd like my DD6 to have swimming lessons but due to a hearing loss she will need a lot of support as she won't be able to wear hearing aids in the water and doesn't use sign language. She can't put her own hearing aids in/out either but I could be there to do that if needed so the instructor could speak to her. I would teach her myself but I'm a rubbish swimmer! Does anyone know if lessons like this even exist? Or if there's a creative way to do it that I'm not seeing? 🥴 TIA x

See if you can speak with an instructor as to how they could help your DD. If you could afford it, you can have lessons 1:1 or in smaller groups.
In my experience pools are incredibly noisy environments during lessons and the teachers use their bodies a lot to demonstrate poolside what they want the children to do as hearing is quite difficult for everyone.
I don't hear well and am very short sighted. As a child I wore glasses which I couldn't do while swimming and would generally follow the lead of what the other kids did.

Thank you so much @Beamur 😊 I also have a hearing loss plus short sighted too so commiserations all round!! I think I'll get in touch with a local leisure centre and go from there. It helps so much just to hear what other people have to say! Thanks again 😊

NDCS did courses for teaching swimming.

The main thing will be making it visual for her. Demonstrations, turn taking so she can see what the others do and maybe some cards or props as cues to represent instructions.

1:1 may be good initially as they can get in the water with her.

Thank you so much @TheDrsDocMartens - visuals are definitely the way to go. I will get in touch with the NDCS too! I'm thinking 1-1 at least at first, although I'm thinking now about adding in my DS to learn with her as she could watch him too 😊 fingers crossed 🤞

Just an update for anyone who is interested - I've found Puddleducks' swimming lessons have been really good for us, lots of support and you're not made to feel awkward about asking about support either. My daughter is loving it 😊 the instructors have training from the NDCS too.

Whereabouts are you based, OP? There are specialist disability swimming clubs around the country. My son attends one and they are very successful at teaching children with a wide range of different conditions how to swim. It might be worth contacting Swim England or equivalent and asking.