Swimming as a Sport for Visually Impaired and Blind Children

This material is suitable for both children and adults.
For children with visual impairments, swimming is a way to improve health and increase physical activity. Visually impaired children often have limited movement, which negatively affects their overall health. Many children in adolescence experience muscle weakness, poor posture, and spinal deformities. Poor posture can lead to changes in the rib cage, reduced lung activity, and, as a result, respiratory and heart diseases. These acquired issues are linked to underdeveloped motor skills. Visually impaired and blind children often have poor coordination, which significantly impacts their movement quality and stability.

What benefits does swimming provide for a child’s physical development?

Swimming helps correct motor deficiencies. During swimming lessons, the remaining senses are activated, improving auditory perception in children. Swimming exercises are designed to enhance the function of various body systems and develop motor skills.

Swimming lessons are best conducted individually, but if that’s not possible, a small group of 3-4 children in a shallow pool is ideal. Children should descend into the pool via steps, with the coach’s assistance. The steps should have a tactile, non-slip surface. Jumping into the water is not allowed for visually impaired children. During the first lesson, the coach shows and lets the children feel tactile markers in the pool, such as the ladder, lane, pool edge, and depth. It’s important to also familiarize children with the changing room and assist them in using the shower and getting dressed in swimwear. Safety rules must be emphasized, including no running or jumping, as the pool floors are always wet.

To ensure the child’s safety in the water, a second instructor should be present in the pool. For visually impaired children, hearing and touch dominate their sensory perception. The coach’s commands should be loud, clear, firm, and calm, with frequent use of sound signals. The first session for beginner groups is conducted on land, allowing children to get accustomed to the sounds of the pool and the noise of the water. The coach teaches imitation swimming movements on land, which are later transferred to the water. For example, the “mill” exercise involves arm movements forward and backward, along with breath-holding exercises. Lying on a bench, children practice imitating strokes. On land, children are introduced to whistle signals: a short whistle starts an exercise, a long whistle ends it, and repeated whistles signal to exit the water. During water training, a pole is often used for signaling because water is a poor conductor of sound.

Swimming lessons are held in the shallow part of the pool using a kickboard. Children are taught how to float, hold their breath underwater, and become familiar with gravity and buoyancy in water. Exercises like “float” and “jellyfish” are repeated multiple times. Skill acquisition in visually impaired children occurs more slowly than in sighted children. Every lesson focuses on breathing techniques and movements of the arms and legs for swimming on the stomach and back. The coach must verbally explain each action to help the blind child memorize the sequence of movements. The contact method is effective during lessons, where the coach physically guides the child’s arms, indicating proper hand and elbow positions during strokes. Gradually, children learn to coordinate their breathing with their arm movements. To reduce visual fatigue, exercises like “starfish,” performed on the back with eyes closed, are often used. In the initial lessons, the coach supports the child by placing a hand under the child’s head. Gradually, children develop the skills needed for safe and confident interaction with the water environment.