When It’s Hot, Head for the Water
June 9, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
A lovely 97 degrees here in New Jersey today and Charlie just requested to swim in the big pool at my college (ABC filmed him swimming some in this pool last Monday and I hope some of the footage makes it on the segment to be shown tomorrow, Tuesday). If you can’t get to a pool, here are some really cool pools courtesy of Oobject—-something about that underground pool is looking really appealing as the sun beats down (not a great day to have a black car!).
(Then again—-today 12 year-old Connor Folkertsma fells into the rain-swollen waters of the Indian Mill Creek in Walker, Michigan, and was swept out of sight; he was seen getting out of the water about a third of a mile downstream, after the Grand Rapids Fire Department had been dispatched, MLive.com reports. Connor, who has autism, “likes to watch the waters and they were especially intriguing after a weekend of heavy rains turned the normally knee-deep waters into a swift-moving stream high enough to go over the head of an adult.”)
Swimming is one of the few activities that my son requests and we love taking him. We’re pretty excited that our city’s outdoor pools open so we can get some sun while we swim, but somehow, we always make it back to his favorite indoor pool. Swimming seems to make Casey feel so free and light, and I love watching him enjoying it, and then enjoying it with him. Thanks for the cool pool pics, I love pools!
Unless the pools are kept clean using salt or ozone and potasium, don’t you worry about the adverse effect chlorine has on the immune system, especially of autistic kids? I found this article on google to further my feelings: http://www.dld123.com/q&a/index.php?cid=1198
I generally worry more about the effect of a lack of a good physical, aerobic workout for Charlie, but he needs his exercise. “Free and light”—-that’s what he looks like in the water, more at ease than on land I often think.