Swimming on the spectrum: SwimRVA program provides water safety skills for children with autism

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) – As Autism Acceptance Month draws to a close, the local nonprofit SwimRVA is making a big splash in the autism community.

According to the National Autism Association, drowning is among the leading causes of death for individuals with autism.

A program at nonprofit SwimRVA is working to reverse water death trends in the Commonwealth while helping kids with autism feel more comfortable and confident in the water. 

Autism Swims offers kids one-on-one lessons with skills-based learning. The program is led by Autism Spectrum Disorder-certified coaches.

Elise Durusu teaching Isaiah a swim lesson

Isaiah's family observing his swim lesson

Jaliah Graves speaking with 8 News

Every Wednesday, 7-year-old Isaiah Graves, who is non-verbal and on the autism spectrum, attends one of those swim classes at the Collegiate School Aquatic Center in Chesterfield County.

This location is one of four where SwimRVA offers these vital lessons, and Graves is currently one of 25 students benefiting from the program.

"He is going above and beyond what I thought that he could do," said Graves' mother, Jaliah Graves. "It has been amazing just for him to have a little bit of water safety or just awareness of the water. What to do in the water."

As Graves enters his second year with the program, he continues to learn alongside his dedicated instructor, Elise Durusu, who has been with him since he first began.

"Seeing him progress has been really amazing and really rewarding," Durusu said. "This is kind of, like, why we do what we do, is for these results.”

While his weekly swim lesson includes a favorite activity, wall crawls, Graves reached a big milestone recently -- going underwater by himself for the first time.

"He willingly did it because his confidence has gone way up. It's pretty incredible, and I just screamed and hollered and woohoo'd. I don't know how we got there, but we did," Durusu said.

According to the National Autism Association, children with autism are 160 times as likely to die from drowning as the general pediatric population.

That statistic prompted SwimRVA Director of Programs, Debbie Kelo, to dive into action, launching the program back in 2017.

From the outset, its development was a collaborative effort, with the Autism Society of Central Virginia and occupational therapy professionals from VCU's phase one school playing crucial roles.

"We realized we needed to do something," Kelo said.

Despite the program's success, Autism Swims faces a challenge: the growing demand. The waitlist exceeds 200 children, and the need for more instructors is clear.

"Ten years down the road would be, you know, do we have ten locations that are just serving Autism Swims? Right. How do we get there?" Kelo said.

Autism Swims has become more than just a place for lessons for the Graves family.

"It's like gaining a little extra family. Gaining a few extra friends," Graves said.

For more information on how you can become an instructor, contact Director of Programs Debbie Kelo at debbie.kelo@swimrichmond.org or 804-271-8273.