Over the years, we have taught scores of children (and their parents and carers) with a myriad of special needs. It's something we love doing and we're very proud of how well they do.

Obviously we're not medical experts. So we would always ask that you first check out any issues with your health professionals. Then, once you've done that, have a good chat with your local Water Babies office about any concerns/queries you have.

For a time we considered adapting our course for each main area of special needs. However, through talking to experts, it quickly became apparent that that wasn't going to work. So now, each of our offices has a thick Special Needs file, giving them points to consider when working with different types of children.

An example of how we've worked with people with different requirements is when teaching deaf children and parents. Our Water Babies presenters (the big illustrated cards we display at the side of the pool) are great for providing visual cues. We've happily emailed lesson outlines to clients before coming along, so they know what they'll be doing that week. And two of our instructors who taught clients who were deaf decided to learn basic sign language too.

Why Swimming Is Good for Children with Special Needs:

*increased resistance in the water helps build muscle tone
* buoyancy helps reduce body weight - removing 80% of the weight from feet
*swimming aids development of motor skills, physical fitness and social interaction
* the water allows for far greater freedom of movement
* our classes' range of diverse activities and fast pace encourage children to use concentration, control and co-ordination

Should your child have any of the conditions below, then do give your Water Babies office a ring as we've got lots of advice we can give you in relation to swimming (and any condition about which we don't currently have any knowledge, we'll happily find out about and get back to you).

* Epilepsy
* Cystic Fibrosis
* Down's Syndrome
* Deafness
* Blindness
* Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus
* Cerebral Palsy
* Hip Dysplasia
* Talipes (Club Foot)
* Osteogenesis Imperfecta (Brittle Bone Disease)

Water Phobia: We've had plenty of water phobic parents (and grandparents) attending our classes. One lady gained so much confidence from coming with her son that she then learnt to swim. Just make sure that you let your local office know if you are water phobic, and we'll make absolutely sure that we don't ask you to do anything you're not entirely comfortable with.