HOPE FLOATS: Pujari helps the children to improve their motor coordination

Eleven-year-old Thomas was mortally afraid of water. Not unusual for children of his age. Then one fine morning at the Bangalore City Corporation pool, he fought his fear-and won. As he splashed about, it was obvious that this was a big accomplishment. Bigger still because Thomas has cerebral palsy. And because he was accompanied by 44 children, who like him, are physically or mentally disadvantaged.

Some suffer from cerebral palsy, a condition marked by weakness and impaired coordination of the limbs caused by damage to the brain before or during birth. Others have Down's Syndrome, a congenital disorder due to a chromosome defect and characterised by diminished intelligence and physical abnormalities. But watching them in the pool, you wouldn't know that. With every successful stroke, their sense of integration with the mainstream seems more complete, the smiles on their drenched faces fuller.

In their midst is coach Raju Pujari, a product of the National Institute of Sports, Patiala. He looks at the splashing youngsters with pride, recalling how he first saw them a year ago at Sri Sajjan Rao Vidya Samsthe (SSRVS), a school for children with special needs. The sight tugged at his heart and he imagined taking them under his wing. That's what he actually did, training them with the support of the neighbouring Basavanagudi Aquatic Centre (BAC), where he works.

Devising a course suited for these 45 children was not easy. "In the beginning, we were not sure how to go about training these children," says Pujari. "We had to slowly work on them and fight their fear of water." But painstaking efforts by Pujari, other coaches and a host of volunteers eventually paid off.

"Children who had no clue about hand and eye coordination began to show a marked improvement after being put into water," says K. Shashikala, a teacher at SSRVS who has been trained to impart special education. A good example is that of 14-year-old Swathi Srinath who has Down's Syndrome. Attending the intensive two-month programme at the centre seems to have done her wonders. Her father believes Swathi looks much more confident now.

She's not the only one. Rekha could not walk properly, but in the pool she splashes about happily. Pawan, who has cerebral palsy, is confined to a wheelchair, but he undergoes a transformation in the water, as does Raju, who swims with the inflatable tube that keeps him afloat. Says Pawan's mother: "We wish we had done this earlier. His stiff limbs have loosened."

That's not an exaggeration. Studies have proved the benefits of swimming for the mentally and physically challenged. Water is believed to relax the muscles while lending firm support to the body weight. There are neurological advantages as well, because sensation is more pronounced in water. The coaches follow exercises that are designed to enhance the range of motion and coordination, besides lung capacity, breath control and overall strength. As a result, children with cerebral palsy or other problems have greater freedom of movement in water than anywhere else.

Prabhavati Chandra, whose 12-year old daughter with Down's Syndrome has made considerable progress at the pool, is even striving for perfection. Though her daughter swims very well, her left arm does not have the same extension, amplitude, speed or power as her right arm, she feels. As a result, her strokes are a bit uneven, but she's convinced that practice will correct this.

Pujari is equally confident. "There is no handicap at all as far as I can see," he says. "What these kids lacked was opportunity." While showing them the way, the BAC has been especially sensitive to their special needs-that children with cerebral palsy and Down's Syndrome are slow learners. Since flippers have proved beneficial abroad, BAC hopes to acquire some to help the children improve their speed and posture. That would allow them to focus better on their strokes.

While self-enhancement and integration are the final goals, the coaches at the centre believe that they can be achieved only through patience and perseverance. That's instilled in the minds of the students and their parents right at the outset. As Pujari points out, it's one step at a time. Or perhaps a stroke in the right direction.