Imperial Valley Press

Pool party provides networking and fun for families with autism

- BY VINCENT OSUNA Staff Writer

IMPERIAL — The Autism Support of Imperial County’s summer pool party Saturday drew an attendance of more than 120, which is an all-time high for the more than 15-year-old event.

Children with autism and their families, including their extended families, dove into to the Imperial City Pool Saturday night for a worry-free, refreshing time at the pool, ASIC President James Gonzales said.

“They can just come out here and have fun,” Gonzales said. “Not worry about somebody telling anybody anything, and just come out and have a good time.”

Other than pizza, soda and snow cones, ASIC enforced no specific agenda for the event, and simply asked parents to keep an attentive eye on their child, or children, as they best know their personalit­ies and behaviors.

“There’s a lot of parents with their children following them around,” Gonzalez said. “Even to the point where we have some of the older children, who are adults now, with their parents and they’re still following them around.”

In a typical pool setting, Gonzales explained, a child with autism would likely not look at others and wouldn’t communicat­e well.

“Or if you get a higher-functionin­g person with autism, they’re going to want to talk about subjects that they want to talk about,” Gonzalez said.

“A person lower down on the spectrum, they may be non-verbal or they say their words, but you really don’t understand what they’re saying, like a toddler.”

However, in Saturday’s laid-back, autistic-friendly environmen­t, plenty of conversati­on and interactio­n occurred.

The event also served as the perfect opportunit­y for both parents and children in the Valley’s autism community to meet one and other.

“Being able to intermingl­e with other parents, that’s the most important thing,” the president said. “Knowing that there are so many families out here going through the same exact thing, and we can network. Let’s say we have this parent having this situation, but we have a whole host of other parents that have already gone through that. They can find out what other parents did in that particular case.”

 ?? PHOTO VINCENT OSUNA ?? Luz Genel (left) adjusts a pair of goggles for her daughter Ana Leia Gonzalez, 10, during Autism Support of Imperial County’s summer pool party on Saturday at the Imperial City Pool in Imperial.
PHOTO VINCENT OSUNA Luz Genel (left) adjusts a pair of goggles for her daughter Ana Leia Gonzalez, 10, during Autism Support of Imperial County’s summer pool party on Saturday at the Imperial City Pool in Imperial.
 ?? PHOTO VINCENT OSUNA ?? Alyas Chavez, 7, of Calipatria, comes up for a breath of fresh air during Autism Support of Imperial County’s summer pool party on Saturday at the Imperial City Pool in Imperial.
PHOTO VINCENT OSUNA Alyas Chavez, 7, of Calipatria, comes up for a breath of fresh air during Autism Support of Imperial County’s summer pool party on Saturday at the Imperial City Pool in Imperial.

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