Surfing and autism
by Patricia
It must be the weather … living here in Chicago in the dead of winter makes me want to talk about warm weather sports! Last year at about this time, we posted information about Surfer’s Healing, and now I just saw a great video on the Ocean Psychology blog about surfing and individuals with autism.
From that blog post, you can watch a CBS interview — professional surfer Israel Paskowitz’s son Isaiah has autism, and Israel gave a great interview about his son’s experience in the water. Israel was raised in a surfing family, and his childhood experiences were captured in the film Surfwise. When Isaiah was diagnosed with autism, there were questions about whether the surfing legacy would continue in the next generation.
Thanks to programs like Surfers Healing, Isaiah and others with autism are able to experience the thrill that surfing provides!
February 20th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
Inspiring. I have a three year old who likely has autism, and it is good to hear about individuals enjoying a good quality of life with the disorder.