Alternatives for swimming requirement?

[DanKroh]

Does anyone know of any alterntives for the swimming requirements for Second and First Class ranks?

 

Have you ever had a scout in your troop have an alternative for the swimming requirments approved by Council? If so, what were the accommodations made?

 

My 11 year old son, who has high-functioning autism and a coordination problems, will probably never learn to swim without the assistance of a floatation device. One suggestion from one of the Disabilities Awareness couselors I have talked to is to have him do his swimming requirments for rank wearing a PFD.

 

I'm interested in knowing if anyone else has every had to do alterntive rank requirements, and what they were.

 

Thanks!

 

[kenk]

Here is a related link: http://www.meritbadge.com/adv/t21-alt.htm .

 

I'm sure there are many on this forum that know more about the answer to your question than I do.

 

Ken

[Herms]

We also had a young boy with disabilities and allowed him to do the swimming requirements with a PFD. If his fear of the water causes him undo stress, teach him how to use a boat or create an additional hiking requirement for him, or some other physical activity that he could do. Take a look at this site on what the process entails:

 

http://usscouts.org/advance/boyscout/bsrankalt.html

 

[scoutldr]

The last requirement listed is important. Any modification of requirements must be approved by the Council Advancement Committee with proper medical documentation. It's not enough for the SM to decide, "he did his best".

[evmori]

If he needs to do the swimming test wearing a PFD, so be it!

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Kaji]

I admit, I was always glad I never had to do the swimming merit badge to get my Eagle, I basically completed the requirement for first class (which I believe the new book downgraded to the 2nd class requirement) after sitting on just needing it for 3-4 months. Made sure I never needed to take a swimming test again thereafter...hehehe...One boy I knew had the unfortunate predicament of being stuck at Tenderfoot for 6 years because he could never meet even the 2nd class requirement until he was 17.

 

That said, I'm in agreement with those saying to get approval from the appropriate authorities before making any modifications. Shouldn't be too hard to get a disability waiver for autism.

[MaScout]

Dan's asking about the rank requirements, not the Swimming Merit Badge. You can't choose hiking instead of swimming. It needs approved through Council, but with proper documentation, they should be pretty accomodating. We had one Cerebral Palsy boy who had some changes made, although I don't remember what they were...probably PFD. He also needed some modifications made for the 5-mile hike.

 

Ma

[evmori]

There is nothing in the requirements for the swimming merit badge that prohibits wearing a PFD. The only requirements that would need modified are 4, 7, 8 & 9.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[John-in-KC]

We need to discuss this young Scout at two levels:

 

First, there is the level of getting him to First Class. KenK's post, which is an extract from BSA Requirements, states the required path to obtaining an alternate requirement. Truth be told, in many Councils it provides access to special needs resources parents and leaders might not otherwise have.

 

The second level is that of getting this Scout, should he make it that far, up the trail to Eagle. Here, there are more options. The athletics group of MBs includes Swimming, Hiking and Cycling. Lifesaving MB can also have a substitution: Emergency Prepardness MB.

 

Let's hope this young man has a long, loving, learning, and enjoying Scouting time