Colorado park offers "sensory swim" events as it aims to be safe space for those with special needs

One community in Douglas County is working to be a safe space for those with special needs. Sterling Ranch recently opened an inclusive park, which they say attracts families from across the Denver metro area.

They also offer inclusive events, including a "sensory swim." That event has changed the way Tuesday mornings at the Sterling Ranch pool sound in the summer. You won't hear any whistles or loud music, and you won't see large crowds.

"In the morning, when we get her swimsuit on, she's very excited and knows we're going to the pool, so it's a good day," said Sterling Ranch resident Tracy Hoel.

Hoel doesn't miss a sensory swim with her adult daughter, Caitlin.

Caitlin has a rare genetic condition called Aicardi syndrome that causes seizures and intellectual disability.

"Somebody blowing a whistle could cause a seizure. Somebody closing a door, even a loud cough in the morning, would startle a seizure," said Hoel.

But now, Caitlin has somewhere she can go to enjoy a pool day without sensory overload.

"Loves to spin. Loves the water. She loves just being outdoors and around people," said Hoel.

From 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Tuesdays in the summer, the Sterling Ranch pool turns off the music and only allows up to 50 people in.

"We really have tried to become that safe space for families with children, even adult children with special needs," said Jessica Gottschalk, director of community experience at Sterling Ranch. "It is a nice, calm environment for kids to be able to get in the water, do some exercise, and use the water to help their sensory issues."

Along with the controlled environment, the water itself can be hugely beneficial for those with special needs.

"The pool and the water in general have a lot of great properties, like buoyancy and that hydrostatic pressure that the pool provides, which, to a lot of people, can be a good sensory input, because it makes people feel more weightless in the pool. It increases their self-confidence, because typically, they can move more freely in the pool than they can on the land," said occupational therapist Molly Smith.

Nonprofit Miles for Madison pays for Smith to be there as a resource for families.

"I'm just kind of here to provide any recommendations they may want in terms of any muscle-strengthening activities or ways to process their child's specific sensory needs," Smith said.

"It's so great that Sterling Ranch offers this for my daughter and others who have different abilities, so that we can experience some of the things that her typical peers get to experience," said Hoel.

The last sensory swim of this year will be Tuesday, Aug. 19.