In a session with his speech pathologist last year, without being asked, Connor O'Brien, 6, looked up from a book and did something surprising.

He said three words: water, ocean and surf.

Although that might seem typical to some, Katherine O'Brien of Kensington, his mother, said coming from her son — who is moderately autistic — those words inspired her.

"My son is pretty nonverbal, he has trouble with engaging people and communicating," she said. "It seemed like such a big step for him to look at a picture of water and say something like that on his own."

O'Brien credits the group Surfers Healing, who took her son and a group of other developmentally disabled children to Belmar, N.J., for a free day of surfing with professionals and volunteers. She said the feel of the ocean, the fun of the beach, and the thrill of surfing gave Connor a chance at an experience he never could otherwise have had.

Inspired in part by the success of Special Olympics America — a sports competition and training league for the disabled — and the impact exercise has on those with developmental disabilities, similar programs have been cropping up around the county for several years, said Craig Schulze, a member of the Montgomery County Autism Society.

Schulze said physical education and outdoor activity was greatly beneficial for his son, now 28, who is autistic. It provides a connection to other children and an outlet for their disability.

"You could definitely see the benefits, not just physically, but mentally; it has this calming effect," he said.

Autism Spectrum Disorders — a diverse group of physical and mental disabilities known to cause significant communication, social and behavior challenges that manifest themselves in a variety of ways – are present in 1 out of 110 children in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. There are more than 1,000 students with autism in Montgomery County Public Schools.

Surfers Healing is a nonprofit started in Hawaii in 2003 by former competitive surfer Israel Paskowitz, whose son was diagnosed with autism at age 3.

"A lot of these kids are pretty limited in what they can do because they get overloaded so easily," O'Brien said. "They get anxious and scared, which he was at first ... but afterward he was just buzzing with excitement about it."

This year, she and Bethesda mom Ali Hoffman brought the group to Maryland in hopes it will flourish here.

"It's just so great when you get to see them have fun," said Hoffman, whose son Matthew, 6, is autistic. "It really does a lot for them."

Natalie Liniak, co-founder of Sports Plus — a sports league for children with disabilities — said the advantage of involving autistic children in sports programs can be providing them with a normalizing experience. The league was formed in 2005 to offer a two-season soccer league for children with autism and has grown to a year-round program with soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball, swimming, martial arts, fitness training, floor hockey and other sports related activities.

"With sports you only see these kids' abilities, not their disabilities," she said.

 aruoff@gazette.net 

-KEEN – Kids Enjoy Exercise Now

www.keengreaterdc.org

-Sports Plus

www.playsportsplus.org

-Montgomery Special Hockey

www.usahockey.com/

montgomery_spe/

-Special Olympics Montgomery County

www.somdmontgomery.org/

-Surfers Healing

www.surfershealing.org