Seven-year-old Ryan loves water in all its forms; according to his father, Ebrahim, it’s his favorite thing in the world. On July 15, however, Ryan’s family says they were unfairly suspended from the Fairfax Swimming Pool. The Fairfax County Times is not using the family’s surname at their request.
Ryan, who is nonverbal and autistic, is attracted to water, like many others on the spectrum. Ebrahim suspects it provides the kind of visual and touch sensory stimulation Ryan craves.
“He cannot stay away from the water,” Ebrahim said. “He loves water more than anything. He’s like, 25 hours of 24, he’s in the water.”…