Meet Robin H.

One day, while browsing YouTube, Robin Herrera came across the story of a surfer who used the sport as therapy for his autistic son. Before he could finish the video, Robin’s mind started racing with all the ways he could help the children in his home country of El Salvador by introducing them to a hobby that has been a big part of his life for the last thirty years. 

Although he doesn’t have a personal connection to autism, Robin, a career nurse, felt a responsibility to support the autistic community in El Salvador, which faces several significant challenges due to a lack of resources and reliable information. This led him to create Surftismo, a one-of-a-kind program that uses surfing as a therapy for children and adults with autism. It is the first to be implemented in the country and has been shown to generate multiple benefits for participants, including improvements in behavior, increased socialization with people who do not belong to their family circle, learning to take directions, and many more. More than 80 autistic children have reaped the benefits of being out on the water since Surftismo opened its doors.

Robin’s long-term goal with the program is to create a public autism center in the country, as there are 70,000 children with autism to whom he wishes to offer surf therapy or a specialized gym.  

We spoke with Robin to discuss Surtismo and his passion for advocating for the autistic community in his hometown. 

What are some of the challenges you have faced while developing this unique program? 

One of the challenges we have faced is our team's organization. We have surfers, psychologists, therapists, doctors, lifeguards, and lifeguards supporting the program. Each of these professionals has an essential role in making Surfismo fulfill its goal of supporting the families we serve. Another challenge we faced was talking to the owners of the hotels that are on the shores of the beach. This was crucial so they could support us by lending us their facilities and pools.  

What are the benefits of surf therapy? 

There are different benefits that it provides:  

• Social interaction- this allows reducing the possibility of harming himself and others)  
• School performance- improves the ability to concentrate on the task at hand.  
• Improves speech and balance and improves posture and coordination.  
• Facilitates neuromotor growth and body awareness.  
• Provides a healthy environment where the child can have fun.  
• A substantial increase in initiating and maintaining eye contact.  
• Motor planning- improves attention span, concentration, impulse control, frustration tolerance and following instructions.  

How has Surftismo impacted the autistic community in El Salvador? 

The autistic community has seen it very well because they have seen that it is of great benefit to children.  

What are the needs of families in the ASD community in El Salvador?  

The needs are based around inclusion, specifically in sports and in schools. It’s also essential that we help raise awareness of autism through mainstream media outlets so that there can be a better understanding of what the community needs. 

What does it mean to you to be an ally to the Autism community?   

Being an ally of this community, I feel nostalgic when I see these kids feeling comfortable and happy through the program. Surfing can greatly help the autistic community in El Salvador since we have beautiful beaches where kids can enjoy this sport and thus form an alliance with them.  

I am very grateful to Autism Speaks for giving us the opportunity to tell our story about the positive impact our program has had. We hope to collaborate with the organization on future initiatives.  

What advice would you give to people who want to be an ally of the autism and autistic communities?  

First, get educated on autism. Autistic people are competent and intelligent. I believe we can help create a more accepting and accommodating world with love and patience. 

Learn more about Surftismo