About Us & Why Aquatic Therapy

Transcription

1 Jeff Bartley, P.E., LEED AP Waters Edge Aquatic Design Janette Foster, M.S. Ed., OTR/L Lee Ann Britain Infant Development Center About Us & Why Aquatic Therapy Leann Britain Infant Development Center has touched the lives of over 4,000 kids and their families since Dedicated to serving children with developmental disabilities from birth to six years of age. Involves parents and siblings in the process of therapeutic treatment and education. Individualized programs developed by an integrated team of physical, occupational and speech therapists, early childhood special education teachers and music therapists.

2 Statistics According to the Center for Disease Control, 17% of all children have a developmental or behavioral disability such as autism or other disorder. There are a variety of traditional treatment methods for children with special needs, however one type of occupational therapy becoming more prevalent is Aquatic Therapy. In this session, we will define the benefits of aquatic therapy for children with special needs including children with Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Developmental Delay and Autism Spectrum disorders, in addition to discussing ways to set up the perfect facility for aquatic therapy programming.

3 Aquatic Therapy, What is it? Aquatic therapy utilizes the unique properties of the water to rehabilitate patients after injury or those with chronic illness. Pediatric aquatic therapy facilitates the acquisition of developmental milestones, improves fitness skills, improves social skills, and allows the child to develop a life long leisure skill. Benefits of Aquatic Therapy Improvements in balance, coordination, flexibility Improvements in range of motion, circulation and pain reduction Decrease in weight bearing on joints Fitness gains Improved sensory integration Improved social skills, self esteem and self confidence

4 Who can Benefit? 1. Adults with special conditions and needs 2. Children with special conditions and needs A. Children with Cerebral Palsy Range of Motion and Tone Management Breath control and respiration for health and speech Freedom of movement unlike any other environment Independence Motor planning Social skills Life long fitness and leisure activity Hope

5 Who can Benefit, continued B. Children with Down Syndrome and/or Developmental Delay Strengthening and endurance Low muscle tone Breath control & respiration for health and speech Acquisition of developmental milestones Social skills Life long fitness & leisure activity Obesity prevention Nathaniel

6 Who can Benefit, continued C. Children with Autism spectrum and/or Children with Sensory Integration Disorders Processing of sensory information Motor skills and motor planning Social skills Life long fitness and leisure activity Allows child with ASD to be part of a team sport yet still participating as an individual Samantha Mira

7 Common Activities with a Therapist Cerebral Palsy Range of motion activities to decrease risk of contractures Neutral warmth relaxes muscles and helps to inhibit muscle tone Assisted walking with and without the use of flotation Use of floatation in deep water to increase strength and endurance Use of flotation to increase independence Use of varying depths of water and side of pool to increase arm strength Utilizing buoyancy of the water to assist movement of arms on top of water s surface to reach for toy Breath control Assisted walking

8 Use of Flotation in Deep Water Increased Independence

9 Arm strengthening Breath Control

10 Common Activities with a Therapist, continued Down Syndrome and Developmental Delay Water adjustment activities Increase overall strength and endurance Oral motor exercises Increase respiration for breath control Basic swim stroke development Acquisition of developmental milestones Sitting Crawling Walking Water adjustment

11 Strength and Endurance Basic Swim Stroke Development

12 Developmental Milestones Common Activities with a Therapist, continued Autism spectrum and sensory integration disorders Water adjustment activities Heavy work activities to improve sensory modulation including motor planning Resistive activities Deep water activities Varying positions while moving through water Wall walking in deep water Social games to encourage interaction, eye contact, and relationships with other people

13 Water adjustment Heavy Work: Resistive Activities

14 Heavy Work: Deep Water Heavy Work: Wall Walking

15 Social skills Life long Health and Wellness

16 How to Accommodate Therapy Adapting your Existing Facility Utilize what you have Alter what you have Provide Equipment Planning a new facility Adapt Your Facility Utilize what you have Ability to manipulate water temperature desired temps at 85 to 90 degrees Utilize existing water depths 1 foot to 4 feet deep Use your stairs

17 Adapt Your Facility, continued Alter what you have water depths You can always make your pool more shallow Adapting Your Facility Equipment Flotation Compression Vest (i.e. Wet Vest) Wrist/Ankle Weights Flow through mat Balls Toys

18 Integrating Aquatic Therapy Designing a new facility Manufactured pools versus new Manufactured pools / systems Custom designed Key Features Features / activities Details / Functional pools edges Entry methods Textures / coatings Water treatment Lighting Air Quality Surrounding space considerations Integrating Aquatic Therapy, continued Manufactured pools Manufactured shells with built in features Typically fiberglass or stainless steel shells Usually smaller pools Popular/Common Manufacturers SwimEx HydroWorx Therapeutic Systems, Inc.

19 Integrating Aquatic Therapy, continued Fiberglass shells SwimEx Fixed depths/areas Built in equipment Integrating Aquatic Therapy, continued HydroWorx Pools Built in treadmill entire floor Moveable floor

20 Integrating Aquatic Therapy, continued Custom Designed Therapy Pools Often larger Features not generally built in Features: Water Depths For kids 1 ft. to 4 ft. Shelf (teaching pod) Variable steps lots of steps

21 Features: Water Temperatures Dedicated therapy pools No Problem. For shared pools.can t you just turn the thermostat up/down? Heated water in concentrated area Features: Pool Heater Options Conventional gas fired heaters Takes water from the recirc./filter loop heats and returns

22 Features: Pool Heater, continued Pool heater options Green Options Alternate style Closed loop heat system Reclaimed heat (from other systems) Solar Features: Perimeter Edges Conventional perimeters Stainless steel gutters Skimmers Concrete More inviting edges Importance of finger grip Add railing?

23 Features: Perimeter Edges, continued Add railing? Features: Entry Ramps Zero depth entry Lifts Stairs Transfer tiers Transfer walls

24 Features: Coatings & textures Common choices: Paint Plaster Metal panels Fiberglass Vinyl lined Tile Important choice given tactile response of kids Features: Water Treatment Conventional disinfectants chlorine based

25 Features: Water Treatment, Continued Alternate types Saline Systems Hydrogen peroxide Supplemental Ultra violet light (UV) Ozone Features: Lighting Create pleasant, warm and inviting area Indirect lighting Reduce hot spots / point sources Natural light but avoid glare Lighting types Fluorescent small areas, smaller watts, energy efficient, good color Metal Halide larger areas, higher watts, good lighting

26 Features: Air Quality Air Quality Big 3 include Humidity 50 60% relative humidity Temperature Air temp. 2 degrees warmer than water Fresh Air Circulation Therapy pools 4 to 6 air changes per hour (with mechanical cooling) Features: Humidity Control Humidity Control (50 to 60% rel. humidity) Comfort of patrons Protect structures and equipment If Humidity is high Uncomfortable Corrosion Condensation If Humidity is low Evaporative cooling which means cold swimmers and a hard time maintaining pool temperature

27 Features: Air Quality/Circulation Be careful not to blow air directly on swimmers Have fresh air capacity Control airborne chloramines from forming in pool Features: Noise Control Common Methods Ceilings Perforated ceilings Suspended banners/ baffles Walls Acoustical block Wall panels

28 Features: Surrounding Spaces Spectator Areas preferably in cooler location Private restroom/ change rooms Office area/ dry classroom for therapists/patients Today, we hope you learned: The benefits of aquatic therapy for children with special needs Current aquatic therapy programming activities for children with Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome and Developmental Delay Disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorders Ways to adapt your existing facility and considerations when planning a new aquatic facility to accommodate aquatic therapy programming

29 Questions?