There are many different environments your child experiences throughout their life that can be hugely beneficial to their development. As occupational therapists, we value utilising environments that are meaningful and fun for our clients to help them reach their goals. One of these unique environments we can use is the pool, this unique environment provides many therapeutic opportunities and allows children to work towards their goals in a very playful environment.
So why water therapy?
The unique water environment provides many features that allow for an effective therapy environment including
Buoyancy
everyone knows the weightless feeling of being in the water. This sensation where some of our body weight is supported by the water is key in building your child’s confidence and helping them explore new movements and challenge themselves beyond what they would feel comfortable doing on land.
Water Resistance
the resistance from the water as your child moves in the pool works to help strengthen their muscles without feeling like hard work.
Proprioceptive Input
the pressure from the water in the pool works to provide additional proprioceptive feedback to our bodies. This helps give additional information to our brains regarding where our bodies are in space and ultimately supports a child’s self-regulation, coordination, posture, body awareness and the ability to focus.
Vestibular Input
the vestibular system provides our brains with information about our body’s orientation and movement. It plays an essential role in our balance. The freedom in the water to change positions and explore different movements helped to support the development of the vestibular system.
So, what goals can your child work towards in Aqua OT sessions? And how can you model them at home?
Gross Motor Skills
Kicking, and splashing, games on pool noodles or pool toys (climbing on and off pool toys can be a huge gross motor challenge!) are great ways to encourage and support your child’s gross motor development.
Motor Planning
Motor planning is the process by which our brain plans which movements we need to execute a particular activity. In the pool, you can encourage this by helping your child navigate their way around the pool (monkeying along the edge, pushing off from your legs to the pool edge etc.)
Sensory Processing
The sensory inputs mentioned above can help dampen overall sensory stimulation and have a calming effect. Practising floating, putting heads underwater, and allowing your child to have a calm space can be hugely beneficial to their overall sensory input throughout the day.
Joint attention and play skills
The water is a natural play environment and is a fantastic space to develop your child’s joint attention and play skills. In the bath or in the pool try to copy what your child is doing, explore cause and effect activities, and build upon the length of time your child persists in the play activity.
Turn-taking
As we build upon the play skills, turn-taking can be easily fostered and practised in the pool. Taking turns diving for dive sticks, taking turns on pool toys or noodles. Try involving your child whilst they are waiting as well (i.e. What should I do on the noodle this time?).
Developing body awareness and coordination
Directional awareness and coordination of both sides of our body is essential as your child begins to learn to swim. These skills are also essential in dressing, playing on the playground, climbing, and many more. In the pool, you can practice this awareness by playing Simon says games, scissor jumps and star jumps in the water, and even mirror my action games.
Muscle-strengthening
Games using pool noodles to encourage core strength, and balance are great ways to strengthen muscles whilst hiding the activity in a fun game!
Oral Motor Skills
You can encourage your child’s oral motor skills by blowing bubbles in the water or blowing a ping pong ball across the top of the pool.
Water Safety
Water safety is an essential part of life in Australia. When being around water bring attention to your child where they are safe in the pool (holding onto your or the edge, standing on a step or a platform) and the areas in the pool where they are not safe or need adult help.
For more information on water therapy sessions and to see if they would be suitable for your child we recommend contacting your treating therapist.
