HOT TOPICS: OT & Aquatic Therapy in Pediatrics
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Location
The HSC Pediatric Center
Conference Center
1731 Bunker Hill Rd NE
Washington, DC
Time
February 27, 2014
5 pm - 7 pm
Objectives
1. Participants will understand the properties of the water and the benefits of aquatic therapy
2. Participants will identify appropriate therapeutic goals to address in the pool
3. Participants will understand how to use aquatic therapy with children of different ages and therapeutic needs
Description
Aquatic therapy is traditionally a therapeutic tool used by PTs to address motor function and postural control. Occupational Therapist’s are increasingly using the pool environment to address impairments in the area of sensory processing, motor function and cognition. The HSC Pediatric Center offers aquatic therapy through both occupational therapy and physical thrapy for children from birth to 22 years.
The occupational therapist’s are finding that using the pool as a therapeutic modality, is both more motivating and enables more freedom of movement in a gravity-reduced environment. The pool is used as a modality to enhance the participation of children in their functional activities and, very often, complement their land-based therapy. Children that are commonly seen in the pool by OT include those with pain, changes in tone, sensory processing disorders and impaired mobility. Aquatic therapy enables these children to develop skills to participate in functional activities including self care, play and functional mobility. OTs use the properties of the water to reduce tone, minimize the effect of gravity on movement or breathing and increase opportunities for sensory exploration and awareness, to name just a few.
Through this presentation we hope to introduce OTs to
the benefits of aquatic therapy for children with disabilities. We will be providing information about the properties of the water as well as considerations and precautions. We will also provide information to assist with the clinical decision making process to determine who would most benefit from this modality. We will be presenting a number of case studies that demonstrate the various ages and abilities of the children who have received aquatic therapy OT at HSC
Presenters
Virginia Yeo, OTR/L
Lindsay Waintraub, OTR/L
Deborah Vittner, OTR/L
Devorah Melman, OTR/L
Kim Voelker, OTR/L
Ariel Toback, OTR/L