AQUATIC THERAPY / HYDROTHERAPY
We are very pleased to be able to offer aquatic therapy on Saturday mornings in a purpose built, fully hoist accessible hydrotherapy pool in Broadstone, Poole. This is suitable for children of all ages and abilities and especially suitable for children with high muscle tone who require specialist hoisting and changing facilities who are not able to easily access a public pool.
What is aquatic therapy?
Aquatic therapy (previously known as hydrotherapy) is defined by the Aquatic Therapy Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (ATACP) as
“A physiotherapy programme utilising the properties of water, designed by a suitably qualified Physiotherapist. The programme should be specific for an individual to maximise function, which can be physical, physiological, or psychological. Treatments should be carried out by appropriately trained personnel, ideally in a purpose built, and suitably heated Aquatic Physiotherapy Pool” (ATACP 2014)
This means we can use the properties of the water to work towards specific goals for your child. This could be working towards independence with motor skills such as rolling or crawling for a child with developmental delay or working on head or trunk control for a child with cerebral palsy. The properties of the warm water mean we can work towards goals such as improving comfort or range of movement in specific joints for children with increased muscle tone as the water helps to reduce muscle tone and stiffness which can lead to improvement in pain. It also means we can work in positions or on skills which are not so easy to achieve in land based sessions such as working on sitting balance for children who cannot yet sit independently or working on independent walking for those who may rely on walking aids on land. It is also a great environment for post-operative rehabilitation where weightbearing may be limited or pain may be an issue.
The benefits of aquatic physiotherapy are not just physical. Being in the water is a lovely place to work on communication and play skills and can provide a regulating effect on the sensory system for children with sensory difficulties. This is especially beneficial for autistic children, especially if families are keen to increase their child's level of physical activity or work towards improving their motor skills but they find other sports and activities overwhelming. Whilst we are not qualified to carry out sensory assessments or sensory integration therapy, if your child has already had a sensory assessment from an Occupational Therapist, we are able to work with their identified difficulties and needs to work towards their specific goals and motor skills.
Who runs the sessions?
Sessions are led by Specialist Physiotherapist, Natalie O’Connor who has many years experience in providing aquatic therapy for children with neurological conditions and for adults with profound and multiple disabilities (PMLD) in the NHS. Natalie has attended training specific for aquatic therapy in these patient groups and has also completed the ATACP Aquatic Therapy Foundation Course.
Natalie is assisted by an experienced therapy assistant for every session. At Enable Me Physiotherapy, we are fortunate to work with several different assistants who all have experience with adults and children in the NHS as well as experience outside of the NHS such as swimming teaching, working in a special school, working in a residential home for autistic adults and experience from having their own children. Usually both therapists will be in the water with your child - this enhances the quality of the therapy we are able to offer compared to 1:1 therapy and is essential for those who are hoist dependent.
Having two therapists also means we adhere to safety guidelines set out by the ATACP so that in an emergency, we would be able to safely manage the situation.
How long are the sessions?
Your child will have 30 minutes in the water and up to 15 minutes either side of this for changing. It is helpful if your child can arrive ‘swim ready’ if possible (although we know this isn’t possible for everyone), having showered to remove any creams and put on their swimwear at home.
How many sessions can my child have?
As with all treatment provided by Enable Me Physiotherapy, we provide goal-orientated treatment so we can keep working with your child in the water for as long as there is a goal we are working towards. For some this might be a short term intervention such as post-operative rehab, for others it is more about maintenance and comfort and therefore aquatic therapy may be longer-term. To allow us to run the service efficiently, we run the sessions in 6 week blocks meaning sessions are run weekly for 6 weeks with a set start and end date. To gain the greatest benefit from aquatic therapy, we recommend a treatment block of at least 6 sessions although every child is different so we will make recommendations based on individual circumstances.
Is it just for children?
No! Our experience and expertise (and the excellent pool facilities) mean that we are also able to offer this to adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). We recognise that once young people leave their specialist school and paediatric NHS services, there is limited provision of aquatic therapy for adults with complex needs so we are privileged to be able to offer the opportunity to continue with aquatic therapy into adulthood.
Where are the sessions held?
Sessions are held at the Broadstone Physiotherapy and Aquatherapy practice in Broadstone, Poole (We hire the facilities from the practice, we are not affiliated with the practice itself - please do not contact them directly in relation to Enable Me Physiotherapy sessions). There is parking available on site and it is close to Broadstone high street which has a range of cafes and shops for a post therapy treat!
I would like my child to have aquatic therapy – what next?
If you would like to find out more or to have an informal chat on the phone, please contact us via the website or email natalieoconnorphysiotherapy@gmail.com
New patients to Enable Me Physiotherapy will need to have an initial assessment (on land) and completion of a risk assessment prior to commencing aquatic therapy. This initial assessment will be carried out at home and is charged at the standard assessment fee rate, it lasts up to 1 hour. During this assessment we will meet you and your child, assess their movements, muscle tone and abilities and agree goals with you so that there is a clear focus for the aquatic therapy treatment sessions.
If you are not sure if Aquatic therapy is right for your child or if you would like any further information, please get in touch to book a free 15 minute telephone consultation to discuss your child’s needs and goals.
I would like my child to attend - is there any financial assistance available?
We understand that funding additional therapies is not always easy. Check out our links page which lists a range of different charities who may be able to support with funding of aquatic therapy (Enable Me Physiotherapy do not have any affiliation with any of the charities and families should contact the charities directly about their services)
It may also be possible to bring a friend to have a joint aquatic physiotherapy session to share the cost of the session between two families, this will depend on the needs of the individuals therefore please get in touch to discuss this.
Thankyou to Broadstone Physiotherapy and Aquatherapy for providing some the images above and for allowing us to hire their facilities for our sessions.