Aquatic Therapy for Children with Down Syndrome

As with any diagnosis, there can be many variations of down syndrome traits. Some common traits that can be focused on and improved through aquatic therapy include the following:

Low Muscle Tone - Water offers increased awareness of the body. The water encompasses the body and adds resistance. This gives the brain more information than it typically receives when moving on land. Providing the brain with this information can increase neuromuscular coordination, and the resistance of water can improve strength, therefore increasing muscle tone and improving movements.

Short Attention Span - A child's brain is continually focusing on a multitude of things, including body awareness and cognitive processing. As we master tasks it takes less effort for the brain to complete them and they become repetitive, allowing us to focus on new things for a longer duration.
When immersed in the pool the aquatic environment provides increased input which improves body awareness. This takes away one of the pieces that the brain is trying to focus on, and the child can then focus on cognitive tasks.

Impulsive Behavior - Water is calming. Therapies will focus on achieving and maintaining the "just right" state of calm and awareness. Once achieved, focus can be turned toward increasing awareness and problem-solving skills

Oral Motor Control - The body's natural response to being in the water is to increase posture for better breathing ability and movement. These natural tendencies will increase strength to the neck and oral motor muscles. The therapist can then facilitate desired motions of oral structures for increased coordination and function.

Cardiovascular Difficulties - By being immersed in water up to the chest, the body is building endurance for cardiovascular processes. This is a gentle way to increase strength for the heart and lungs.

Aquatic Therapy for Children with Sensory Processing Difficulties

Aquatic therapy can be the ideal therapy for your little one with sensory processing difficulties, including diagnoses of autism, attention deficit, sensory processing, behavior difficulties and more.

Why is it ideal? 

We are providing a soothing environment with sensory deprivation (we are taking away noxious stimuli - unwanted touch, sound, light, etc.), and providing a constant warm fluid around the body that is pleasant, calming and supportive. 

For children with a high alert system, we are calming them with this constant sensation wrapping around them, diminishing their tactile defensiveness. 

For children with low awareness (low registration) - the water surrounding their bodies acts as input for increased awareness, making them more aware of their movements and where their body is in space. This is something that they are often struggling to find, and it may be manifesting as behavioral problems.  

We can find your child's "optimal functioning level," whether it be alerting or inhibiting - so that they can better think and function. Once we obtain this feeling for your child in therapy sessions, we work toward carrying it over into everyday life and circumstances - supporting you and your child in all you find meaningful! 

Sensory Processing	Behavioral Characteristics	Aquatic Intervention Approach	Desired Outcome in daily life
Sensation Avoider	Seeks less, retreats, avoids, resists change, likes consistency, and  rituals	Honor their need to limit sensory input, help them to broaden range. Gradually increase stim within gentle aquatic environment	Increase sense of safety, adaptability, flexibility
Sensation Sensitivity	Notices more, distractible, hyperactive, irritable	Water provide sensory input to help support them in a calming manner. It helps to diminish excess stimuli, so that we can gradually bring in input.	Sense of relaxation and going with the flow, focused on tasks.
Sensory Seeker	Seeks opportunities for sensation, active, fidgety, excitable	The water provides continuous input and opportunities for sensory input, and will meet needs.	Sense of calm and fulfillment
Sensory Under responsive	Notices less, flat affect, sedentary, self-absorbed	The water will encompass and support which will lead to increasing awareness.	Noticing their environment, becoming more aware of their world

For these and other therapies please call: (208) 949-3481