Pediatric Aquatics for the Child With a Neuro-Motor Disorder: Principles and Precautions

Course overview

Why is aquatic therapy such a beneficial medium to treat the child with a neuromuscular disorder and what are the specific precautions and contraindications? This course will review water principles and how they positively impact successful physical therapy treatments via lecture and a pool lab component. A multitude of impairments appropriate to be treated in the aquatic medium will be reviewed, including poor head and/or trunk control, impaired balance/coordination, weakness, decreased range of motion, and poor endurance. This course will include demonstrations of aquatic therapy treatment techniques that focus on each specific impairment. Participants will gain knowledge of the benefits of aquatic therapy, precautions/contraindications, impairments appropriate to be treated in the aquatic medium, and specific aquatic techniques to address a variety of neuro-motor impairments.