Children with Disabilities Hydrotherapy in Ukraine

Dzherelo Centre’s children and youth have continued to enjoy the benefits of Hydrotherapy exercises. A few parents have begun to assist the physical therapist in the water in an effort to improve parent-child relationships and to practice movements, so repetition can happen at home as well. 

According to “Physio.co.uk Paediatric Hydrotherapy Service,” Hydrotherapy is a form of physical therapy which makes use of the natural buoyancy, heat and resistance of water to help bring about a number of therapeutic effects. Your child does not need to be able to swim and the sessions are one on one ensuring your child’s safety at all times.

A physiotherapist will first complete an in-depth assessment on dry land to diagnose the problem, plan the treatment and to evaluate the child’s suitability and safety within the pool. Depending on the child’s condition and symptoms, different treatments will be included in the pool. Treatments may address:

• Balance
• Proprioceptive Exercises
• Range of Movement
• Soft Tissue Treatment
• Strengthening Exercises
• Core Stability Exercises
• Mobility
• Relaxation
• Stretching

Nicky Pither, a physiotherapist at RNIB Pears Centre for Specialist Learning, defines how hydrotherapy can benefit children and young people with disabilities and health conditions:

• Hydrotherapy offers tangible benefits to the health and wellbeing of children and young people with a range of disabilities and health conditions:
• The warmth of the water has an effect on the individual neuromuscular connections which results in decreased muscle tone and decreased spasticity.
• Buoyancy of the water is used to assist movement of joints. 
• Movement in the water and water pressure helps to reduce residual lung capacity for children and young people with chest problems. This enables more efficient lung function and reduces the risk of chest infections developing.
• Creating turbulence around an extremity (i.e. arm or leg) can increase their awareness of the limb and help with mobility.
• Multi-sensory environment helps stimulate the senses whilst calming children with sensory and learning difficulties.

Thanks to donors and team members this helpful program remains as a support to families of youth with special needs in Ukraine. 

Links:

• Dzherelo Centre website