Children with special needs have benefited from free water therapy classes.

Twelve children between the ages of two and 13 took part in a four-week series of sessions designed to make therapy fun as well as rewarding.

The Aquatic Therapy Summer Programme was offered free by the Department of Health and was run by a small team of physiotherapists and occupational therapists.

“Through this programme, children received specialised therapy using water as a modality to achieve their functional goals,” said Teresa Trott, coordinator of physical therapy/occupational therapy at the Department. “The advantage of using water is that it reduces the effect of gravity and allows children to move more freely and strengthen muscles in a way they are not able to on land.

“Plus, most children find the pool to be fun, making the potential for progress even greater.

“Our programme seeks to maximise the therapeutic aspects of the aquatic environment, such as using aquatic exercise, posture and alignment activities, balance and gait activities, aquatic games, breathing control drills and breathing activities.

“Most of the children didn’t realise the hard work they were undertaking was therapy.”

The sessions took place on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings in July at the pool of a private residence in Paget.

Parents praised the programme, the Department said, with suggestions for longer sessions and an extension of the scheme.

The sessions saw two therapists attend to one child, with the staff fitting in the classes alongside scheduled clinical commitments.

The Department said that after the four-week programme, all children demonstrated improvement in areas including better head control and core strength, improved leg strength, increased relaxation, increased physical activity, improved arm and leg flexibility, and improved eye-hand coordination.

The programme has been run for free for the past eight years for children between the ages of three months and 16 who already receive therapy from the Department.

Other services offered by Department physiotherapists include early intervention programmes, school-based initiatives and community-based offerings for adults and seniors.

The Department highlighted the success of the scheme to mark World Physiotherapy Day on September 8.

For more information about physiotherapy and occupational therapy services, call 278-6427 or 278-6428.