Never a dull moment at Mindstretch School. Our Aqua Therapy for Children is back the warm summer months, for our senior classes.
Aqua Therapy, the Benefits
- Water provides gentle but effective resistance. Working against that uniform pressure helps our children get stronger.
- They also receive valuable proprioceptive input. The buoyancy of water reduces the effects of gravity, and so allows easier movement and an increased range of motion.
- Bi-lateral movement is promoted, and so aids interhemispheric integration.
- We emphasize learning fun. For instance, the child might be asked to select objects by colour, or to identify, name and retrieve floating items.
- In some exercises, we work together as a team, and so we promote social bonding.
- And then there’s blowing. It’s a powerful tool for targeting other oral motor or mouth skills.
- Our aqua therapy sessions help with speech promotion. Our learners love the onomatopoeic water words. Splash! Fizz! Bloop! Woosh! Drip! Splat!
We love it. The children love it. Aqua Therapy works!
Aqua Therapy = Physical Therapy
Some Mindstretch children need physiotherapy or occupational therapy (OT). We launched Aqua Therapy for Children because physical therapy can be difficult for some children. They often lack the stamina and strength, and can quickly get bored and impatient. It’s why we choose the fun, interest and overall therapeutic benefit of working with water.
- Therapists support aqua therapy for children who need physical therapy.
- Mindstretch School offers both physiotherapy and OT, on an extramural basis.
Our Coach
Principal Jennifer oversees our Aqua Therapy for Children programme. A keen swimmer, she belongs to the Cape Town Masters Swimming Group, competes in galas and participates in open water events. She has completed the Robben Island 7.5 km sea swim.
- As Jennifer says, “Must say I have great fun with the kids on Friday water day, and they absolutely love it. Our parents also appreciate the extra effort made.”
We recognize the value of water as a therapeutic medium, and so offer Aqua Therapy for Children for Mindstretch learners.
To Learn More
A long-standing discipline, aquatherapy is used in many areas for improvement. Visit Wiki to learn more: