United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Has anyone done aqua therapy with there BPI child? If so what do you do? Is is like ROM exercises but in water?

omgosh, its amazingly wonderful -aqua can be playing or anything in the water! You can accomplish the ROMs in oh so many fun and engaging ways! Some of the many many many we did were
wall walking(walking with hands around the edge of the wall of the pool (with help at first ofcourse)
kick-floating on the kick boards,
wheeeeeeing around being held by both hands and turning in a circle in the water
being thrown up(only for children who have NO fear!)and into the water, to float up -
aqua is WONDERFUL
the best part id that IF you have access to a pool you can do it with your child without a therapist too-just swim and play!
ask away if you have questions, I hope you try it and share your experience! happy splashing!

We did aqua therapy right after my son had his mod quad--He got out of his splint on Tuesday and we started on Thursday--it was great we did it 2xs a week for about 8 months. We had an OT in the water doing exercises with his arm--making him reach in the water for things--did I mention the water is really warm--I think 98 degress or something close to that. Good luck

There's a wonderful article about aquatic therapy in the last Outreach publication. If you did not receive that Outreach edition (the blue cover for Awareness week) contact Nancy Birk at nancy@upbn.org and give her your regular address and she will add you to the list and send you a copy of that publication.

I have been to aqua therapy in Ca. with my post-mod-quad daughter, Bobbi. She is two and had the surgery in Texas in Oct,2002. We have been trying to do reg therapy, but she is too independent and knows we are trying to get her to use the bp arm. We went to four sessions, all the ins would allow, it was wonderful. I went in with her and she played all the therapy games happily without ever knowing she was in therapy. The water gives them a whole new sense of comfort and controll. I would suggest getting into it if you can. Jennifer, Bobbi's mom.

Aqua Therapy is the best! we have takeing our 4 year old to it for one and 1/2 years, he can swimm because of it, His therapys plays water games and he thinks it just fun time! its relly Therapy!then we have swim time to our selfs I thow a water toy in the water and we try to see who can touch it first ect. we have so much fun !Im always thinking of ways that he will have to use his bpi arm,we spend a lot of time at the pool , I think he gets more out of the aqua plus we go extra days depending on the weather, we will stop going to reg pt so much and go more to aquas,theres a lot of pt appointments in our home thats very helpful for the childs recovery ,

We have been doing aqua therapy since Jake was 5 months old. He likes it accept for the taste of the water. He already realizes that therapy can be painful and the water distracts him. We are starting PT 4 times a week post primary and I figure at least one will be aqua.