Faith Finally Gets Back to Aquatic Therapy

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The very first time Faith ever tried aquatic therapy was 2011 when she was 8 years old. When she got into the pool, she cried during the whole session. But in the following weeks, she came to love getting into the warm water. She most likely realized how good it felt to get into the therapy pool, where her tone decreased and she could feel more relaxed. It became the perfect place to do her arm and leg stretches. 

Faith enjoying aquatic therapy when she was younger.

Aquatic therapy also gave her a chance to get some good exercise and just have fun. It even helped her get used to swimming pools in general. When she traveled, she loved getting into the little kiddie pool. She also liked to go swimming during the summer. 

Unfortunately, the aquatic therapy pool eventually closed so she was no longer able to go. And as she grew, it became harder to get her into and out of the pool without the help of a lift, which most community pools don't have. It also became harder because there was really no place to get her dressed after getting out of the pool, as she needs to be lying down. So, even though she loved the water, swimming was no longer a part of her life. That is, until she was older and began going to her day program. 

Relaxing in the pool while on vacation in Winnipeg. 

I was so excited when her staff told me they took their participants to the Aquatic Center at Bismarck State College. Turns out, this facility has a lift, as well as a ramp, that allows one to be rolled into the water (in a special chair that can get wet). Although the water in this pool would not be as warm as the water in a therapy pool, she could still get some exercise and enjoy feeling more relaxed in the water. 

While I was excited for Faith to get a chance to go swimming again, she was a little hesitant. For one, it would be a lot different than what she was used to when she was little. And for another, I would not be with her, and she would need to rely on her staff to get her in and out of the water. I encouraged her to give it a try, and she ended up having a lot of fun! 

Although they tried to go swimming once a week, it didn't always turn out that way. There were also times that the lift or the ramp needed to be repaired, so she couldn't go for long stretches of time. She would always ask me, "When can I go swimming again?" 

Faith swimming with day program staff. Check out her buoyancy! 

Eventually everything was fixed, however, during winter, they weren't able to go when the temperature dropped below freezing. And then she transferred to another room in her program, so the swimming schedule was different than what it had been. 

Thankfully, the place she has been going to therapy for the last four years, had just built a new building and it had an aquatic therapy pool! I was a little surprised when she said she didn't want to do it, but I think it's because, once again, it was going to be different than what she was used to. This time, however, I could go with her, and she eventually agreed to give it a try. 

In order to get ready for aquatic therapy, I needed to get some things together for her. She had to have a reusable swim diaper that would go over a regular disposable swim diaper, as she need to have triple coverage, due to the rules of the pool. I also found a swim cap to protect her hair from the chlorine in the water. I must admit, those swim caps are harder than it looks to put on someone's head! 

Faith getting used to the lift at aquatic therapy. 

Because there might be weeks she went to aquatic therapy as well as swimming with her day program, I also wanted to buy Faith a second swimsuit. This proved to be much harder than I thought it would be! I had found her old swimming suit at Kohl's. It was perfect for her as it was swimming shirt and shorts that came as a matching set. 

Unfortunately, Kohl's no longer carried the same kinds of suits it used to have and neither did Wal-Mart, Target, Old Navy, or anywhere else I looked! Another thing that was different is that swimsuits no longer seem to come in matching shirts and shorts, so you have to buy each piece separately. 

Also, for kids' sizes, most swim shirts were long sleeved, which would be much more difficult to get her in and out of. I did find a kid's swim shirt and shorts online, but both were too small. I resorted to looking for adult swimsuits in a small size and had better luck with that. Finally, I found a swim shirt and shorts that worked well for her and fit just right. 

By the way, the main difference between a therapy pool and a regular one is the temperature. In an aquatic therapy pool, the temperature is between 89 and 94 degrees. This is about 10 degrees warmer than a regular swimming pool. Another factor with aquatic therapy, is the room temperature should be warmer than the water. The warmer air makes it possible for the muscles to stay relaxed when getting out of the pool. Because it's so warm, I make sure to give her some water with electrolytes afterward to keep her hydrated. 

The warmer air temperature is great for helping Faith's muscles stay relaxed and also helps keep her warm when getting dressed, For me though, it's a bit of an adjustment! It's over 90 degrees in the room and her sessions are an hour long. Needless to say, I try to dress light and drink a lot of water while watching her swim. I don't actually start sweating though until I'm getting her dressed! 

Faith relaxing on a flotation device with her therapist and PT student. 

Faith's physical therapist said that most people with high tone have a tendency to sink instead of float. For this reason, it takes a lot of support to keep them above water. Faith, however, has excellent buoyancy! I know she doesn't get that from me, as I sink like a rock and have never understood how some people can doggy paddle so well in the water. Her aunt Johanna is very buoyant, so I'm guessing that's where she gets it from. 

After aquatic therapy, Faith has an occupational therapy session in which she practices driving a power chair. Her therapists had hoped that swimming first would help decrease her tone, so that she could drive better. 

However, the aquatic therapy is tiring, so sometimes I'm not sure how beneficial it is to have an OT session right after aquatic therapy. Also, it seems that sometimes she has a hard time adjusting from being in the water to having to fight gravity on land. No matter what though, she always gives it her best effort. 

Faith driving after aquatic therapy. 

I'm very thankful for the opportunity for Faith to get back into aquatic therapy. It has so many amazing benefits for her, such as: 

• Allows muscles to feel relaxed 
• Relieves joint pressure
• Strengthens muscles
• Provides a chance to exercise while having fun 

In the water, Faith can reach better with her arms, as well as bending and extending her legs. She also loves to have her therapists spin her in circles in the pool and sometimes she wants to kick her legs. She has so much fun in the pool that she has a hard time getting out. 

It was interesting to me that after our trip to South Dakota, she was very out of sorts, and I think it was due to just being out of her routine but also, she may have felt sore from being in her chair so much. The thing that got her back on track was her aquatic therapy session. I can imagine how good it felt for her to get into the warm water!

She also still gets to go swimming with her day program when it fits into her schedule. I'm just so very thankful that she has these opportunities to keep doing something that she absolutely loves to do!