Aquatic Therapy
What is Aquatic Therapy?
Leveraging the physical properties of water, aqua therapy provides a primarily non-weight-bearing activity, enabling children with varying levels of mobility to move more freely. Water therapy can help patients improve muscle tone, elevate endurance and cardiovascular efficiency, and increase circulation, balance and coordination.
For the children and young adults of St. Mary’s, water therapy sessions are a well-balanced mix of specialized treatment and wholesome fun. Patients work one-on-one with an aquatic physical therapist who is specially trained in techniques to maximize their functional independence.
Goals of Aquatic Therapy
- Improve overall musculoskeletal function
- Improve strength and endurance
- Improve flexibility
- Improve balance and coordination
- Assisting with gait and locomotion
- Reducing stress/pain and promoting relaxation
- Assist with improving sensory processing abilities
Program Approach
Therapists and other clinicians trained in Aquatic principles and basic life support will evaluate and determine the appropriate care plans for each child. An Aquatic session runs for 30 minutes ranging from 1 to 2 days per week for a total of 6 weeks. The Aquatic team will then reassess to determine continued candidacy.
Admission Process
Who is a Candidate?
A child who meets the following criteria:
- Has a diagnosis of Torticollis, Cerebral Palsy, Neurological deficit, Post-Surgical, Orthopedic, and/or Spinal Cord Injury/Acute Flaccid Myelitis.
- Infancy through young adult.
- Child ss deemed medically stable by the interdisciplinary team.
Who is Not a Candidate?
A child who has the following:
- Open wounds
- Skin disorders/rashes
- Tracheostomy/Vent
- Central lines/PICC
- Continuous Oxygen support
How Do I Get Started?
- Fill out the form below, which will be sent directly to our team
- You can also call Sonia Kaur, Project Coordinator at 718-281-8987
- Within five business days, a member of our team will reach out to you to complete a phone screening
What is the Admission Process
Our admissions team will review the following in order to deem candidacy for the program:
- All medical records
- Insurance information
- Current program capacity and wait-list
If My Child is Admitted, What Should I Expect?
- An Aquatic evaluation is completed to determine the candidacy
- In order to best serve our patient population, our Aquatic center is kept at optimal temperatures for therapeutic outcomes
- A parent or guardian must remain poolside throughout each session
Contact Information
St. Mary’s Aquatic Outpatient Program
Project coordinator:
Sonia Kaur: 718-281-8987
Related Content
Programs & Services
St. Mary’s Kids offers an array of programs and services for pediatric patients, from inpatient hospital care to long-term home care in the NY metro area.
Patient Stories
Read and watch videos about our patients.
Schedule a Tour
Find St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children’s campus locations’ contact information and visitor information.