Inside an Aquatic Therapy Session: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents

Discover how water becomes a powerful therapeutic environment for developing motor skills, sensory processing, and confidence.

Aquatic therapy offers a unique, supportive environment that can accelerate your child's development to complement and enhance land-based treatment. Here’s an insider’s view of what happens during aquatic therapy sessions. 

The Aquatic Therapy Journey: What to Expect

Before Entering the Pool

Your aquatic therapy journey begins before even touching the water:

1. Initial assessment: Your therapist evaluates your child's current motor skills, sensory processing, and comfort level with water

2. Goal setting: Together with your therapist, you'll establish specific objectives for your child's aquatic therapy sessions

3. Pre- and post-pool routine: For children who need to establish or practice self-care skills like changing clothes, applying sunscreen, and showering, we incorporate them into the pool session

   
   

Entering the Water 

The transition into the pool is carefully structured:

1. Comfortable Introduction: Children enter the water at their comfort level—some may start by playing alongside the water or on the steps, while others dive right in. We work with your child to establish a comfort level in the water at their own pace.

2. Therapeutic Activities: Your therapist engages your child in purposeful play that targets specific goals:

   • Buoyancy-supported movements reduce the effects of gravity, making challenging motor tasks more accessible

   • Resistance activities provide natural feedback that develops body awareness and strength

   • Rotational movements and position changes stimulate the balance system

   • Games requiring both sides of the body to work together reinforce important neurological connections

      3. Guided Support: Throughout the session, your therapist provides hands-on guidance, clear verbal cues, visual demonstrations, and immediate feedback.

For many children, this structured entry process builds confidence and reduces anxiety about the pool. 

Ending the Session

Transitioning out of the pool includes:

• Calming activities prepare your child for returning to land

• Achievements are celebrated to build confidence

• Brief parent discussions help you understand progress and how to reinforce gains at home

• Choosing ices or ice cream from our freezer!

Why Water is Often the Perfect Therapeutic Environment for Occupational Therapy Sessions

The unique properties of water make it exceptionally effective for therapy:

For Physical Development:

• Buoyancy supports your child’s body,  allowing some children to move in ways that they might not be able to on land 

• Even pressure improves body awareness by providing clear sensory boundaries

• Resistance in all directions builds strength while providing consistent movement feedback

For Sensory Processing:

• The deep pressure creates calming input

• Moving through water provides vestibular stimulation in all planes of movement

• The neutral warmth creates an optimal environment for calming and sensory regulation

• Learning water safety requires mastering routines and sequences

• The one-on-one environment often lends itself to increased focus and attention

For Emotional Growth:

• Success in water builds confidence that transfers to land-based activities

• The playful environment reduces anxiety about trying challenging tasks

• Visible progress motivates continued effort and engagement

POTS Summer Aquatic Therapy Program

This summer, take advantage of our outdoor pool to inject novelty into your child's therapy program. Our specialized aquatic therapy sessions help children build strength, coordination, sensory processing, and self-care skills—all while feeling like play!

Sign up to learn how aquatic therapy can enhance your child's summer routine while building essential skills for success in daily life.