Get wet, get well - water therapy helps children with special needs relax, improve balance and coordination

By ITS Education Asia

It is always uplifting to see new therapies that are helping children with special needs, and children with autism, physical handicaps among those benefiting from hydrotherapy.

Six-year-old Lucas Mak Chun-wing used to be so afraid of water that even taking a shower could drive him hysterical.

But two months of hydrotherapy at the Heep Hong Society in Pok Fu Lam has changed that, and he now enjoys playing with water and even feels calm when submerged.

The weekly sessions with his parents at the children’s education and rehabilitation organisation has made a big difference to Lucas, who was diagnosed two years ago with autism – a developmental disorder characterised by difficulties in social interaction and communication.

Lucas also used to fall easily while walking because of his weak physical coordination. But now he has stronger muscles, his balance has improved, and he controls his emotions better by regulating his breathing, something he learned during hydrotherapy.

The Heep Hong Society, which was founded in 1963 and helps children and youth with varied needs, started the hydrotherapy programme in June for those with physical handicaps and autism.

Physiotherapists say the physical properties of water, including the temperature and pressure, are also effective in helping children with physical handicaps and autism by increasing their range of motion in water and improving their heart and lung functions to let them have better control of their bodies and balance.