Course Summary:
This lecture and aquatic treatment video demonstrations explore the large range of benefits of aquatic therapy as an ideal treatment choice for infants through adolescents with developmental and neuromuscular impairments. This course demonstrates the positive effects of aquatic therapy as an adjunct to land-based therapy and as a stand-alone modality to increase function and independence in gross motor skills and mobility. This course exposes participants to several treatment activities/exercises (both individual and group) that address a variety of impairments, including mobility, strength, high/low tone, balance, body awareness/motor planning, and sensory motor processing.
Course Objectives:
- Describe one impairment appropriate to be treated in the aquatic environment and at least one aquatic therapy technique that addresses this impairment.
- Discuss how at least one water principle makes aquatic therapy a beneficial medium for a successful physical therapy treatment for the child with a sensory-motor processing disorder/autism.
Kathleen (Kiki) Dickinson, MPT, graduated from the College of St. Catherine with a master's degree in physical therapy. Kiki has over 25 years of pediatric and adult physical therapy experience at St. Croix Therapy (Therapeutic Services for Children and Adults) in Hudson, Wisconsin. She has extensive experience developing and implementing aquatic therapy programs for a diverse pediatric population which includes working with children of all ages including the birth-to-three population, as well as the ortho-neuro adult population. Kiki founded North Star Aquatic Therapy to offer aquatic therapy courses for both the pediatric and adult populations. Kiki teaches custom aquatic therapy classes nationally and internationally with a focus on the neuro pediatric and geriatric population. Kiki has helped develop course manuals for several pediatric courses for Aquatic Therapy University (ATU) and has developed several of her own individual classes that she has presented at national and state APTA conferences. Kiki has a clinical and research interest in childhood obesity and the impact it has on the special needs population. Kiki has played a significant role in developing aquatic coursework for Speech Language Pathologists, including offering one of the first ASHA approved course in aquatics with ATU. Kiki is certified in Halliwick, Bad Ragaz, Ai Chi and Cranio-sacral Therapy. Kiki has her Aquaticist℠ credentials from ATU. Kiki has been an adjunct professor at St. Catherine’s University for over 20 years and teaches Pediatric Coursework for their Physical Therapy Assistant Program.