Quantification of Aquatic Interventions in Children with Disabilities: A Systematic Literature Review

Quantification of Aquatic Interventions in Children with Disabilities: A Systematic Literature Review

2013 | Baiba Kärkliņa, Marlies De Clerck, and Daniel J. Daly
This systematic literature review quantifies and summarizes aquatic interventions for children with disabilities, analyzing 45 studies across nine disability groups. The largest number of studies were found in the "nervous system disorders" (N=15) and "mental and behavioral disorders" (N=15) groups. However, no studies were found for "circulatory system problems," "sensory system and integration deficits," and "congenital malformations and chromosomal abnormalities." The review highlights the lack of common definitions, intervention details, and decision-making models for aquatic interventions. Training intensity was missing in 68% of the studies. Common interventions included swimming, aquatic physiotherapy, water exercises, and games. The Halliwick Concept was used in both the "nervous system disorders" and "mental and behavioral disorders" groups. The review also notes that most studies did not report training intensity, program duration, or pool temperature. The study emphasizes the need for standardized guidelines and more research on aquatic interventions for children with various disabilities. The findings suggest that aquatic therapy can be beneficial for children with disabilities, but more research is needed to establish best practices and ensure effective implementation.This systematic literature review quantifies and summarizes aquatic interventions for children with disabilities, analyzing 45 studies across nine disability groups. The largest number of studies were found in the "nervous system disorders" (N=15) and "mental and behavioral disorders" (N=15) groups. However, no studies were found for "circulatory system problems," "sensory system and integration deficits," and "congenital malformations and chromosomal abnormalities." The review highlights the lack of common definitions, intervention details, and decision-making models for aquatic interventions. Training intensity was missing in 68% of the studies. Common interventions included swimming, aquatic physiotherapy, water exercises, and games. The Halliwick Concept was used in both the "nervous system disorders" and "mental and behavioral disorders" groups. The review also notes that most studies did not report training intensity, program duration, or pool temperature. The study emphasizes the need for standardized guidelines and more research on aquatic interventions for children with various disabilities. The findings suggest that aquatic therapy can be beneficial for children with disabilities, but more research is needed to establish best practices and ensure effective implementation.
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Understanding Systematic Literature Review