Pediatric Aquatic Occupational Therapy for Children With Sensory Processing Challenges

Children with sensory processing challenges participated in an 8-week play-based aquatic program addressing goals on behavior, sensory, and participation. It is expected that after the 8-week group, the child's goals will improve demonstrating an effective intervention to address sensory difficulties.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: ADHD; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Sensory Processing Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: aquatic occupational therapy

Detailed Description

This study examined the effectiveness of an aquatic OT program for children with sensory processing difficulties to develop water readiness skills and improve sensory, behavior, and engagement goals. Six groups of children with deficits in various sensory systems participated in an 8-week aquatic group led by an occupational therapist and occupational therapy students. Each week consisted of a 45-minute aquatic group with a 5 min warmup on land, 30 mins of aquatic activities addressing the sensory system of the week, and 10 mins addressing a social activity with peers. Goals were developed and assessed via the Goal Attainment Scale (GAS). Parents of the participants were given the Sensory Processing Measure (SPM-2) before beginning. As a result of participating in the aquatic OT intervention, percentage of goals achieved will be analyzed. It is expected that this program proves to be beneficial and therefore aquatic OT shows potential for improving sensory processing skills, behavior, and social participation with peers.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 35
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Ohio
    • Seven Hills, Ohio, United States, 44131
      • Seven Hills Recreation Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants must be ages 4-9 years old
• have an identified sensory processing problem as related on the SPM assessment
• able to maintain head, neck, and trunk control
• able to follow 1-2 step directions

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participants younger than 4 years old and older than 9 years old
• requires lift to get in the water
• difficulty with following 1-step directions

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Aquatic occupational therapy; Each child participated and experienced occupational therapy in the water.	Other: aquatic occupational therapy; Each week, the children participated in a 45-minute aquatic occupational therapy group that consisted of warmup on land, 30 mins of sensory activities in the water, and 10 mins of social activity in the water; Other Names: occupational therapy; aquatic therapy; social participation

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS)	Goals were written on behavior, engagement/participation, and sensory on a scale from -2 (worse outcome) to +2 (better outcome). Each week scores on each goal were documented.	Scores were tracked weekly for 8 weeks of each program.
Parent Surveys	Survey with quantitative and qualitative questions about their child's experience and differences seen in the aquatic group	Parents were given a post-survey at the 8th week.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Sensory Processing Measure (SPM: Preschool version: SPM-P, newer edition: SPM-2) Assessment Scores	Assessment given to parents to fill out before their child could start the aquatic group. Gives information on different sensory systems. Categories are: vision, hearing, touch, taste and smell, body awareness, balance and motion, sensory total, planning and ideas, and social participation. Interpretive range is: Typical, Moderate difficulties, and Severe difficulties.	Parents completed SPM on their child before the 8-week group began.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Kristen Pataki
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Kristen M Pataki, OTD, Cleveland State University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 19, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 9, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): April 9, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 26, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 1, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): July 3, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 3, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 1, 2024
• Last Verified: July 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: children; aquatic therapy; water; occupational therapy; sensory processing; sensory processing challenges; aquatics; learn to swim; aquatic occupational therapy
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Other Study ID Numbers: Cleveland SU

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED
• IPD Plan Description: Not sure if other researchers will want access to this data.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No