Pilot study: transdisciplinary therapy in the aquatic environment with intellectual disability

Abstract

Objective

To analyze whether transdisciplinary therapy in the aquatic environment for children with intellectual disabilities promotes skills and mental adjustment in this setting, advances in different areas of their lives, and independence in activities of daily living.

Method

Quasi-experimental pilot study carried out with children with intellectual disabilities from the Special Education School of the Hospital Fundación Instituto San José, who integrate transdisciplinary therapy in the aquatic environment with the Poseidon Program in their school environment between September 2018 and June 2019.

Variables have been collected such as aquatic skills, motor, personal/social, cognitive, communicative, adaptive and essential functional skills of daily living, as measured with the WeeFIM scale, WOTA 1 and the Battelle Developmental Inventory.

Results

Data from 5 children aged between 6 ± 2 years and a degree of disability of 46 ± 15 years have been included. Statistically significant differences were found in the personal/social area (p = 0,042) with a 3-point difference between pre/post-intervention measurements, as well as in the global area (p = 0,042) with a 9-point difference, measured through the Battelle inventory.

Autism, developmental disorder, and epilepsy variables do not show a statistically significant association.

Conclusions

The transdisciplinary methodology carried out through the Poseidon program produces statistically significant improvements in different areas of life and independence in the activities of daily living of children with intellectual disabilities.