Why You Need Aquatic Therapy Benefits You Can’t Get Anywhere Else
Is Your Child Being Bullied? Warning Signs You Can’t Ignore
Somewhere along the line, our society accepted bullying as a social norm for children. “How can kids learn to cope with the real world if they can’t handle a bully?” is a common misguided justification. Kids who don’t meet the standards of what they are socially expected to be aren’t accepted among their peers. Rather, they are treated like emotional punching bags for anyone deemed more culturally acceptable. But the life of a child is truly a special force in this world, and just because someone differs from physical, social, or cultural normativity doesn’t give anyone the right to treat them poorly. Differences should be celebrated, and bullying needs to be eradicated. The best way we can start is by making an effort to notice bullying and put a stop to it. Here are three warning signs.
Headaches and Stomach Aches
Anxiety is a complex emotion that tends to manifest itself in physical ways. If you notice your child has stress-related symptoms like headaches, ask them about their emotional well-being. An open-ended question like, “I’ve noticed you haven’t been feeling well a lot lately — can you tell me more about that?” will help open lines of communication.
Aquatic therapy is a service we hang our hats on. The ability to offer individually guided rehab by a qualified professional is one thing. But to provide it while in the water is a service unlike any other. Once your body is partially submerged, the natural buoyancy of water frees your body from stressors your joints may traditionally experience. As you move in the water, a licensed physical therapist will take you through specific activities tailored to suit your rehab plan. The experience is therapeutic in its own right, but it’s the benefits that make this service so impactful. Here are three of them.
Change in Friends
There are bound to be changes in friend groups throughout your child’s life, but that doesn’t mean parents shouldn’t take notice when this happens. When a child expresses disinterest in spending time with specific people, it could be a sign of bullying. Connecting with other parents who have children in the same circle could be a way to gauge the pulse of your child’s friend group.
Decreased Swelling
Confidence Issues
The natural pressure on your body from the water acts as a pump of sorts, moving fluid from its source and recirculating it through the body to reduce swelling. This allows the site of the injury to heal more efficiently and gives you relief from the discomfort swelling can cause.
Bullying has the potential to drop kids into a volatile cycle of confidence- killing self-talk. Bullying may produce external damage, but what goes on internally can be catastrophic for children. The continually progressing, technology-based environment our children live in nearly outpaces their ability to adjust and cope. Children often internalize their emotions, and when they are being bullied by someone online, their distress can be even harder to detect. The best way to be aware of how your children are feeling is to talk to them openly about their social interactions both online and offline. Summer is the perfect opportunity to discuss these issues with your child because they likely will be relaxed, comfortable, and out of school, where bullying often occurs. Then they can approach the new school year with confidence and self-worth. What parent doesn’t want that?
Improved Range of Motion
The natural resistance of the water slows your body and gives you the ability to focus more specifically on your movements. You’ll find that this freedom increases your range of motion and allows you to move without pain. Water has the opposite effect of gravity, which means the liquid will naturally assist you with the flexion and extension of your injury site.
Decreased Joint Stress
Perhaps the best benefit of aquatic therapy is the stress it takes off your joints. The warmth of the water helps facilitate circulation, and being submerged will relieve the pain in your joints. When you’re able to limit the impact on your body, the natural process of healing is drastically accelerated. At this time, our community pool is closed. In order to continue this service to our patients, please cast your vote to keep our community pool open. For more information, please call our office at (360) 279-8323.
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