HYDROKINESIOTHERAPY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SOCIAL ASPECTS OF CHILDREN WITH ASD

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neuropsychomotor development disorder that manifests itself in socialization, behavior, cognition, and sensorimotor skills (Bezerra et al., 2021). Changes can be noticed from the first months until the end of life (Fonseca et al., 2019) and can be alleviated through appropriate treatments (Bezerra et al., 2021). Within physiotherapy, there are several treatment modalities capable of assisting with changes in children with ASD, among them is hydrotherapy (Ferreira; Ferreira, 2022). The objective of this work is to identify the influence of hydrokinesiotherapy on the parameters of socialization and interpersonal relationships in children with ASD. This is a qualitative, field research. The services were carried out at a Physiotherapy School Clinic of a University Center in Foz do Iguaçu - PR. The sample consisted of 3 children diagnosed with ASD who met the inclusion criteria of the study. A protocol was applied to work on aquatic psychomotricity through playful resources and circuits, consisting of 12 sessions. Responses to treatment were assessed through reports from the children's mothers, with an interview before the application of the protocol and another interview after the treatment. In the interviews, the children presented similar characteristics in a general context. However, the demands presented in the assessments through the mothers' reports were individual, specific and encompassed the physical, cognitive or social spheres. After the application of the aquatic psychomotricity protocol focused on the unique deficits presented by the participants, improvements were found in the reassessment in agreement with the assessment, that is, the main complaints initially portrayed were efficiently improved from the treatment carried out with specificity. The benefits presented after treatment demonstrate that the physiotherapist's work, using the concepts of aquatic psychomotricity and playfulness, can bring improvements in the school, family, and social spheres, and not just in the sensorimotor issue previously associated with the physiotherapist's role.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2024.035-002