Israel V1, Araujo L2, Melo T2, Novakoski K2, Yamaguchi B2, Silva A2
1Universidade Federal do Paraná, Physical Therapy, Curitiba - Paraná, Brazil, 2Universidade Federal do Paraná, The Post-Graduation Program in Physical Education, UFPR, Curitiba - Paraná, Brazil
Background: There is currently no functional assessment tool for aquatic environments adapted for infants. It is known that the aquatic environment is increasingly used as a therapeutic choice for typical, atypical and / or at-risk infant developmental stimulus activities, and despite the innumerable assessment instruments for the terrestrial environment, there is no instrument that alludes to the specific characteristics of the aquatic environment and its influences on the body of the baby in immersion.
Purpose: To propose the adaptation of aquatic behaviors of the Aquatic Functional Assessment Scale (AFAS) for infants up to the age of 2 (AFAS - Baby).
Methods: Cross-sectional study, approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Paraná, Brazil. Initially, two specialists with extensive experience in the area observed a child in the aquatic environment. Then, three professionals with experience in both the area and the application of the AFAS held discussions. Following this, these discussions determined the necessary adjustments of the original scale for the adaptation of the motor skills for infants up to the age of 2, thus creating the AFAS Baby.
Results: Several adjustments were made in the scale, with insertion of aquatic behaviors according to the range of neuropsychomotor development (NPMD) up to 2 years. In the Environment (A) phase, 2 behaviors were included in the phase of the Liquid Medium (D). Moreover, 5 behaviors were added to the Specialized Therapeutic Exercises phase (E) 29 and in the Global Organic Conditioning (Cd) phase 4. The scale was maintained according to the original scale, which varies from 1 (0%) to 5 (100%), and the higher the score the better is the motor capacity and independence of the baby in the water.
Conclusion(s): Through this study it was possible to consider specific aquatic motor behaviors of the child up to the age of 2, previously not alluded in the original scale developed for adults. This instrument was adequate to evaluate the learning of aquatic motor skills in infants.
Implications: The data presented can serve as a basis to support the physiotherapist´s performance in aquatic therapy with infants, both for clinical and research use, as well as for evaluation and identification of specific objectives and monitoring of evolution with qualitative / quantitative aspects in Aquatic Physiotherapy.
Keywords: Hydrotherapy, Infant development, Evaluation
Funding acknowledgements: FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE BRAZILIAN AGENCY CAPES
Purpose: To propose the adaptation of aquatic behaviors of the Aquatic Functional Assessment Scale (AFAS) for infants up to the age of 2 (AFAS - Baby).
Methods: Cross-sectional study, approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Paraná, Brazil. Initially, two specialists with extensive experience in the area observed a child in the aquatic environment. Then, three professionals with experience in both the area and the application of the AFAS held discussions. Following this, these discussions determined the necessary adjustments of the original scale for the adaptation of the motor skills for infants up to the age of 2, thus creating the AFAS Baby.
Results: Several adjustments were made in the scale, with insertion of aquatic behaviors according to the range of neuropsychomotor development (NPMD) up to 2 years. In the Environment (A) phase, 2 behaviors were included in the phase of the Liquid Medium (D). Moreover, 5 behaviors were added to the Specialized Therapeutic Exercises phase (E) 29 and in the Global Organic Conditioning (Cd) phase 4. The scale was maintained according to the original scale, which varies from 1 (0%) to 5 (100%), and the higher the score the better is the motor capacity and independence of the baby in the water.
Conclusion(s): Through this study it was possible to consider specific aquatic motor behaviors of the child up to the age of 2, previously not alluded in the original scale developed for adults. This instrument was adequate to evaluate the learning of aquatic motor skills in infants.
Implications: The data presented can serve as a basis to support the physiotherapist´s performance in aquatic therapy with infants, both for clinical and research use, as well as for evaluation and identification of specific objectives and monitoring of evolution with qualitative / quantitative aspects in Aquatic Physiotherapy.
Keywords: Hydrotherapy, Infant development, Evaluation
Funding acknowledgements: FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE BRAZILIAN AGENCY CAPES
Topic: Paediatrics; Outcome measurement
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Federal University of Paraná, Brazil,
Ethics committee: Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Paraná, Brazil,
Ethics number: CAAE: 57193516.6.0000.0102, protocol number 1.714.810.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
