The Effectiveness of 6 Months Hydrotherapy Program Based on Halliwick Concept on the Respiratory System of Down Syndrome Children

Konstantinos Chandolias,Eliza Konstantinidou,Efthymios Bikis,George Tsigaras,Anna Hourlia,Thomas Besios

doi:10.4236/jbm.2021.93003

Konstantinos Chandolias, Eliza Konstantinidou + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4236/jbm.2021.93003

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Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of a hydrotherapy program on FVC, FEV, PEF, RR and SaO2 on children with Down syndrome over six months and to compare it with a conventional respiratory physiotherapy program. Eighteen children, with Down Syndrome, aged 6 - 11 years (9.53 ± 0.454), divided into two groups of nine, the intervention group (IG), that participated in the hydrotherapy program and the control group (CG) participated in the classical physiotherapy program. We calculated mean values of FVC, FEV, PEF, RR and SaO2 before and after six months intervention for both groups. There was a statistically significant improvement in all factors for both groups. However, were statistically more significant for the intervention group (IG). Based on a specific protocol of intervention in the water and at the same time with a group of children who participated in a similar program of classical respiratory physiotherapy, it was found to be statistically more important than the second group in improving respiratory function. We recommend the use of hydrotherapy as a complementary therapy that should be part of the weekly program of these children in addition to the existing treatments they attend.

Highlights

The increasing of life expectancy of people with Down syndrome (DS), results in phenomena of comorbidity, and the natural history of the health status bear over the years
The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of a hydrotherapy program on forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV, peak expiratory flow rate (PEF), respiratory rate (RR) and SaO2 on children with Down syndrome over six months and to compare it with a conventional respiratory physiotherapy program
With Down Syndrome, aged 6 - 11 years (9.53 ± 0.454), divided into two groups of nine, the intervention group (IG), that participated in the hydrotherapy program and the control group (CG) participated in the classical physiotherapy program

Summary

Introduction

The increasing of life expectancy of people with Down syndrome (DS), results in phenomena of comorbidity, and the natural history of the health status bear over the years. For this reason, attempts have been made to promote a better quality of life and greater social inclusion of this population through rehabilitation strategies tailored and targeted to the specific needs of people with DS [1]. DS has an incidence of 1:660 live births [2]. It is considered a common chromosomal abnormality, caused by the presence of an extra chromosome. Infections of the upper airways and/or pneumonia cases come to affect 77.0% of patients with DS [3]

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