Spending time at the pool is a rite of passage for many kids on summer vacation but at Ranken Jordan, our pool is more than just a place to have fun.

Our indoor heated pool is the only designated pediatric aquatic therapy pool in our region and we are the only health system in our area that offers aquatic therapy.

We are also one of the few hospitals in the country that offer aquatic therapy for inpatient children with tracheostomies (trachs).

Our aquatic therapy offering is another example of how we’re committed to our unique care model: Care Beyond the Bedside. Kids can’t get better simply sitting in a hospital bed. They need to get out and have experiences.

Our therapists use aquatic therapy for a variety of reasons. The buoyancy of the water reduces a patient’s body weight so it provides better support for tasks that may be challenging on land, like standing up or walking.

Our heated pool is warm and toasty, so the higher temperature relaxes muscles for increased stretching and movement of limbs, which can help with pain management.

Water touching skin can also give a good sensory experience for kids and provide for better body awareness, leading to a calming effect or stimulating effect, depending on how it’s used.

In addition to the health benefits, being in the pool is FUN! Kids love to play in water so spending time in the pool makes therapy feel more like play.

“The aquatic environment is a natural fit in pediatric therapy,” says Danielle McKay, Director, Therapy Services. “We are all drawn to water and just being in the water is a part of childhood. But it also happens to be a great therapeutic tool and it’s one that kids get excited about.”

Our pool is accessible by steps, a ramp, a roll-in chair or a lift so patients can take part regardless of their ability.

Because of their medical complexities and the equipment often required, many of our patients have never been submerged in water. It can often be off limits for a child with a trach, for example, because of the risk of water getting in the airway.

However we are one of a handful of hospitals in the country that’s found a way to offer aquatic therapy to inpatients with trachs. For our inpatients, we developed a safety protocol for our aquatic therapy program and it must be approved by each child’s physician. We are looking at how we can expand the program to outpatients in the future.

Many hospitals do not take on a challenge like this because of the risk involved, the staff required and the time needed to develop a solution. At Ranken Jordan, however, we are committed to making sure children with complex medical needs can live their best life, whether that’s on land or in the water.

While our kids obviously love the pool, we also encourage parents and caregivers to get in the pool with their kid during the therapy session.

Having a parent or caregiver in the pool not only gives the patient time to be social and have fun with the family member, it also gives parents a chance to see their kid have a “normal” childhood experience.

Swimming and bathtime is a part of childhood many of us don’t think about, but it’s often taken away from families with a medically complex child.

Taking care of the family, not just the patient, is a critical part of our Care Beyond the Bedside model so inviting families in the pool is a way for them to enjoy time together and feel a sense of normalcy as a family.

Swimming and spending time in water is such a wonderful pastime for kids and their families. It’s our goal at Ranken Jordan to make sure our patients and families get to experience it, too.

You can learn more about our aquatic therapy program and other therapy programs at our website, RankenJordan.org.

Support our innovative work through the Ranken Jordan Foundation.