I can feel and see the results of my handling and the child's efforts. She feels passive techniques like Watsu play an important role in the spectrum of treatment, but should only be one component of any program. She agrees that water provides a sensory environment that is unlike any that therapists may obtain on land. Resistance and buoyancy allow increased reaction time, and can be used to facilitate appropriate or desired movement reactions without having to use specific touch of handling points. This allows more natural or normal input into the child's sensory system.
Every touch elicits a reaction of some sort.
Charles Stewart, MD, and Peter Angelo, PhD, offer a one time a week aquatic session at the university pool. While the session meets for two and a half hours, one hour is devoted to discussions, lectures and demonstrations for those involved in the adapted aquatics training program. We have not so far separated persons with different types of disabilities of different ages. Like Dick Smith, Stewart believes the future of aquatics for children lies in the ability of professionals to work together. It is essential that each professional respect the strengths of the other, thus working together for the good of the child.