Ben & Ailene - Traumatic Brain Injury

When you have a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) everything about the world as you once know it has changed. You go from having normal brain function to a brain that has significant damage. This affects every system of your body from cognition, emotion, sensory, vision and physical function. Relearning all your daily life skills becomes the new normal as you navigate a new body and set of challenges.

Regaining independence after a TBI takes time, but numerous rehabilitation options are available to support individuals on their recovery journey. A personalized combination of a range of therapy options (including emotional, physical, occupational, recreational, speech and aquatic therapy) can be beneficial.

We believe in the power of water to provide not only physical and emotional, but also sensory benefits to individuals with TBI.

What is a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)?

Traumatic Brain injury, also called craniocerebral trauma, is a result of trauma to the brain causing a dysfunction. The damage, depending on the location in the brain, creates deficits in many areas that affect overall function.

You can see deficits in the following systems: cognitive, emotional, motor, sensory and visual.

The Different Challenges after a TBI

  • Cognitive Effects of a TBI – impacting vital functioning

    • Memory
    • Attention
    • Processing speed
    • Executive function
    • Multi-tasking
    • Communication
    • Intellectual ability
    • Visual spatial processing

  • Emotional Problems after a TBI – leading to difficulty in controlling emotions and changes in personality

    • Behavioral and emotional dysregulation
    • Lability
    • Agitation
    • Aggression Personality changes
    • Mood disorders such as depression

  • Motor – affecting performance and movement

    • Balance
    • Coordination
    • Spasticity (increased tone)
    • Paralysis (decreased tone)
    • Postural instability
    • Gait abnormalities
    • Fine motor and precision deficits

  • Sensory – experience challenges relating to stimuli and processing

    • Heightened sensitivity with touch, taste, smell, hearing and vision
    • Proprioceptive and body awareness deficits
    • Vestibular issues (over and under reactive)
    • Visual Acuity- blurry vision
    • Eye Focusing and double vision

How can the power of water help?

The unique power of water comes from its therapeutic properties. Buoyancy supports individuals who experience motor or coordination challenges, making movements effortless compared to the resistance from gravity that is experienced on land. The water’s viscosity provides constant feedback through skin contact, improving body awareness and helping coordination and motor planning. And lastly, for those with abnormal muscle tone and spasticity issues, the warmth of the water helps to relax tight muscles.

Let’s jump in and learn more about the benefits of water-based exercises and treatments for TBI from certified aquatic therapists and certified adaptive swim instructors.

Ben & Ailene - Traumatic Brain Injury

Can aquatic therapy help with TBI recovery?

Aquatic Therapy works to benefit individuals with TBI by combining the therapeutic properties of water with various handling techniques. This allows aquatic therapists to address multiple challenges and treat multiple systems simultaneously, while working towards individual therapy goals. The magic of aquatic therapy, is that individuals tend not to realize how hard they are working, making the experience even more enjoyable. This can also contribute to improved emotional regulation and the development of vital water safety skills.

5 Benefits of Aquatic Therapy for TBI: 

  • Relaxing abnormal tone and spasticity to get improved Range of Motion.

  • Improved balance and coordination.

  • Improved strength.
  • Improved gait.
  • Improve self-regulation.

In our aquatic therapy sessions, we use various pieces of equipment to help clients with TBI address the challenges they might be experiencing.

Meet Ben, a 6-year-old boy who sustained a TBI two years ago. We share his initial return to the water and illustrate how we employ diverse equipment to aid him in enhancing trunk elongation, refining balance reactions, fostering improved respiration, ensuring water safety and much more!

What are the benefits of adaptive swim lessons for individuals with TBI?

Adaptive Swim Lessons foster independence in the water and are an essential life skill. The natural buoyancy and gentle resistance that the water offers helps individuals with a TBI to improve overall strength, endurance, multitasking and independence. Water provides a safe and supportive environment, helping individuals to thrive. Taking adaptive learn-to-swim lessons encourages the development of a lifelong emotional connection to aquatic activities for those with a traumatic brain injury.

4 Benefits of Adaptive Swimming for TBI:

Being more independent in the water can impact every aspect of life for those with traumatic brain injury. Aquatic Therapy and Adaptive Swim lessons will have a positive impact on overall health, wellbeing and will provide so much happiness.

Ailene Tisser, MA, PT, Founder

Ailene Tisser, a pediatric Physical Therapist with over 30 years of experience and co-founder of Swim Angelfish® and the Swim Whisperers® method, specializes in aquatic therapy and adaptive swim for children with special needs. Trained in NDT, DIR/Floortime, and certified as an Autism Specialist and Primitive Reflex Specialist she fosters water safety, confidence, and independence in her young clients. Ailene is also passionate about educating aquatic professionals, setting a standard of excellence for adaptive aquatics training and professional development.

Cindy Freedman, MOTR, Founder

Cindy, MS, OTR/L is an occupational and recreational therapist with over 30 years of experience specializing in pediatrics and aquatics. Driven by a passion for helping children with special needs reach their full potential, Cindy co-founded Swim Angelfish, an organization dedicated to providing adaptive swim and aquatic therapy services as well as professional training. Her expertise in sensory integration, reflex repatterning, and aquatics, coupled with her love for water and experience as a national champion diver, has enabled her to make a profound impact on the lives of countless children. Cindy is certified as an Autism Specialist by IBCCES, and shows an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of children with special needs.