Table 5.
Effects of exposure to baby aquatic therapy programs on infants’ development.
| 1st Author, Year | Research Aim and Design | Results | Risk of BIAS |
|---|---|---|---|
| McManus, 2007 [48] |
Effect of aquatic therapy on functional mobility in 6–30 months infants with delayed functional mobility. Functional mobility, measured using Gross Motor Subscale of the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL), was accessed in 15 infants diagnosed with delayed functional mobility before and after receiving 36 weekly 30 min aquatic therapy sessions in a pediatric pool in addition to 60 min home-based early intervention with a physical therapist or occupational therapist. A randomly selected comparison group (N = 22) received home-based early intervention only. |
Age-adjusted normalized scores increased in the intervention group (baseline: 27.5 ± 9.8; follow-up: 30.5 ± 11.2; mean change score: 2.6 ± 9.3 points) and decreased in the control group (baseline: 32.5 ± 9.6; follow-up: 28.4 ± 10.1; mean change score: −2.6 ± 8.7 points). The intervention group had significantly greater (p < 0.05) gains in functional mobility than the comparison group. Aquatic therapy improved infants’ functional mobility (gross motor development). |
* Confounding Criteria for inclusion in the sample |
| Araujo, 2023 [49] |
Effect of Kids Intervention Therapy–Aquatic Environment (KITE) program on 4–18-months-old infants’ neuropsychomotor development. Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and Denver II Developmental Screening Test were initially applied to assess and stratify sample as well as at the end of the intervention and after four weeks (to assess retention). Regarding initial characteristics, neonatal and gestation characteristics, and family characteristics; children were classified as Typical or At-risk and delayed. Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Infant Scales (PedsQL™) and Affordance in the Home Environment for Motor Development–Infant Scale (AHEMD-IS) were applied to both groups at the same 3 moments: before intervention, after 4 weeks of intervention and 4 weeks after. Intervention group (N = 24) received four weeks of aquatic environment therapy: 45–60 min, twice a week, of fun aquatic activities (Kids Intervention Therapy–Aquatic Environment (KITE) program); Control group (N = 37) had no intervention besides the daycare center participation. |
In the intervention group, number of typical children increased at post-intervention (p = 0.001) and retention (p = 0.002), with a large intervention effect (η2 = 0.178 and 0.156) and delayed/at-risk cases decreased in post-intervention test, with a medium intervention effect in IG (η2 = 0.055). The intervention group had a significant medium effect of QOL on intragroup physical capacity at post-intervention (p = 0.023). No significant differences between the groups, at baseline, in QOL and in home stimulation were observed. No significant change in CG throughout the research. Fun aquatic activities had positive effects on typical and delayed/at-risk infants’ neuropsychomotor development, motor learning through retention and on QOL physical capacity domain. |
* None |
Quality analysis tool: * ROBINS-I.