Telehealth in the bath? Sure, why not!

ID: baby and mother in their bath. They are practising sitting balance, wearing bathers, and smiling at each other and the camera. Shayna, the physio, can be seen on an inset photo as the session was done by telehealth, and this is a screenshot of the session. Text reads: How it started ... #telehealth #VideoPhysio

ID: Two images side by side. Shayna the physio wears bathers, a face mask and face shield. She holds a baby in front of h er in the water, he is on his stomach with his face out of the water. In the second image, he is held by his mother and floats on his back. They are wearing bathers and his mother is also wearing a face mask. Text reads: How it's goine! #CovidSafe #StaySafeStayOpen #AquaticPhysio

We started working with this bubba and his family by telehealth over the Melbourne lockdown. They were super keen to get in the pool, and they were all closed.

For babies, we usually do combination work of land and aquatic physio, as family capacity building is vital. You are the experts in your child, you are with them most of the time, and we can help you find learning opportunities in your everyday life.

When bubs get in the pool with us, we always spend some time on what you can do at bath time. So why not get that started over telehealth?

We looked at play ideas related to his land goals, as well as starting towards swim safer skills and behaviours, just like we do in aquatic physio sessions.

This little champion and his family did so well through their bath time, that he had some real aquatic skills on his first session this week!

He was going a beautiful job of floating in the water, and was holding his breath well with water over his face. So after careful assessment, we decided to do his first submersion! Unheard of on his first session! He did a great job, and we wonder if he is destined to be a little fish!

ID Shayna the physio is coaching the mother and her baby while maintaining a COVID safe distance in the pool. We are maintaining our distance wherever possible but can be hands on with children as needed.

Shayna Gavin is a physiotherapist who is passionate about helping babies, children and young people learn functional skills so they can participate in life at home, school and in their community. Recognising that children do best in their own environments, she visits homes, schools, and leisure activities from football fields to ballet classes. She also has daily aquatic physiotherapy sessions available at two private swimming schools in Moonee Ponds and Greensborough, Melbourne. She combines principles of paediatric physiotherapy, Contemporary Neuro Developmental Treatment, motor learning, and swimming teaching to address the individual needs of each child and their family. She loves providing professional development to physiotherapists, allied health and education professionals, allied health assistants and swimming teachers.