Well in answer to my question Stephanie at the Arthritis Foundation has sent a list of the hydrotherapy pools in the Perth metro area. Thanks Stephanie this is a very useful resource for Perth parents.

I hope this list helps you get your child into a heated pool this week. Here is the Hydro Pool List.

Meeting others kids with arthritis can be a relief

She had seen first hand how valuable it is for people to meet others who are going through a similar experience.

“We had some new faces in our aqua class yesterday. One teenage girl who attended hadn’t ever met anyone else with a similar condition.

She broke down in the change room and said she was so relieved to talk with us. It made her feel normal again. She said she had been starting to think it was all in her head.

I think the group hydrotherapy classes are not only good for the body but they are good for the soul too.”

I think this is a really good example of how making the effort to talk to each other is worth it.

I have just posted some tea/coffee times and places on the home page of this website. You would be welcome to join us at any of these times whether your child is in hydrotherapy or not.

Maybe you would like to host a tea/coffee event for rheumatology parents in your area. I’d be happy to help you spread the word.

Photo courtesy of gwennypics at Flickr Creative Commons

Hydrotherapy can ease joint pain and feelings of isolation

I was really surprised we made hydro today.

My daughter has been very low and sore for the last few days.

We found out there was a holiday session on half an hour before it started.

I woke my daughter and told her.  I was sure there was no way she was going anywhere.

Thirty minutes later my grinning teenager was in the pool with her mates having a great time.  I know she was still feeling pretty sore but she got there to see her friends.

Natalie Bennett-Bremner now runs her Kidz Clinic at the Arthritis Foundation.  She is also developing a pool group of teenagers who come at 8.00am on Saturday morning.

We usually make it to the PMH pool on Monday afternoon for hydro as well. These sessions help in several ways.

It is helpful to exercise the joints without putting too much strain on them.  The warm water is soothing to tight muscles.

It is also an opportunity for the kids to see that they are not the only ones dealing with this sort of challenge.

I met some other mothers today and we talked about this website – they were really keen – so here I am getting it started.  Welcome aboard.