The Essential Role of Recreational Therapy in Aquatics Programming for Children with Autism

The purpose of this conceptual paper is to highlight the essential role of therapeutic recreation on an interdisciplinary team providing swimming and water-safety lessons to individuals with autism. The interdisciplinary team includes recreational therapy, occupational therapy, and community recreation professionals. The program, Sensory Enhanced Aquatics, was developed by recreational and occupational therapists and initially offered in an academic medical center. Sensory Enhanced Aquatics grew to be offered in collaboration with local recreation agencies to better serve the community and extend the healthcare continuum. Literature related to recreational therapy and autism, interprofessional collaborative practice, and adapted aquatics is reviewed to provide context. This manuscript delineates roles of the Sensory Enhanced Aquatics team through categories contributing to effective interprofessional collaboration: bridging gaps, negotiating overlap, and creating spaces. A case example of Sensory Enhanced Aquatics provides details of the successful interprofessional collaborative practice.