The influence of regular swimming practice on the motor, cognitive and affective development of atypical children
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v14i9.49611Keywords:
Swimming, Child development, Inclusion, Neurodevelopmental disorders, Aquatic interventions, Teaching and learning.Abstract
This literature review explored the influence of regular swimming on the motor, cognitive, and affective development of atypical children. A total of 36 records were retrieved from PubMed and Google Scholar, and eight studies published between 2021 and 2025 were eligible for synthesis. The selected works included children with diverse neurodevelopmental conditions and applied instruments such as GMFM, fundamental motor skill tests, social participation scales, and self-regulation measures. Reported benefits comprised improvements in balance, coordination, and functional mobility (motor domain), gains in attention, working memory, and executive functions (cognitive domain), and enhanced self-esteem, peer interaction, and school engagement (affective-social domain). Overall, findings support swimming as an inclusive, safe, and relatively cost-effective intervention with applications across school, clinical, and sports settings. Nevertheless, methodological issues remain, including small sample sizes, heterogeneity, and limited longitudinal follow-up. Further research should include multicenter randomized trials with standardized protocols to strengthen the evidence base.
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