"Hello!" from the Author of Henry Goes to Aquatic Physical Therapy

Dr. Kristen Kilroy PT, DPT is a physical therapist specializing in pediatric aquatic physical therapy. She helps kids with all different injuries and diagnoses achieve their goals through hard work disguised as fun. This was the inspiration behind Henry Goes to Aquatic Physical Therapy—physical therapy should be fun!

Dr. Kristen Kilroy PT, DPT

After growing up in Pennsylvania, Kristen moved to Virginia to attend Marymount University, where she was on the swim team, for her undergraduate.

After earning her degree, she went to graduate school to get her doctorate in physical therapy. Her career as an aquatic physical therapist merges her interests in swimming and physical therapy. In her free time, Kristen likes to travel, craft, cook, and explore the DC area.

For more information on aquatic physical therapy or to schedule with Dr. Kristen, visit www.waterreliefpt.com.

Q: What inspired the idea behind your book?

A: Henry Goes to Aquatic Physical Therapy is inspired by my real-life work as a pediatric aquatic physical therapist. In the pool, I work with children who have a variety of injuries and disabilities to improve their strength, their ability to walk, and their ability to play and interact with their peers and community.

For many children, the pool environment (or any new activity) can be intimidating. I wrote this book to ease these fears. It serves as part social story and part imaginative adventure to introduce aquatic therapy. A social story is a simple story that describes a social situation and the appropriate way to act in that situation. It helps children understand what to expect and how to respond. Social stories are common in the following pediatric conditions but can be used for any child:

ADD/ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, sensory processing disorders, behavioral difficulties, anxiety, and social skill deficits. Henry Goes to Aquatic Physical Therapy demonstrates how aquatic therapy is a safe place to work on skills and have fun during the process.

Q: Was your main character modeled after anyone in your life?

A: The physical therapist in the book is clearly modeled after me to ease anxiety for kids when they show up and see a familiar character. Henry represents any child who has participated in aquatic physical therapy or traditional physical therapy (or who has yet to).

When deciding what injury or disability to have Henry represent, I wanted to include a group of illnesses I am passionate about: invisible disabilities. Invisible disabilities are a group of conditions in which children or adults have a physical, mental, or neurological condition that is not visible from the outside yet can limit or challenge their movements, senses, or activities. Unfortunately, these people are often judged by others for what is visible versus what is happening under the surface. Some invisible disabilities include autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, fibromyalgia, POTS/dysautonomia, EDS, asthma, dyslexia, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, dyslexia, MS, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, anxiety, depression, cognitive disability, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, endometriosis, and many more. The sunflower on Henry’s shirt at the beginning of the book is a symbol for this group of disabilities.

For more information on aquatic physical therapy or to schedule with Dr. Kristen, visit www.waterreliefpt.com.