Hydrotherapy center sees 300% interest increase as Post-war children plagued by bedwetting, anxiety

With the Iranian War on official pause, children of families affected by war continue to demonstrate classic signs of physiological and psychological distress: bedwetting, tics, stuttering, and overall anxiety. Israeli hydrotherapy org. Buot Association receives a massive 300% increase in interest among worried parents.

Many children have experienced traumatic responses since the war began, which can manifest in anxiety, speech disorders, and other blockages.

Because of this, Buot has reported a 300% increase in parent inquiries expressing interest in their therapeutic and rehabilitative services.

"Recently, we've been receiving many inquiries from parents whose children's problems began at the start of the war. Some have already tried other treatment methods, and hydrotherapy can certainly help in these situations, primarily because of water's powerful effect on the nervous system and its ability to reduce emotional stress,” hydrotherapy therapist and CEO of Buot Zvi Handels stated.

“Water does not directly 'cure' stuttering or bedwetting. However, since these symptoms emerged following the war, hydrotherapy works effectively on both the emotional and physical levels to reduce them.”

In addition to physical relaxation, the treatment strengthens the body’s relaxed muscles; gradual activity in the water enhances body awareness, boosts self-confidence, and helps children gradually regain the physiological control needed to cope with these symptoms–all while gently processing their wartime experiences.

Professionals from the Mashabim Center, a stress prevention organization based out of Kiryat Shmona, reported a prominent phenomenon in war-torn family dynamics: damage to children’s sense of trust in the adults around them.

"When adults' sense of security is shaken, children's sense of security also becomes compromised. Children don't gauge safety based on official announcements, but by the sense of stability adults project around them,” Yiftach Benbenishti, CEO of Mashabim, explained.

“When the destabilizing reality persists, even children who had already managed to recover from anxiety may experience a return of symptoms. Today we're not just seeing more children who are afraid, but also more children who feel that the world is less predictable and less safe.”

The erosion of security is exactly what hydrotherapy aims to rebuild, according to the Buot Association. Buot explains that hydrotherapy offers an enveloping and soothing therapeutic environment, leveraging the physical properties of water to improve both physical and mental well-being.

Even non-war-related bedwetting can stem from muscle weakness; in such cases, hydrotherapy strengthens the bladder muscles.

Regarding vocal or mobile tics, hydrotherapy contributes to an elevated sense of capability and self-confidence and creates an immediate experience of success, since water allows for lighter, freer movement than on land. Success in small tasks in the water, such as floating, diving, or swimming, rebuilds the self-confidence damaged by the war and by the symptoms themselves.

In the pools, children learn to “release” their body, subsequently easing psychological tension. The pool serves as a judgment-free “playground”, focusing on movement, play, and enjoyment - no need to “perform” or speak perfectly.

The treatments are carried out by skilled, professional therapists trained to work with a wide range of individuals with physical, sensory, mental, or intellectual disabilities, with the goal of achieving an optimal level of function and independence. Treatment is provided during acute rehabilitation stages as well as for maintenance in chronic conditions, aiming to create the best possible quality of life for patients.