Cardiorespiratory physiotherapy at school: an innovative commitment to health and inclusion
Improving breathing to improve life. This is the philosophy that drives the pioneering cardiorespiratory physiotherapy project in schools led by the Aspace Catalonia Foundation, recently presented at the Dincat Congress 2025The initiative has highlighted how integrated health care within the school can transform the daily lives of children with multiple disabilities and cerebral palsy, bringing a new perspective to special education.
This model, unique in Catalonia, integrates health, education and social support within the same space and time. TheAspace School, with a Incorporated Day Hospital, offers specialized physiotherapy care during school hours to guarantee the right to education for students with complex needs.
Powered by Salvador Alemany, physiotherapist at the Aspace School, the project responds to an urgent need: to guarantee respiratory health as an indispensable condition for access to education for these students with high complexity. With a team formed by five physiotherapists experts in the cardiorespiratory field, the service acts in a preventive and personalized way: drainage of secretions, improvement of pulmonary function and coordinated monitoring with hospital services.
The first results are clear and encouraging: fewer hospitalizations, reduced absenteeism and a significant improvement in the quality of life of students and their families.
The objectives of the initiative are developed in three main areas:
- Educational: guarantee school attendance and participation, reducing absences for medical reasons.
- Rehabilitator: prevent and manage respiratory complications typical of serious neurological pathologies.
- Social: supporting families in managing their children's health, providing peace of mind and security.
Despite the good results, the project still has challenges ahead. Currently, the assessment tools are being refined through methodologies such as SMART, to obtain more precise and objective indicators. At the same time, in collaboration with the ICT department, a digital registration and monitoring system is being developed through portable devices, which will facilitate more continuous and informed monitoring.
This model of school cardiorespiratory physiotherapy unit It represents a paradigm shift in the care of students with complex needs. It not only improves your physical health, but also promotes true social inclusion., promoting family reconciliation and strengthening coordination between the education and health sectors.
The Aspace Catalunya Foundation demonstrates, with this innovative commitment, that when the health and well-being of students is put at the center, The impact goes far beyond the medical field: it becomes a powerful tool for social transformation.
