Physical Therapy

[rieshy]

Earlier this summer there was a thread about whether physical therapy was useful for a child with hypotonia, I was doubtful...

 

Well, 5 yo finally started his 6 weeks. It has been amazing. He therapist is working with him not only on his general hypotonia but specifically on his proximal weakness. The goal of the therapy is to develop a home treatment plan that I can implement, because- let's face it, 6 weeks isn't going to be able to make that big of a difference.

 

The therapist has come up with so many games and fun activities that I would not have thought of, plus each week I bring a different sibling along to watch and learn. It's like a combination of career day and how to help their brother.

 

My 5 yo wakes each Thursday morning asking hopefully if it is time to leave for therapy yet.

[Harriet Vane]

:thumbup:

[Barbara H]

Great news. I like the idea of bringing along a sibling. We've also found PT very helpful with hypotonia. It may be good if you can continue to revisit the PT now and then to keep revising your home treatment program. I realize it is a long way off for you, but I wanted to mention found the period of time just before and starting puberty to be a particularly helpful to get PT. When they are putting on more muscle the progress can be really rapid.

[rieshy]

. I realize it is a long way off for you, but I wanted to mention found the period of time just before and starting puberty to be a particularly helpful to get PT. When they are putting on more muscle the progress can be really rapid.

 

Hmmm. I'm dreading puberty. Rapid growth is always hard on him. I'll keep more therapy in mind for when he's older. He always gets weaker during/after a growth spurt. And that's even if his metabolism doen't go into a tailspin.

 

Thanks!

[PeterPan]

That's really interesting about the puberty thing! I'll have to remember that with ds. I don't know that girls particularly put on muscle, but I guess I could watch for it.

 

Susan, about the growth spurt thing, is he eating enough? My dd's eating increases DRAMATICALLY when she's going into a growth spurt. He might need more nutrition to support him.

[NittanyJen]

Girls do also gain muscle; it is just distributed differently.

 

Don't forget that although it is in vastly lower amounts, girls also produce (and need) testosterone.

[Barbara H]

Hmmm. I'm dreading puberty. Rapid growth is always hard on him. I'll keep more therapy in mind for when he's older. He always gets weaker during/after a growth spurt. And that's even if his metabolism doen't go into a tailspin.

 

Thanks!

 

I felt exactly the same way going into it. Growth spurts often involved a lot of weakness and balance problems. But, surprisingly, puberty was overall a real positive with more energy, more muscle, and faster improvements in strength. Hooray testosterone!

[Guest Austyn]

Physical therapy is the best option for this because my friend had a experience of this its bit slow recovery but it good for the patient too but patient neeed more patience......