Pool Therapy

Yesterday I set a goal for Patrick. I wanted him to stand holding on to the side of the pool for an hour. I thought that we would have to work on this for a while but to my surprise he held out the entire hour. He has always been very aware not to let go of his caretaker and refuses to walk with people he is not used to so it took a few minutes for him to realize he was indeed strong enough and safe. After a while he actually let go with one arm and relaxed. The great thing is he was not standing on flat feet. He was standing on his toes! This is great for all the little muscles in his weak ankles!

Well today Patrick stood for over 2 hours!!!!! Not only did he stand but he cruised ever so slowly around the side of the pool. This is similar to a toddler cruising around the coffee table before they decide they can let go. Patrick missed this step along with many other important transitions needed for balance. He was shifting his feet, letting go of the side with one arm, and confident. Let the sun shine, let Patrick stand in his pool, and God bless everyone that stood beside him.