First Week of New Therapy Services! {PT, OT, HT}

We have spent the past couple of weeks finally getting Natalee's therapy services set up up here in our new town.  In Missouri she was receiving OT and PT twice a month in an out patient setting and educational OT and PT weekly through the school district.  We chose to only do outpatient services up here and I think they are going to serve her wonderfully.  I asked for a recommendation from a friend regarding which therapy group to go with and we are so appreciative of her suggestion to use Kinetic Edge.  We've built an immediate rapport with the therapy staff and are so happy to have them on Natalee's team.  I can see her quality of life improving almost before my eyes.

While we were going through the OT evaluation process last week, one of the therapists mentioned that she'd just returned from a hippo therapy session.  My ears immediately perked up and I asked a lot of questions.  Natalee also expressed a lot of excitement about this possibility, and the OT said that actually the previous week after the PT had evaluated Natalee she had mentioned to the OT that Natalee might make a great candidate for hippo therapy.  Seeing our immediate interest, the therapist said she'd look at the list and see if there were any openings and let us know.  We were elated when she called the next day to tell me there were a couple spots coming up if Natalee wanted to give it a try!

We had a busy week this week - with the evaluations completed both OT and PT recommended weekly sessions for Natalee.  Then, we were able to get hippo therapy, too, which means Natalee has worked very hard this week!  Both our OT and PT team members are also educated in primitive reflex integration and will be working on these things with Natalee (and us - we have homework!) and we're excited about the possibilities that lay in store! 

Hippo therapy was our first therapy session of the week.  It was amazing to watch and she loved it so much.  The input for balance and core are incredible, not to mention the sensory and cognitive aspects to hippo therapy.

Would you look at her smile?  She was ecstatic the entire time - truly so in her element.

I read that a horse takes an average of 100 steps per minute so if you ride for 5 minutes that's 500 motor inputs to the rider.  Isn't that amazing?

I was humbled at the team that assembled to ensure Natalee's session was safe and effective.  Allison is leading the horse (Jetsetter).  She is the heart behind Grace Therapeutic Riding and, to my understanding, she is "in charge" of the horse during the session.  The ladies on either side of Natalee are, I think, volunteers, who are there to offer assistance to Natalee's balance, security, and well-being.  Then, off to the side, you'll see the occupational therapist from the therapy center - she is there to instruct Natalee and do the hippo therapy portion of the session.

The sessions are 40 minutes long, and Natalee was tired but bubbling over with joy when she got done.

Laying down!

There was a lovely viewing area with a large window where we could sit and watch Natalee.  There was also a ramp in the arena and we were allowed on the ramp to watch.  I went out a couple of times and then let each of the children go out one at a time, quietly, to watch.  Evie wanted to chase the kitties and play in the world's largest sand box!

After we left hippo therapy, we went home for a brief second, but then had to go over to the therapy center for Natalee's first physical therapy session.

I can only imagine how tired she felt after back to back therapy sessions, but she never complained, even though she also needed to wear her DAFO stretchers when we got home.

After a good night of rest, next up was her first occupational therapy session.
It was a great session and I can already tell I'm going to love the emotional regulation and primitive reflex integration pieces of the sessions.

We have been surrounded with kind people as we've started this new phase of Natalee's story, and I feel confident that their expertise will add so much to her team.  As we focus on quality of life, pain control, and helping Natalee find joy in her journey, I am so grateful to have their knowledge and assistance and can't help but feeling that good good things are coming to our girl!