Hi all,
My 13 year old son Matthew has been doing pool therapy for a month now. He had an evaluation today (not done by his therapist) and she started the appointment by berating him and scolding him for not doing enough to make progress. He works hard in the pool and has had increasingly difficult exercises and is definitely making progress, but she was upset with him for not walking on it out of the pool as much as they would like. (He takes 4-5 steps between the shower room and the pool when he gets in and out, which takes him quickly to a pain level 6 or 7.) She basically told him that he would not be allowed to continue to come there for therapy if he didn't start working harder and showing more progress. The nicest thing I can say about her without using nasty names is that she lacks people skills. If her goal was to leave him discouraged and defeated, she succeeded. What do I do? I don't want to subject him to that again at the next evaluation. His physical therapist has started building a relationship with him, and can get him to do things that I can't at home. So I don't want to end that, either. So frustrated! My only other options are to drive 45 minutes for a pediatric pt place at U of M, or admit him to Cleveland Clinic for two weeks, which we're hoping to avoid needing to do. I need advice, this is so beyond discouraging.