Welcome Swimtime,

I am so sorry for what your family is going through. The prognosis is more positive for children and adolescents who are afflicted with CPRS. Their Nervous systems are so plastic it is perhaps easier to get them back on track. The pool is a great place to start. You want to be sure the therapy is not painful. Pain DOES NOT equal gain in his case. This is not a weightlifting competition. You want range of motion, swelling reduction, etc. He will build up to weight-bearing. After three foot and ankle procedures I can tell you from experience how important it is to get the foot stretched and supple without tearing the humpteen ligaments before you go back to bearing full weight. I strongly recommend a video currently on http://rsds.org If you scroll down on the rsds.org site you will se a video by Dr. Pradeep Chopra. It is recent, very insightful and has some specific sections dealing with youth and therapy. Lots of tips on nutrition and supplements and what NOT to do. He is a respected specialist and his advice is reasonable and not aggressive. Good place to start. For someone your son's age Mirror Box therapy might be helpful. Like I said , the plastic brain. I do mine with one leg behind a mirrored closet door.
Hang in there and DO NOT GIVE UP. Recovery is a process, it takes time, love and devotion. He is young so the odds are more in his favor. Dr. Stanton Hicks of Cleveland clinic says many people improve over time. I am banking on your son to be one of them. Also don't forget ankle injuries have their own aches and pains that are normal as the foot is re-acclimated. Not all pain is pathological. Remember that your are not alone. when you are fearful or need to vent come here. Your strength and confidence will help him immensely as you know. I will be saying prayers for your family.
Sending Healing Love,
Littlepaw

One more thought....Dr. Chopra makes a comment to be very careful of nerve entrapment mimicking CPRS. So true and also so possible after ankle surgery. Another thing I can personally attest to. If your son has not had a nerve conduction done it might be worth pursuing. You don't want to leave a contributing cause untreated. Your son's orthopedist can refer out for this.
Littlepaw