A Chat with the PT

I met with the physical therapist at O's school yesterday. She was lovely.

Anyone whom I'm meeting for the first time who introduces herself and says, "Let me say first that you have such a beautiful, sweet little girl. Olivia is just wonderful." That person right there? She's my kind of lady.

Of course I smiled and said, "Thank you. We like her a lot. We're going to keep her."

She laughed and replied, "If you weren't, I'd be more than willing to take that girl home with me."

Oh yes, my mother's heart melted into a puddle of goo.

But enough about our witty repartee.

The gist of the meeting was the discuss O's need for physical therapy.

The non-surprising part? She does need it. The therapist first noted O's low muscle tone. I confirmed that she does indeed have universal low muscle tone, which means that it's inside and out, large muscles and small.

The therapist went on to say that O surprised her, though. She was able to do three sit-ups unassisted as well as the 'airplane' move, which involves lying on her stomach and lifting her arms, legs and head off the ground for eight seconds. The therapist was thrilled by these things, saying that it proves that O's already got a sturdy, strong core.

Gymnastics, I'm telling you. It had to be the gymnastics.

But...we do have a few things to work on. And to be honest with you, I think some of those things have to do mostly with O's confidence.

She's one of those kids who doesn't want to do anything she isn't sure she's going to do well, especially in front of people she doesn't know well.

The therapist has only seen her once and that was to evaulate her. Olivia wouldn't jump off a step, she wouldn't run consistently for the therapist, she wouldn't even try to jump over a jumprope that was two inches off the ground and she wouldn't climb the steps of the slide on the playground and then go down the slide.

These are things I know she can do. But she was with someone new, someone she'd never seen before and there are some things she won't try just because she knows she might fall and get hurt.

The therapist did comment that Olivia was very cooperative and willing to try most things.

Her preschool teacher was present for the meeting. She is lovely too. She said that she hasn't really pushed Olivia much yet because, in her words, "She's so tiny and cute and fragile-looking, I hate that I might make her cry."

Awww, and yet...lady, she's playing the heck out of you!! I laughed and said, "Yeah, she's got this look that tells you, 'Sure, I know you want me to try this but I'm really not going to so...' Don't be afraid to push her. She's got a strong sense of self-preservation but her feelings really don't get hurt all that easily."

I then told them a couple of stories to help them get to know the Olivia I know and adore. A few weekends ago, the girls and I were in town and it was lunch time. We were going to go through the drive-thru at Wendy's but decided the line was too long so instead we went to McD's. The line was long there too and so we were heading out to hit DQ. As we exited McD's parking lot, Olivia muttered, "Oh, come on!" The girl was hungry!

I also told them that one of her favorite things to say to her daddy is, "Whatever!"

They both laughed and her teacher, Mrs. F. said she wants to know that side of Olivia.

I said it might take a little time but I'm sure by next March, she'll be showing her sassy side.

Mrs. F. asked if kids with 5p- tend to have social issues. I said that what I've read they're mostly friendly and kind. She's a bit worried because Olivia is stand-offish with her classmates. Some of them have approached her and tried to play with her and O will just shrug, walk away and find a quiet corner in which to lay/sit.

I said that she does seem to be comfortable in her own company but that she will probably just need a little more time to get used to school, all the new kids, the schedule, etc. I gave them a few anecdotes about how O and Jaxon will play togethr in an effort to show that Olivia will and does interact with her peers, she just has to know them very well.

She was rated by the therapist as -2.4 in gross motor skills. All I really know about that is that it qualifies her to receive services. I'm okay with that. Of course I wish for a day to come when some therapist, any therapist will say to me, "Your kid is fine. She doesn't need anything I can offer."

But we're nowhere near that and I'm realistic enough to know that. So she'll receive 20 minutes of therapy one day a week while at school.

She'll be working on a tall kneel, standing up from a tall kneel using her hands on her knee. Jumping off a curb and climbing the ladder of the slide.

The best part of the meeting? Finding out that her therapist already works with two other kids with 5p-. Who'd have thought that? This is the first therapist we've met/worked with who has had any sort of experience with other 5p- kids. I'm thrilled that Olivia will be able to teach her a bit more about the syndrome while also benefitting from her experience with those other kids.