PT for my baby....

wonderwoman

wonderwoman

Cathlete
My 13 month old daughter is currently receiving PT 2x a week for hypotonia in her lower body due to some seizures that she was having at 7 months of age. She seems to be all better now with no other side effects except for the fact that she is not walking or crawling yet. She does sit up well and scoots. She is mobile but in her own way. Here is my concern
From the moment the therapists walks in until the minute he is done all she does is cry and I mean really cry. I feel awful and helpless watching her sessions. He does weight bearing exercise with her and puts her in a crawling position for minutes at a time and then gives her a few breaks here and there. She seems to really dislike it and almost seems like it's traumatizing for her. She still cries after he leaves and watches the door and thinks he is coming back. After about 45 min or so she seems ok. I am beginning to think if this is doing more harm than good???? I know they say that early intervention is really good for them so I don't know what to think????
I feel like when she is ready to she will go for it. The more they persist the more she seems to resist. At this point she isn't delayed yet. It's considered delayed by 18 months of age. so she still has some time.....
Thanks for listening and any thought would be appreciated.
 
Hi Wonderwoman... geeeeze, that sounds really painful to watch. Have you maybe explored other options? I have a massage therapist who specializes in Neuromuscular therapy and he is wonderful. He's trusted for helping children.. not sure about babies, though. Maybe you should try a different PT who specializes in babies. I personally would not continue. She needs to feel safe and secure and trusting of ther person manipulating her precious little body.

Big (((((hugs))))) to you and your beautiful baby! I hope you find the right person.

Pam
 
First of all I'm so sorry that your baby is going through these. My suggestion is to continue PT session but have female therapist instead & see how your baby respond.
 
Thanks for responding ladies. I really do appreciate it. I've been thinking about it all night long didnt sleep to well. Neither did my baby. She didnt take her usual nap after her therapy yesterday. When I put put her down she cried a little more than usual so I just brought her back out. I finally put her down at 7pm and she slept till around 10 then just woke up. She was crying alot and keep looking behind her really weird. She finally went back to sleep around midnight. I'm wondering if that had anything to do with her PT experience?????
Anyway I've decided to call her nuero later today and ask her about it but I remember when I first metioned it to her that my baby was starting therapy she brushed it off almost like she didnt think it was neccesary and said 2 things to me. She said your daughter is going to be fine she just needs lots of tummy time and she also told me that Early Intervention will always make it worse than what it seems???? They tend to exaggerate.
Anyway thanks again for your thoughts.
 
I am not sure who recommended PT. I assumed it was your neuro but you mentioned that she didn't think it was important. My nephew had delayed development--not sitting till nearly a year and then not walking until 16 months. My SIL is an MD and though everyone else was worried she wasn't and she was right. He is fine just graduated from college.
My children were born in India where someone comes every morning to give the baby a massage and I remember they used to cry when she walked in and called their names. So I am not sure that massage is a better solution.
I had PT after a brain hemorrhage and I remember how I resisted it at first. But I could at least say enough and refuse to continue. I wanted to go at my own pace and knew my limitations. Your baby has no way to communicate her feelings except to cry.
I am sorry you and your child are going thru this. It is so hard to see your child in such distress.
I would definitely talk to the therapist about my concerns and to your doctors and decide if this is really important for her development or if she will just "move" when she is developmentally ready.
 
I can imagine how painful it is to watch your daughter cry during her PT sessions. I wondered if you could do shorter PT sessions now then build up? Also, can the PT give you exercises you can do w/ her so it's not such a shock to her system when she does this work in PT? Is he doing anything to make it like a fun game? Using colorful scarves or objects to distract her from the work her body is doing?

Also, is she doing the ample tummy time w/ you that her neurologist advised? That will make the PT sessions less of shock to her body.

What she's doing in PT is hard work for her body so it's not surprising that she's reacting the way she is, BUT she does need to improve in this area. It's like letting your kid cry thru the night. The first night just kills you to hear them sob like their world is ending but they adapt and learn they can do things (fall back asleep on their own, develop self soothing skills).

HTH and good luck.
 
My nuerologist didn't recommend the PT. It was the hospital that we stayed in while she was having the seizures that recommended it. That was back in March. She also gets Special Ed therapy but that therapist said my baby doesnt need it anymore because she has caught up on all her skills but she doesnt mind that one too much. I think because it's a woman and she makes it like a play session. She still cries a bit but not too much. The excerises that the PT does with her are very simple and my husband and I can do it ourselves because I'm home with her while she is having her PT so I see everthing that is going on. So all in all she is getting therapy 4x a week mon-thru for 30 min. I think it's excessive.
The special ed therapist is coming today so I am going to talk with her about it to.
 
Is there anything they are doing with her in PT that you can't do yourself at home? Honestly, if it was me, I would pay close attention to what they were doing in her sessions and then I would quit taking her and do it myself. It's obviously traumatizing her and if mommy can do the same thing with her at home in a more familiar and less scary environment, then I would say go for it.

Just as a side note, my niece who is actually older than Akadia only JUST started walking a little this past week (and we are only talking a few steps here and there - she is about 16 months old. She was late with crawling too. She's perfectly fine, just going at her own pace.
 
I would stop immediately. You are receiving conflicting advice from doctors who are saying the PT is not necessary.

My DD had a lot of bloodwork done when she was only a week old. Blood was drawn from her many times per day and she would just scream and scream until she couldn't scream anymore. We stopped drawing blood on a regular basis when she was 6 months old.

She is 12 now and has an EXTREME phobia of needles. She has to do calming exercises before she receives her inoculations. She worries about it for days prior. I've learned not to say anything to her until the nurse goes and gets the syringe.

When she was 5 and had to have general anesthesia, she literally freaked out at the thought of a needle. It terrified ME to see her so freaked out.

What I'm trying to say is, I do not believe that stress and trauma at an early age is forgotten. It seems that is what your daughter is experiencing now.

It sounds like you and your H can do what the PT was doing anyway, and your baby seems to be progressing nicely. I see no need to continue. Go with your instincts.
 
You said, "She seems to be all better now with no other side effects except for the fact that she is not walking or crawling yet. She does sit up well and scoots."

It sounds to me like you answered your own question. At 13 months she is certainly well within in the range of normal for crawling / sitting..

and.. your neurologist does not think the PT is necessary... and

I agree with MadnNatsmom that the PT may be doing harm from the traumatization. I can not believe that a reputable therapist would continue with these sessions when the child is so clearly traumatized by them. That would raise huge red flags for me.

From what you have told us... and that's all we have to go on.. and I am not a doctor.....

If it were my baby, I would stop immediately and let her walk in her own good time.

According to my mother, my brother did not start walking until 17 months and barely uttered a word until 24 months. Everyone else was worried. My mother was not.

My brother is now retired, but has a Ph.D. in astrophysics so clearly his speech function developed normally and he walks just fine.

He waited to speak until he could speak in sentences... lol... and he walked when he decided he was ready.

I could not put my baby through what you are describing when the neurologist says it isn't necessary. I also don't think.. for the same reason.. that you and your husband should even attempt to do it at home.

Just my 2 cents... take it or leave it.
 
She does get her PT at home so I am able to see everything they do with her. I have done it with her myself and she does complain but she doesnt cry at all. She also has her 6 year old sister as well who in her own way helps her tremdously. She plays with her sings and reads to her. She is a big help.
I am going to stop the sessions and do it myself with my husband. If I ever need them again as least I know I can start the procees. Hopefully not!
Thanks again ladies!
 
I am sorry you have had to experience this with your baby. I have had 3 of my babies go through PT and it can be really exhausting for them and hard to watch them suffer. But the earlier they develop that core and upper body strength the better off they will be. (Two of mine were "scooters".) The therapists always told me they were there to show how the exercises should be done, but the real "therapy" was with the parents.

Your baby may have been experiencing stranger anxiety which would be normal at that age. Our therapists always told me their big sister was the BEST therapist out of any of us! Praiser your daughter for helping, it will make her feel good! :D

Good Luck!
 
My 10yr old started to receive PT at the age of 6mo. for Hypotonia(low muscle tone). He did not sit until he was a year old. He walked at 18mo. and didn't talk well enough to be understood until about 4yr.
His PT was at an early intervention place. They had different types of balancing devices. His PT was female. He would always fuss or cry when she used the Physio ball. He hated to lean side to side, he lacked the reflexes.

He is fine now. Although, he still will not ride a two wheeler, but is able to ride a scooter.

Keep with it. The pay off is worth it. As suggested above, ask for a female PT. Maybe your baby and the PT just don't jive well.
 
Goodmorning to all of you wonderful cathelete's,
Well I spoke to the director of the school and they stopped the PT sessions right away when I told them everything I said to you guys. They were completely understanding. I requested a female therapist and they were very accommodating. I requested the female PT who initially did my daughter's evaluation because I really liked her. So they are going to get back to me with a new schedule. I will give it another shot and see how it goes. If I have the same reaction from my baby that I did before then I will discontinue the therapy.
Yesterday was her scheduled PT session but it was cancelled and she slept all night. I wonder if it has anything to do with it???? She has no scheduled sessions until MOnday. Im going to watch her sleeping until then and see what happens.
Thank you all again and have a great weekend :)
 
wonderwoman,

I'm glad you're giving the therapy another chance, and that the director was willing to accommodate your needs. A few times I had to request a different therapist and it made all the difference (for my baby and me;)). We are the best advocates for our children! I hope it works out better this time around!

Julie
 
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