A New PT

Ruby officially graduated from Babies Can't Wait on her third birthday. This means that we no longer receive the speech and physical therapy services she received through those therapists. We have two other speech therapists (one speech and language and one myofunctional), but we opted not to seek out private PT. While Ruby's visits were once/week for the first two years, once she learned to walk, we were really in a good place, and only saw the therapist about once/month. Then once Ruby went into the hospital, it was once every few months, at best. Both her therapist and I were in agreement that the work Ruby and I did was moving her forward in her progress (climbing, running, etc.). When we saw her the last time before Ruby's birthday, we reviewed strategies for moving forward, and Ruby was praised for how well she is doing.

About a month before that, I signed Ruby up for a 'Buddy & Me' gymnastics class. Once a week she and I go to a local gym where a teacher sets up a few little courses and instructs our flow while we walk our kids through it. Ruby LOVES it. She listens very well in the class and follows directions at least as well as the other (typical) kids, if not better. She climbs and balances and maneuvers through the 45 minute class with a huge smile on her face. I've noticed her gait is stronger; she almost has a full run now. She climbs anything and everything (even out of her crib!), and does most stairs with the help of a railing. She loses her balance and catches herself often. And she can walk through transitions (door ways with different levels on either side, short curbs, etc.) without support.

To say this girl is thriving in her new physical therapy routine would be correct.