Crushing It in Aquatic Therapy: A Big Milestone

Aquatic therapy continues to be one of her most impactful—and most loved—forms of treatment, especially because she has been able to work with the same Occupational Therapist since she was just 10 months old. That consistency has made a meaningful difference in her progress.

One of the major goals she has been working toward is walking up and down a ramp in the water independently, without holding on. This is much more challenging than it sounds. It requires her to lift her body against the resistance of the water while moving up an incline, all while maintaining balance as the water pushes against her from every direction.

We are so proud to share that she recently accomplished this goal on her own! Each time she practices, she is able to go a little farther, showing steady and encouraging progress.

Her motor planning skills in the water have also reached a new level. She is now able to adjust her goggles independently before submerging—something that requires significant fine motor coordination. From there, she swims down to retrieve objects from the bottom of the steps and works to bring herself back up. While she occasionally needs a bit of assistance to fully regain her footing, her determination and growth are remarkable to witness.

Even small factors can present challenges. For example, wearing her hair in a ponytail versus braids makes a noticeable difference. A wet ponytail adds extra weight, requiring her to engage additional muscles to compensate. Despite these added difficulties, she continues to push forward with determination.

She is putting in the work, and we are seeing real results. Every therapy session is helping her build strength, coordination, and independence.

As we look ahead to her stem cell treatment, we remain hopeful that the progress she is making now will allow those treatments to support even greater gains in other critical areas of her development.

We are incredibly grateful for the continued support, encouragement, and prayers from everyone following her journey. Your support means so much to our family and plays an important role in helping her continue to grow, improve, and thrive.