As a parent of a child who has a disability knows, multiple therapies are essential to his or her child’s well-being. If started early on, it can make a world of difference to a child’s success and paves the way for a healthy adulthood.
Because I am unable to walk or speak in the conventional way, I have been in therapy all of my life, beginning at the age of 18 months. Perseverance combined with my multiple therapies has made my life easier today.
Various therapies have assisted me at different times in my life. The therapists included were physical, occupational, speech and language, adaptive technology, seating, and durable medical equipment specialists, just to name a few.
Even though some therapy services were provided by the school system when I was a student, I benefited from private therapies most. The physical and occupational therapists tried to understand my body and modified their programs to best suit my needs. It was always gratifying for me to see marked improvement in my body control due to their help.
I also enjoyed a local therapeutic horseback riding program for years. While fun, it also helped me gain a sense of balance that I hadn’t had before. I consider this a therapy because it improved my sitting, walking and overall health. I even competed in shows, won ribbons, and more importantly, it boosted my self-confidence.
While certainly challenging to keep track of and KEEP appointments, all of these modalities helped me to succeed in my goals and allowed me to achieve the benefits of persistence and determination. Therapy is hard work—no matter what!
-Hope Johnson
