On Nov 10, 11:48*am, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Nov 10, 10:04*am, sweetsurprisesbyteri





wrote:
This prob is the wrong group, but my son was recently diagnosed with a
brain tumor (3 days after his 3rd birthday) and has had surgery and
just last week started his first round of chemo (this will be a long
process). *His brain tumor is medulloblastoma which is a malignant
tumor that affects balance in addition to other areas. *He needs
physical therapy but doesn't work well with the therapists and I would
like to make him what he needs at home. *

And I'll throw this out, even though you didn't ask. Please take it in
the caring spirit that it is offered:

I know you said he "doesn't work well with the therapists" but
sometimes patients also don't work well with family. Therapists are
(hopefully) trained to be somewhat emotionally detached - meaning that
when the patient starts complaining or gets depressed and wants to
give up, they may know some tactics that will get the patient back on
track - without the emotional baggage associated with not wanting to
get the patient "mad" at them. I may not be saying that correctly, but
what I mean is that the therapist doesn't have to live with the
patient so if things get tense, there's not going to be any guilt or
thoughts like "My son is going to hate me. Let's take the afternoon
off."

There's also something to be said for having to go someplace else for
the therapy. I see it as kind of like trying to work at home. Some
people can't do it because they get distracted by things around the
house (laundry, yardwork, etc) and neglect the work. By having the
structure of appointments with the therapist, you might be less likely
to take a break, let him sleep, shorten a sesion, etc.

Again, please don't be offended. I'm just tossing out some things to
think about, not saying that you shouldn't build the equipment or do
the therapy at home.

Best of luck to both you and your son.- Hide quoted text -


This is absolutely the VERY BEST advice you will ever receive and I
hope you take it for your son's sake. Nobody, no matter what their
age, likes to take therapy, and that includes your son. He's going to
have a lot of off and cranky days and you're going to think "Poor
little fellow is having such a hard time, I can't make him do this
today. I will seem so mean and uncaring and he's going to hate me."
The WORST thing you can do is take upon yourself his therapy. You are
not a trained therapist no matter what steps or bridges you build to
help. If you want your son to regain his balance and rebuild his life
is to take him to therapy each and every time they tell you to bring
him in. And no, I'm not connected with the healthcare field in any
fashion or form. I just know how cranky patients can be and how
parents/family wimp out and feel guilty if they 'force' them to do
something they don't like. Your intentions are good, but like I said
you're not a trained therapist and you are far too involved
emotionally to do the job.

PLEASE take him to his therapy no matter how much he protests, whines,
cries, kicks, and screams.