A recent trip to Florida reminded us how much Kate loves to be in the water. Swimming appears to be a universally loved trait among girls with Rett syndrome. The reasons are probably self-evident. The sensory input of water pushing against muscles and skin and the weightlessness must be soothing to tired bodies. Lately Kate’s walking has been excellent but it still requires her to work extremely hard. When she’s immersed in the pool, she kicks and splashes like a suit of armor has been peeled off her back.
She gets aqua therapy periodically at her school and we’re doing regular sessions at a local indoor pool.
Kate has become pretty picky about water temperature. Anything below 86 degrees Fahrenheit is unacceptable, prompting general aquatic discontent and animated yelling. We’ve gotten her a wetsuit, which has helped. If we can get the local indoor pool facility to crank up the water temp to 92 degrees, they’d have to teach us how to turn out the building lights.
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| Kate and Dad |
