Disclaimer: Customer stories and testimonials on this page may speak to a customer’s individual experience with the Otteroo and their child’s impairment. These stories and testimonials may not reflect all Otteroo experiences. The Otteroo is intended to provide buoyancy to promote free movement in the water to support natural development and is not intended to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent a disease or condition.
Terah Jones, a nurse practitioner, first saw the Otteroo on Instagram and thought it looked interesting. So when her friend told her how much she loved using it with her son, Terah decided to buy it for her daughter, Indy Llew.
Indy Llew has Down syndrome and used the Otteroo for the first time in the bathtub on her first birthday.
What made you decide to get the Otteroo for Indy Llew?
My daughter has always loved bath time. But due to her low muscle tone, she’s a little wobbly, so she wasn’t able to sit in the bath by herself or do much on her own in the tub. I thought the Otteroo would be great for her, so I ordered one for her birthday. It was just so fun to see her in the Otteroo!
What did she think of it?
When we first started using it, it was so exciting to her. It was like bath time was a whole new world because she could move around on her own. She could kick and she could splash. I think it made her (feel) more independent, instead of sitting in the bath propped up or with me helping to hold her up. It was really fun.
She just took to it right away?
Yeah, she loved it. We started with bath time, and then we were on vacation in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. We took her into the Blue Lagoon with the Otteroo and it was just so fun. It was this big, huge pool that she could move around in. It’s been really fun this summer. Any time we’ve gone swimming, we take the Otteroo. She really loves it.
What effects have you noticed from her using the Otteroo?
I think it helped with her confidence in the water, and I was reading about the benefits of the Otteroo and how it helps with muscle development and muscle tone. I know that the Otteroo played a part in helping develop better muscle tone for her. She’s really strong. I think it’s a great tool for kids with Down syndrome.
As a nurse practitioner, how do you view the Otteroo from a medical perspective?
Water resistance is so great for building and strengthening any muscle, but especially when you have a kid or a baby with low muscle tone. It’s so important for them to develop muscle tone, so giving them a way where they can be in the water and kick their legs and arms freely is just so wonderful. Before that, I was holding her in the water where she could kick her legs, but not her arms and her legs at the same time.
Do you tell other parents in the Down syndrome community about the Otteroo?
I see the Otteroo all over Instagram. Before I ever even posted about the Otteroo, I would get messages in my inbox from people who follow us on Instagram, and they’d say, ‘I don’t know if you’ve heard of the Otteroo, but I think it would be great for Indy. So that was kind of fun!’
You can follow Terah and Indy Llew at www.terahbelle.com.