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.
The Otteroo first caught Amanda Schafer's eye when she saw it on Facebook. When her son, Lincoln, received an Otteroo in his SMA care package,* she was excited to try it out.
Amanda talked to us about Lincoln and his love for the Otteroo.
Oh my gosh, he can't do that on the land. It's like watching your baby have normal limb function. And then every time I see him, it just makes my heart so happy. The whole family likes bath time so we can watch him play.
How did he respond the first time he was in it?
Initially, when we put it on, he was kind of like "What?" He kind of had this look on his face like "What are you guys doing?" But when he got into the water, he was just so happy. He had this huge smile on his face. He can move around just so much more easily in the water, and he didn't want to get out of the tub.
How often does he use it?
We use it for water play therapy so he can get his muscles moving and his joints moving and keep him limber. He has such a hard time doing it on the surface. So we'll spend 30 minutes in the bathtub almost every day, just so he could have fun playing and get some exercise in.
Have you noticed any changes in Lincoln?
We do physical therapy every single day, but the Otteroo is a big part of water therapy. So I think that it does definitely contribute to helping his muscles get stronger.
How does he respond when you get the Otteroo out?
He has a smile on his face instantly. He knows that it is time for the tub and he gets excited and he loves it. He loves moving around in there.
How does it make you feel seeing him in the Otteroo?
Oh my gosh, he can't do that on the land. It's like watching your baby have normal limb function. And then every time I see him, it just makes my heart so happy. The whole family likes bath time so we can watch him play.
*Thanks to generous parents who want every child with SMA to have an Otteroo, our little floatie is included in a care package to every baby who is newly diagnosed with SMA, or Spinal Muscular Atrophy. To learn more or to request a care package, please head over to Cure SMA's website.