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.
Doctors diagnosed Nicholas with full-body hypotonia at birth. Now almost 4-years old, he still has low muscle tone, preventing him from sitting up or walking. But his grandmother, Melissa Lane, who decided to buy him an Otteroo, has noticed many other major improvements.
What kind of improvements have you seen?
For a long time, we had to hold him or prop him up somewhere. But, since we've been using the Otteroo, now you can hold Nicholas by the waist, and he'll stand there. He'll stand up, if you're holding him by the waist. His body is so much stronger.
How has that changed him?
Nicholas was diagnosed with scoliosis. He had a 22 degree curvature of his spine. We've been working with him: he does physical therapy, and he uses the Otteroo in the pool and his baths. We took him back to his orthopedist and now he has a 2 degree curvature of the spine. He no longer has scoliosis. His physical therapist attributed it to the fact that instead of always laying down or being propped up, now he can get into the tub or the pool and have complete free range motion. When he gets in the water, he can stretch his little body out and kick his little legs. He will kick himself back and forth in the tub, bouncing off everything. In the pool, we'll stand in a triangle and push him off to each other and he kicks himself to you. And she (his physical therapist) attributes that to the Otteroo.
Does Nicholas like being in the Otteroo?
Oh does he. As soon as we get it latched behind his head and get his chin placed, he's already kicking his legs. He's like one of those little puppies you hold over the sink who's already kicking their legs. That's what Nicholas is doing. He's kicking; he's ready.
At one point, if Nicholas was sick, if Nicholas was mad, if Nicholas was... anything, our solution was to get him in the tub.
We're glad you like it so much!
I think it's one of the best inventions for children, I really do. Even if they do not have a medical issue, it's still a wonderful toy or swimming device. I really do think it's fantastic.
