West Texas rehab center must close its therapy pool

From the Midland Reporter-Telegram:

When a young boy with spina bifida started coming to the Midland Children’s Rehabilitation Center, Director of Program Development Nancy Patterson said he was so shy he would look down, rarely speak and sit quietly in his wheelchair.

She asked him once what he did in his PE class at school, and he replied, “the shade.” Confused, she asked again, “Do you just sit in the shade when the other kids are running around?”and he told her yes.

Enrolling in their aquatic therapy program at the center, the boy would get on the scooter board and move through the water. His self-confidence boosted, and he started coming into the center everyday with a smile on his face because he finally could start doing something the other kids also were involved in.

Now he can move across the pool on his own. He loves to play ball and can catch and retrieve it in the water.

“The pool is a great place where he’s never been able to experience ball play before,” Patterson said.

But recently, after 31 years in operation, the center has had to close their therapy pool. Built on property that used to house an old landfill, the grounds have been shifting and the pool has been slowly sinking and cracking over the years. Recently, it was deemed inoperable by engineers.

Engineers out of New Mexico thought at first they could save the swimming area, but Patterson said it’s a structural problem and the pool has now been declared dead by special engineers.

“Everything’s been done that can be done to resurrect it,” she said.

Over the summer, the aquatic therapy program had about 18-20 children involved; now, because they borrow the facilities at the COM Aquatics, those numbers have been reduced to eight children.

The program helps to teach life skills experience to children, and, for kids with cerebral palsy and spina bifida, it can help them relax their muscles and enjoy a sport they might not be able to when not in the water.

“It’s a place that kids can learn how to be independent and do something that their peers can do. It makes them stronger and is a great boost to their ego,” she said.

And while the center does partner with COM, Patterson said their pool is not real conducive to the shallow pool waters used by their program participants.

The center is hoping to raise money and donations to build a new pool for their aquatic therapy program.

MCRC Executive Director Brooke Mueller said based on 2007 estimates the new pool would cost about $1.5 million to build the swimming area for their patients.

The new pool would have a design for zero entry to depths of 2-12 inches of water to accommodate all children — whether they are infants or young elementary-aged.

“Aquatic therapy is a key element in any rehabilitation program with children. When you are trying to help them get that sense of movement, the pool is an ideal surface,” she said.