Debbie,
Do you know at what age such programs are appropriate and effective? My son has problems with coordination and balance (his running is very clumsy, cannot catch a ball well, cannot walk the balance beam no matter how low, etc.). I can imagine interventions like that could be helpful in the future if he does not improve. But he is only 3 right now (almost 4) and I don't know if he would cooperate or enjoy such formal programs. Also, at this age, it is not clear whether he has a serious problem or whether it's just his age and personality. He is very cautious and the activities he prefers are naturally sedentary (reading, computer, etc.). I was that way when I was little - I hated gym classes, occasionally got teased for lack of athleticism, could never quite master those childhood activities that come so easily for many like swimming and riding a bike... I guess I'm a natural nerd at heart, but aren't there a lot of "normal" people like that? Nobody, including myself, ever thought there was anything wrong with me. At what point in the spectrum do we decide what is normal and what is problematic? If my son grows to accept that he will never be graceful and feels perfectly happy to give up on becoming a professional athlete, should I still worry about getting him formal help?
Sorry, I guess I'm starting to ramble. I feel conflicted about how to deal with my son who has many amazing talents but also some unusual deficits. I want to prevent any harm to his self esteem by providing opportunities to correct his problems early on, but I'm also afraid that if I intervene unnecessarily, my efforts might actually do more harm than good. Do you have any thoughts on this?
Junior
