Let it never be said that households with a disabled child in the family aren't busy . . . B U S Y! This morning our energy burners were on high as Sarah, her Daddy, and Grandma were off to the neurologist for light anesthesia first, followed by injections of Botox (Bolulinum toxin) in select spots in Sarah's feet and calves to treat focal spasticity. Spasticity means a state of increased muscle tone and heightened deep tendon reflexes such that Sarah's legs, for example, feel tight and rigid. Her knee jerk and foot reflexes are also exaggerated. Research shows that Botox helps improve motor control and functional movement patterns in children with cerebral palsy (CP) by permanently blocking the release of an important chemical, acetylcholine. It does this at the point where the nerve joins a muscle, thus preventing it from contracting. This blockage is irreversible and the affected muscle atrophies (or "dies"). The result is functional recovery in patients -- or the better use of their limbs -- within a few months, especially when used with and followed by intensive physical therapy.
Through intensive exercises, our hope is to use to the maximum all of Sarah's existing abilities linked to her motor performance to create positive --and permanent! -- changes in her overall neurological, skeletal, and muscle systems. And we'll be starting soon. Gosh, we love this little girl! What a trooper! Already she's a diva whose wonderful in-home therapists have worked with her to optimize her health and well-being using a variety of innovative pediatric PT exercises or training programs. In a strict sense, these will not heal or change the damaged structures in her brain. Nonetheless, her body can respond to exercise in exactly the same way as that of an individual without CP. Moreover, the brain is constantly reorganizing structurally and functionally in response to input and injury. What does this means? It means that early intervention for children like Sarah can promote the development of alternative pathways in the areas of the brain that control muscle coordination and movement. Most plasticity occurs before age 3 years, and Sarah is now 2-1/2 years old.
Below is an informative video from the American Association of Intensive Pediatric Physical Therapy that is an excellent source of information and research for parents of disabled children.
Promoting alternative brain pathways to enhance motor skills such as mobility and critical self-care ability is only one area of current interest to researchers. Other areas include how to repair or replace non-functioning or injured brain cells and cell-cell connectors (the "wiring" system), how to expand and sustain regeneration of brain cells, and how to promote stem cell population in the right place at the right time. (Stem cells are so-called "primitive" cells that can develop into any cell line and exist in human brains throughout life.) But writing more about that is a post for another day, and probably by Sarah's Daddy, as he's the family expert as we explore pursuing stem cell therapy too.
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Showing posts with label intensive physical therapy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label intensive physical therapy. Show all posts
Looking Toward Intensive Therapy
Labels: Botox, cerebral palsy, intensive physical therapy, treatment, video
Labels:
brain injury,
fundraising,
GBS,
intensive physical therapy,
premature birth,
stem cell,
treatment
All About Sarah
by Sarah's Mom
Hi there! My name's Michele and I am Sarah's Mom. I am also mother to her two wonderful siblings -- Sarah’s twin brother, Joshua, and her younger, 9-month old sister, Emma. In addition to Sarah's challenges due to her brain injury as a newborn, my husband also battles a form of muscular dystrophy. As a family, we have had our abilities and resources tested, it's true (the "tattoos" of life), but we also share a lot of love and a lot of laughter. More than anything, I am grateful for my wonderful family, whose story is also Sarah Bear's. With lots of support from relatives and friends, we strive every day to make our children’s lives joyous ones, filled with opportunities, and wonderful memories.
Meet Sarah Bear
by Sarah Bear's Mom
Sarah was born a beautiful, and healthy baby on March 6th, 2007, along with her fraternal twin, her "big" brother (older only by one minute). Then, a little over a month later, on April 16, 2007, Sarah became very ill and we didn't know what was wrong. We rushed her to the hospital only to learn she had a life threatning case of meningitis due to a late on-set Group B Strep infection (GBS). Sarah's brain was swelling, but we hoped and prayed for a miracle that she would not be affected from this deadly infection. Unfortunately, Sarah's brain scan revealed a profound loss of brain tissue and her medical team predicted she would be at the level of a newborn for the rest of her life, if she even survived.
BUT!!!... (we like this part, hence the exclamation points)...
Not only did Sarah survive, she is doing far better (lots more!) than her doctors ever predicted, despite living and growing up with a seizure disorder, cerebral palsy, sensory integration disorder, developmental delays, and vision loss. In fact, this vivacious, little toddler girl is learning both to sit and stand up, gives sweet kisses (the best!), and even says a few words and hums various songs. We believe all of this is due to intensive early intervention and the love and encouragement of family and friends. For this, we are very thankful. Please help Sarah reach her full potential!
Donations:
Within the next two years (2009-2011), we hope to meet our goal of raising $25,000 - $35,000 in order to fund three different treatments/therapies for Sarah that we believe will help her reach her fullest potential. Time is critical because most children make their greatest gains within the first three to five years of life. Unfortunately, health insurance does not recognize or cover any of these therapies from which Sarah, who is now two and a half years old, could benefit. They include:
*Currently available only in Europe, China, and elsewhere outside the US
All About Sarah
by Sarah's Mom
Hi there! My name's Michele and I am Sarah's Mom. I am also mother to her two wonderful siblings -- Sarah’s twin brother, Joshua, and her younger, 9-month old sister, Emma. In addition to Sarah's challenges due to her brain injury as a newborn, my husband also battles a form of muscular dystrophy. As a family, we have had our abilities and resources tested, it's true (the "tattoos" of life), but we also share a lot of love and a lot of laughter. More than anything, I am grateful for my wonderful family, whose story is also Sarah Bear's. With lots of support from relatives and friends, we strive every day to make our children’s lives joyous ones, filled with opportunities, and wonderful memories.
Meet Sarah Bear
by Sarah Bear's Mom
Sarah was born a beautiful, and healthy baby on March 6th, 2007, along with her fraternal twin, her "big" brother (older only by one minute). Then, a little over a month later, on April 16, 2007, Sarah became very ill and we didn't know what was wrong. We rushed her to the hospital only to learn she had a life threatning case of meningitis due to a late on-set Group B Strep infection (GBS). Sarah's brain was swelling, but we hoped and prayed for a miracle that she would not be affected from this deadly infection. Unfortunately, Sarah's brain scan revealed a profound loss of brain tissue and her medical team predicted she would be at the level of a newborn for the rest of her life, if she even survived.
BUT!!!... (we like this part, hence the exclamation points)...
Not only did Sarah survive, she is doing far better (lots more!) than her doctors ever predicted, despite living and growing up with a seizure disorder, cerebral palsy, sensory integration disorder, developmental delays, and vision loss. In fact, this vivacious, little toddler girl is learning both to sit and stand up, gives sweet kisses (the best!), and even says a few words and hums various songs. We believe all of this is due to intensive early intervention and the love and encouragement of family and friends. For this, we are very thankful. Please help Sarah reach her full potential!
Donations:
Within the next two years (2009-2011), we hope to meet our goal of raising $25,000 - $35,000 in order to fund three different treatments/therapies for Sarah that we believe will help her reach her fullest potential. Time is critical because most children make their greatest gains within the first three to five years of life. Unfortunately, health insurance does not recognize or cover any of these therapies from which Sarah, who is now two and a half years old, could benefit. They include:
- $5,000 per round of HBOT treatments - Hyberbaric Oxygen Therapy
- $6,000 for a 3-week program - Therasuit Intensive Therapy
- $25,000 for a round of stem cell therapy*
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