Amazing Kids!

Kelly and I both have a number of kids we have been working with for a few weeks now.  It melts my heart to be greeted each day by the loving smile of a child who is excited to see you for therapy!  It is accurate to say that I am becoming very attached to a number of my patients.  Even with the language barrier we find ways to make a connection and have fun together.  Here are a few of the kids we are working with to give you an idea of what kinds of patients we are seeing.

We have been working with a boy with severe spastic cerebral palsy for almost 2 weeks now.  He started therapy because his spasticity and muscle tightness in his lower extremities has become so severe he is no longer able to walk.  He moves around by shuffling on his wrists and legs.  The severity of his tightness has made stretching nearly impossibly but we have made small gains and his standing is improving slowly as well.  We discussed this patient with the surgeon this week and he had achilles tendon release surgery today, which Kelly and I had the opportunity to watch!  Hopefully we will have him standing/walking soon!

Pretending to shoot me with his lego gun :)

Another patient is an 11 month old boy who is not standing, crawling or walking.  The mother is concerned that his legs are weak and he is not moving around like a typical 11 month old.  He is the most pleasant little boy that laughs and babbles the whole treatment session.  We are working to strengthen his legs, increasing joint stability, and weight bear in different positions (tall kneeling, 4 point/quadruped, standing).  He is a joy to work with but unfortunately, I haven't taken a picture of him yet.

I have been seeing a 5 year old with spastic diplegia ever day for the past week and a half.  He was initially in casts up to his thighs but had them removed earlier this week.  We are working on stretching his tight/spastic hamstrings and adductors and strengthening his legs and gluts so that he will be able to walk independently.  He has the greatest smile and laugh, and willingly does everything I ask of him.  He is a token patient!

Kelly has been working with a little guy with Arthrogryposis for the past few weeks.  When we first met him he had casts from his feet up to his thighs post surgery to correct contractures of his feet.  He eventually transitioned to casts below his knees and now he is without casts at all!  They were working on strengthening his legs, walking, stairs, and hand function.  however, he was discharged home today after months of living at the hospital.  He is no doubt a cutie!

~Krista