As at
Dec 05 - 4 months of ABR
|
| In a nutshell, the changes we reported
back to Leonid from a more 'useful' side of things
were: |
| · |
Less vomiting |
| · |
Less hyperextension |
| · |
Greater head control |
| · |
Right arm less likely to twist backwards (penguin
like) and comes forward and bends more frequently |
| · |
Comfort sitting in high chair or pram (impossible
before) |
| · |
Greater range of verbal sounds and much more ease
with making them |
| · |
Improvement with management of solids (will now
smile when you put a bib on him prior to feeding
if he is hungry - to me that is an indicator that
it is becoming an easier and more enjoyable experience) |
| · |
Slight improvement in handling of liquids - but
as he has the g-tube we have been focusing more
on solids than liquids. As we get greater division
in his mouth/nose/throat this should become easier
so figure it's not worth making him do scary and
uncomfortable things that may get easier with ABR
changes anyway. |
| |
| Leonid's observations were: |
| · |
Much less noise when breathing - last video you
could hear his noisy breathing even when the camera
was quite far away. |
| · |
30 degree improvement with his current neutral
head position (it is still quite a long way over
turning to the right) but the improvement is good. |
| · |
Greater division between shoulder and head - when
you turn his head to the left side the right shoulder
now stays on the ground. |
| · |
Top of sternum starting to flatten out around
clavicle area - bottom of sternum still very pointy
(fake depth) |
| · |
Abdomen softening up (because of surgeries etc
it is a bit of a disaster area for us) |
| · |
Greater independence with his eyes ie they are
less likely to roll up into the top of his head
when you move his head |
| · |
As the shoulder is coming down on the right it
has the direct effect of his right arm being less
penguin like. |
| · |
To hold he feels quite different - almost difficult
to hold onto around the torso - kind of slips through
your hands - as he is getting greater separation
where as before he was "stiff as a brick"
(direct quote LOL) |
| · |
Much more comfortable on his tummy - may even
be able to consider posterior exercises soon. Less
of a hump type appearance on his back when lying
this way. |
| · |
Division starting to appear between bottom or
ribs and pelvis - when you roll or rock him again
there is more of a ripple effect along his body
rather than the one solid unit appearance. |
| · |
Less startling and ending up in hyperextension
or snorting for air |
| · |
Agreed there is a reduction in hyperextension
- certainly not completely but certainly on a good
path |
| · |
No obvious changes in face yet but feeling that
the corners are getting ready to appear |
| |
|
| All in all his conclusion was that
they were good changes and Mac appears to be responding
well to the exercises. |
| |
| Happy reading |
| Gina & Mac (2.5yrs, Sp.Quad,
CVI, ABR 4mths (approx 180 hours)) |
