Ryan by his parents
Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy
Due to a traumatic birth, Ryan had to be resuscitated at birth and then spent a month in special care. Ryan now has quad Cerebral Palsy, Auditory Neuropathy (hearing impairment) and Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar).
Ryan’s grandmother came across the web site whilst searching on the internet. As my husband and I were trying to digest what had happened at the birth. Plus trying to accept what it actually means to have a special child. Continually trying to pick ourselves up off the floor after meetings with Ryan’s consultants at the hospital, as we were always told not to expect much from him.
TST worth all the hard work
Since attending the centre it has taken us a good six months to settle into the treatment, fitting it into our busy routine, but we feel it is worth all the hard work. We believe The Scotson Technique complements all the other treatments/therapies we do for Ryan. We have noticed many changes, all helping to making our life easier and for Ryan to be as happy as he can be with the physical limitations he has.
Here are some of the changes we have noticed:
Hearing: We were told he was deaf at three months, Ryan now understands what we are telling him and will try to communicate back, whether it be by using his eyes, touching or by making a sound.
His words/sounds are getting more comprehendible.
Calmer: Ryan loves to be on the go all day and from the beginning we were unable to put him down as he would just cry/rage all the time, whether it be at home or in the car. Now he is much happier and calmer over all, and enjoys all the different things we do with him. From time spent in his standing frame, walker, on his tummy or side lying.
Alertness: He just keeps on improving, I describe it like a light bulb, and the wattage keeps on getting stronger. Which in turn is helping us to get through some of the physical frustrations he has. He wants to be involved whether it be preparing dinner or sorting out the recycling.
Eating/Sleeping: This has been one of the most challenging areas for us, as Ryan has hypoglycaemia (unable to maintain his blood sugar). Due to that we nearly lost Ryan for a second time, because when he is ill he won’t take food therefore his sugars dip. He seems to be able to tolerate food/milk when he is ill now, helping us to control his sugar levels. Ryan has always been difficult to feed, as we feel he did not fully understand the concept. Now he will tell us if he is hungry and enjoys his milk and food. Which in hand has helped to improve his sleep and we are not getting up as much, as it used to be three times a night.
Movement: Ryan never use to do much at all, as his arms were always out to the side and hands clenched. His hand control has improved and he is now able to explore toys using his hands. He can also move himself to objects on the floor when lying down, and turning his head. He can also play whilst in prone position. Overall his stiffness and spasms have reduced.