Look mom! I can stick my finger in the air holes!
We picked a groovy design
Today Nicholas had an appointment at Shriner's Children's Hospital. A couple of weeks ago he was fitted for a body brace and feet braces and today they were ready for us to pick up. Nicholas doesn't mind either of them at all. They fit him really well. The body brace allows him to sit up really straight. We are suppose to have him wear it more and more each day so that eventually he will wear it most of the time. The leg braces (AFO's) are to help keep his legs secure and straight when he is using the stander. We ordered a stander today for Nicholas and are exited to get it so he can start putting some weight on his little legs. It should also help his respiratory function and will help develop his hip bones. One of the most exciting things Nicholas got to do today was drive a power wheelchair. Molly (his PT) and Denee (his OT) put him in a Spree they had at Shriner's and hooked up the joystick so it was at the right level and let him drive all over the physical therapy floor. At first he just went in circles, but after a little while he was going both forward and backward. He loves the freedom of being mobile! It was so cute to watch. My mom and I just kept smiling and giggling because it brought him so much joy! He is going to get lots of practice at Shriner's on their chair and we will order one of his own when he can manipulate it well or by his 2nd birthday (which ever comes first).
Jeff and I have noticed Nicholas's strength improving in the past few weeks, and are hoping that his new equipment will help him have even more success in everyday activities!
8 comments:
Great pics! I'm glad that he tolerates his new braces well. That is so great that you get lots of test-drive time with a powerchair!
I am glad that they have been able to get him braces and that he does not mind them so well. That is so cute that he gets to start driving a powerchair. You are an amazing family with an amazing little boy!!
I am so glad to hear that Nicholas doesn't mind the braces, that is awesome and I hope that they allow him to gain his strength as well. I loved reading about him trying out the powerchair, I can just imagine how much joy it would give him to be able to move around on his own! Thanks for sharing the pics too...Emma
Loving the pics!! Glad he is adjusting to his braces well. Nathan doesn't seem to mind his either. He has SMOs that he wears everyday and a softer (not a hard shell...a softer stiff one that Velcros) chest/back brace that we are still trying to get him to wear more and more each day (mainly because I forget to put it on him as much as I am supposed to.) :)
I still can't get over how adorable Nicholas is! He's a handsome little thing, that's for sure.
Your son is an amazing little boy. Nothing seems to bother him and he's always happy. The braces look great and I bet he will be in heaven once he gets that powerchair! Thanks for sharing.
He's still the cutest little boy I've ever seen!!! So glad he's doing well with the new braces :-)
Jessica, a friend just tipped me off to this blog. The child does not have SMA, but does have other handicaps which keep her parents motivated to be creative with managing daily life. I wanted to share it with you! :) http://adaptedworld.wordpress.com/
Hey Jessica. I worked for a short time at a Children's Therapy Unit. They know how to adapt devices with the right wiring, so to make some of the popular toys all kids enjoy adapted by a switch and they have an instruction sheet too! That wouldn't help me I admit, but if you know someone technical and are interested, I will have to see if I can get that "How to" sheet. Also might find things on Ebay...would have never thought of it, except I found some adaptive technology for the kids that I came across at one of my schools.
Valerie
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