Hunter’s story: Oh, the places he’ll go!

Hunter VanBrocklin is a kid on the go. The fearless fourth grader loves to hike on his family’s 20-acre property in Alfred, Maine, with his constant canine companion Wendy by his side. He trekked through national parks in the U.S. and Canada with his parents and sister in the summer of 2015. He’s even developed his own version of four-wheeling. Hunter is exceedingly mobile for a child who shouldn’t be walking, according to the experts. “When Hunter was a baby, he was slow to roll over and crawl and wasn’t walking,” recalls his mother Kelly VanBrocklin. His pediatrician referred Hunter to Dr. Gregory Melkonian, an orthopedist in the Boston Children’s Hospital Orthopedic Center and Cerebral Palsy Program, who diagnosed Hunter with cerebral palsy, just shy of his second birthday. Melkonian performed botulinum toxin (Botox) injections and serial casting to reduce the spasticity in Hunter’s ankles and improve his walking and balance. Hunter also was fitted with lower leg braces. As a toddler, Hunter started using a walker to get around. He jokes, “That walker didn’t stand a chance. Walkers are good for going at slow speeds, but they aren’t meant for kids on the go.” Hunter broke his second walker in less than a year. “Hunter is a bit stubborn,” grins Hunter’s Dad Andy. Over the next five years, Hunter had a series of Botox and phenol injections. His cerebral palsy team expanded to include physiatrist Dr. Donna Nimec and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Benjami...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Our Patients’ Stories Ben Shore cerebral palsy Cerebral Palsy Program Donna Nimec Gregory Melkonian Orthopedic Center Source Type: news