Teamwork and toughness: Living with cerebral palsy

Growing up in Querétaro, Mexico, María was an exceptionally bright and inquisitive child. At just 18 months old, she spoke at the level of a 6-year-old, and could even sing the tongue-twisting “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” song. Her parents marveled at her intelligence at such a young age, but there was something in her development that seemed off. “At 1 year, she wasn’t crawling well and had difficulty standing,” her mother, María José, recalls. “She hadn’t learned to walk by 18 months, and she would crawl by pulling her two legs at the same time — like a little bunny.” Her parents knew that something was wrong, so they took her to see a pediatrician in their home country of Mexico. A diagnosis of cerebral palsy They would come to find that María had cerebral palsy (CP), the most common physical disability in children. CP is actually a group of disorders that affects body movement and posture due to differences in brain development, infection or stroke. Although CP is a lifelong condition that cannot be reversed, many children with CP go on to lead fulfilling lives with the proper medical care. María’s family was willing to do whatever it took to get her that care. “In Mexico, we never received answers about Maria’s situation that gave us confidence,” María José says. Luckily, their pediatrician knew of a family from Mexico who had received care for a complex condition at Boston Children’s Hospital. María’s parents reached out t...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Our Patients’ Stories cerebral palsy Cerebral Palsy Center Child and Young Adult Hip Preservation Program Dr. Benjamin Shore Dr. Donna Nimec Source Type: news