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Special
Needs Children
Alexandra
has brittle bone disease and dwarfism. She's four and has the
body of a two year old. Several surgeries later she is sitting
up and even crawling. She was more animated this time than in
the past. Her parents always come to visit.
This
drum gets around all of the rooms. It is very popular and a
favorite of Alexandra's.
Ana
Maria is almost five. She suffers from very serious reflux
as you can see. She has to have her hands bound with socks to
keep from self-induced regurgitation. She's a gentle and sad,
but loving child. Hopefully a solution to her problem will be
found soon. She deserves so much more.
Ana
Maria must sit up for at least 30 minutes after she eats.
Andrei
has some neurological problems… hyperactive and hard to manage.
He's often isolated because of his behavior, and when he's in
his room alone he climbs on and gets into absolutely everything.
He pulled the plumbing out of the wash tub and Bob had to have
it replumbed and built a box so the plumbing wouldn't be pulled
out again. When you're bored, even plumbing and old fixtures
look interesting.
Gloria
spent a lot of time with Andrei and got him to eat yoghurt and
cookies. He has a real problem with food textures, and he wouldn't
even try the ice cream which was brought in by volunteers as
an experiment. This is, believe me, an unusually calm moment
- for each of us.
Maestra,
Maia's triplet sister, has neurological problems and is far
less developed than her sister who is with the toddlers and
talking! Maestra stands but doesn't walk and won't eat solid
foods. She is in her own little world which we try to penetrate…
but it's hard.
You
can see how beautiful Maestra is, including fabulous eye lashes.
Very little eye contact with others and she doesn't socialize
at all with the other kids. She is in the therapy programs that
are run by the Woodall Foundation four mornings a week.
Walt
and Sorin share a concentrated communication about something...
Sorin has fetal alcohol syndrome and needs lots of attention.
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