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Shuyler was born with a brain injury, which was not fully discovered until he was seven months old. Doctors determined that there was some damage to one side of this brain. Shuyler could not sit up and was having difficulties with the right side of his body.
Shuyler began on the Neuro Developmental Therapy Program when he was one year old. Shuyler’s initial program included visual and tactile stimulation and movement and balance activities.
Once on the program, Shuyler began rapidly improving. He was becoming more aware and beginning to use his right side, and has made great progress with his standing and walking. He can now stand by himself and has begun walking.
Shuyler’s understanding is excellent and he is very aware of what is going on around him. His speech has dramatically improved and he can now say over 200 words.
Statement from Tracey (Shuyler’s mother):
“Shuyler has recently turned two and more recently has just started to take his first steps. This has been our biggest angst after being told that he would be permanently affected. We contacted a charity called Friends of Brain Injured Children of QLD Inc and began the NDTP program just after Shuyler turned one. This group is all about self-help. The programme encourages using a number of techniques, which for us, started as mass stimulation to Shuyler’s right side of his body. He has what is known in medical terms as right sided hemiplegia. Although only mildly affected, Shuyler has high tone and partial paralysis on one side of his body. The good thing about all of this is that we could trick the brain into trying to overcome these problems and get that side stimulated into doing what it should. We have been lucky to have a great deal of success in getting Shuyler to pay attention to this side of his body. For a little boy who used to avoid using his right hand, he is now bringing this hand into play constantly. We are so grateful to Friends and the NDTP programme as they have shown us ways to help Shuyler reach his full potential.”
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