I had started to worry several weeks prior to starting the hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT), about the many many many safety aspects; about how my son would react to being stuck in a chamber with a hood on for an hour; how I’d take to the compression and decompression; whether I’d see any benefits; when will we see the benefits; how best to utilise the hour while in the chamber; what are the changes to my daily routine that I’d have to make to slot in the treatment etc.
People told me to not have high expectations with HBOT (as it’s not a prescribed treatment for CP). People can’t tell me for sure what improvements, if any, my son will have (as each person is so different from another).
After a week of HBOT, with adjustments on my part and on my son’s part, I’m generally happy despite the side effects (tiredness). Happy because there have been improvements!
The 2 areas I’ve seen improvements are in his speech (I think the aspects of cognition and oral motor) and fine motor skills.
Speech
He’s saying more syllables in a single breath:
“Oh my gosh! He gave him so many books!”
"Yeah, just like my rabbit but a bit different."
He’s also saying more (using several breaths to say something much longer):
"It's just red lights, not ghost. It's for warning the big aeroplanes...you are flying too low...and for small helicopters...and small aeroplanes...and big helicopters." (He was referring to the red warning lights on top of tall buildings)
“Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are. Up above....” (He sang the entire nursery rhyme on his own initiative, and without needing any help)
He’s saying things he doesn’t typically say:
“Thanks for reminding me.”
“Let’s go to find out.”
“What do you think?”
“What are you saying? I don’t understand you.”
Fine motor
He’s now able to put on his sandals (fake crocs) needing me to only hold the sandal steady. He’s able to move his foot this way and that way, to fit into the sandal, quite smoothly, which I’m so surprised to see!
Thank you, thank you God for blessing us! Please continue to pray for protection and progress!
Great News
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