Meet Eddie! Edward, aka Eddie Spaghetti, is an energetic 2-year-old boy. He first started at Tender Touch Therapy in March of 2017 for Occupational, Physical, and Speech-Language Pathology therapies. Edward was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a young infant. This affects his motor functioning throughout his whole body.
When he first started at Tender Touch, Eddie was unable to roll, play with toys, feed himself, eat age-expected foods, or talk. Motor skill deficits also limited his ability to use alternative communication means, such as early sign language. Although he could sit, he couldn’t balance while reaching for toys. This was limiting his ability to play with his older brother. Edward was very frustrated and fearful of moving and wasn’t able to communicate his wants and needs.
Spaghetti has become a handful of fun. When he first arrived, he could only use his hands to prop himself up, but now he is picking and choosing his toys to play with. What a difference from where he started! He is now grabbing and manipulating items throughout the clinic and home. ADL skills are quickly emerging, as he is starting to help his parents with dressing and using utensils to help with eating.
Eddie has superseded the concerns expressed by his parents in the beginning of therapy about moving and playing. He is always happy and loves to talk to all the ladies in the clinic. Eddie was able to follow and learn well from therapeutic handling, which made a big and fast change in many of his motor skills. He is a joy to play with and will continue to make great strides in his independence.
Edward has made drastic improvements over the past year. He is walking everywhere and is a very social boy. Edward loves coming to the clinic, exploring new toys, and making new friends. He is very motivated to try new gross motor skills such as jumping on the trampoline, climbing the stairs, and balancing on dynamic surfaces. He loves showing off his new skills to the other therapists in the gym. Progress in his gross motor skill development has allowed him to access more areas of his home independently and to chase his older brother James!
Eddie’s social nature and strong interest in books, toys, and people have supported his big strides in communication skills. He is verbalizing many wants and needs, and also uses words to talk about what he sees around him and to socialize with others. His ability to sequence the speech sounds in words is improving and supports growth of his vocabulary and his ability to begin putting words together in phrases and short sentences. He loves to say his therapists’ names, and especially to say, “Bye ladies!” to the receptionists when he leaves the clinic. He has also made huge gains in feeding skills and is now able to bite and chew many solid foods. This is enabling him to enjoy a wider variety of foods and flavors. What a big difference from the purees and dissolvable puffs he was eating just one year ago!
Edward’s parents consistently help him practice targeted skills through home carryover, provide him with a strong support system, and are passionate advocates for him and his care. His brother James is happy to help him practice all his skills with lots of play time!
As Eddie’s therapists, we could not be prouder of all Edward has accomplished over the past year. We can’t wait to see him continue to grow. There are no limits to where his energetic, playful, and inquisitive nature can take him!
-Tracy, OT – Bekki, PT – Nora, SLP