Stephanie is the oldest child in our “Savannah” Project, and she will turn 15 this month.
She has suffered from cerebral palsy since birth which has made her have to face many unimaginable difficulties.
When we first met Stephanie, she was almost eight years old.
Her physical condition was very poor, she was thin and had poor muscle strength, was unable to sit alone, or even raise her arm.
Eating is a big challenge she faces daily; she needs an adult to help her close her lips to successfully complete a swallow.
Stephanie can pronounce some simple syllables, but they have no real meaning.
We realize that she needs a lot of care, guidance and rehabilitation plans to improve her quality of life. So, she was assigned the most experienced childcare worker who taught her how to eat.
Her food must first be mashed.
Her nanny then guided her with a gentle voice.
Taking her hand and helping her hold the handle of the spoon.
“Raise your arm slowly,
Scoop up a spoonful of food,
Hold the spoon level,
Open your mouth,
Put the spoon in your mouth,
Move your chin up,
Close your lips and finish a bite.”
Not only is it disturbing to see this, but this action that can be done so easily for many of us, for children with cerebral palsy, it may not be possible to complete even with a lot of practice.
Eating a bowl of rice, speaking, or putting on clothes requires the help of others and practice over and over again. Therefore, their quality of life depends entirely on the work of the caregiver.
This strengthened our determination to continue to develop our program. We look forward to training more responsible and professional childcare workers to take care of more cerebral palsy children.
The meticulous rehabilitation plan soon produced results in not only Stephanie but all the children!
Tailor-made standing frames allowed the children to stand, freeing their hands to practice grasping objects.
Orthopedic braces and muscle stretching activities have made Stephanie's body stronger and stronger. She can now sit and interact with the other children, and we are seeing more and more joyful smiles appear on her face.
Stephanie always works hard to cooperate every time she is doing therapy.
She has learned to use communication buttons to express her choices.
She has learned to eat snacks and meals with a spoon.
She has even learned to crawl to where she wants to go by herself.
With the increase in capacity and understanding of skills, Stephanie's self-confidence is also getting stronger, and she now expresses her preferences and emotions more.
Her nanny said that once after taking a shower, Stephanie remained motionless, just looking at her. Seeing that she didn't understand, Stephanie slowly put her finger to the corner of her mouth to remind her nanny that it was time to brush her teeth!
The staff are really happy to see that she is able to do more and more things!
Stephanie is the children’s eldest sister.
She will often distribute toys to her younger brothers and sisters and will use a smile to encourage them not to cry.
Every time she goes out, although she is in a wheelchair, she will wave her hand to greet everyone she meets. If she hears someone praise her for being beautiful, she will give them a big smile from ear to ear!
We watch Stephanie growing and changing with a thankful heart.
When a seed is planted and given care and nourishment, it will sprout, grow, bloom, and grow into a beautiful plant. This is what is happening with Stephanie. She is growing into a beautiful young lady.
The enthusiasm in her eyes makes us feel the beauty of life!
Love can change lives.
