Scars of Bravery

Andrea's hair is getting longer and thicker everyday. After taking a bath, I see to it that her hair were properly clip up off her face so it would not irritate her face and eyes. This is also the time I was able to examine the scars in her head. She got this big scars from her operation last Nov 2006.

For some they may see these scars as signs of tough times and adversities. But for me, I see these scars as signs of "Bravery", a quality of spirit that enables you to face pain without showing fear. She faced all these trials with a smile as if saying "Don't worry mommy, I will be better soon!"

That's my Andrea! And I'm proud of her.

Speech Therapy Session 1

Andrea started her first speech therapy session last Friday, Nov. 20, 2009. We brought some things needed for her assessment like rice and viand, banana, a cracker, chiffon cake, water and the utensils she usually use.

And here's the result:

For FEEDING SKILLS, this is to assess integrity of oral structures during feeding.
Activity used: Feeding of banana, chiffon cake and rice and tuna.
Andrea's Rate: Can do better.
Remarks: She still used primitive biting pattern, usually sucks and suckles, movement of tongue noted given input and prompts.


For ORAL STIMULATION , this is to provide sensory input to address mobility/strength of lips, cheeks, jaw and tongue.
Activity Used: Feeding session, passive exercise, and face massage.
Andrea's Rate: Can do better.
Remarks: Lip lateralization are spontaneous, given input to do tongue elevation and lateralization.


For PRECURSIVE LANGUAGE SKILLS,
   a) reach for help
   b) regulate/ask
   c) identification/show recognition
Activity Used: infortalk, sound-producing toys, shape sorter
Andrea's Rate: Can do better.
Remarks: Generally guided most of the time. Can identify mommy, daddy by reaching.

Speech and OT Therapy Program

Two weeks ago, I had a chance to call The Able Center in Makati and inquire about the availabiliy of a Speech therapy. We were scheduled Friday that week at 9:00am. On that day, we were late but luckily they were still able to accomodate us. Teacher Jeremy was the therapist assigned to Andrea. As per his assessment, her case will be very challenging for them and maybe for us. Since she had a multiple disablity, the mode of input will be limited to auditory and touch. We know it will be quite of a challenge but we are most willing to take the chance to improve her current ability. We believe this is the right time for her to learn new things outside her comfort zone. And we believe in her.

I am also embracing my time since my working hours now is after 4pm. So I have the whole morning taking care of her .

Teacher Jeremy also advised us to have an occupational therapist. Here, she will be taught of things on how she will communicate with us like ask for help, sit on her own and maybe eat on her own. But before that we still have to go to a Rehab doctor and ask for a program for Speech and OT. He also recommends us to visit a development pedia [which we haven't done yet]. This is also to make sure no activity will trigger anything that will cause discomfort for her.

So, we went to a Rebab doctor in Makati Medical Center, with Dr. Melissa Mercado. After her assessment, she gave us this program"

Speech Therapy:
1. OPM Testing
2. Ariculation Testing
3. Language Stimulation - follow commands, Identifying object (tactile stimulation)
4. Expressive skills
5. Articulation therapy - syllable / word

Occupational therapy:
1. Bilateral hand activities
2. Auditory stimulation / tactile stimulation ( as blind )
3. NDT's to facilitate pelvis control
4. Gentle strtching hips
5. Ankle positioning

Now we're ready for the theraphy session. :)

An Angel in Silence

It has been a year now since Yvonne lost her speech "again".

We just notice that she gradually have had trouble uttering words. But she's very good in replicating sounds [snore, sneeze, and some funny noises with her mouth]. She also tried to imitate my whistle though it is still a work in progress.

We have already asked her neurologist few months ago about what could be the cause. Few tests were made. Based on her EEG, there are still some siezure spike on her brain. Especially on the left side where language and speech are subserved by the brain. Her meds were increased to the maximum. Her doctor said she's doing great [having Depakote, Keppra 500 & 250] in such dose. We just have to be wary of symptoms like nose bleeding and the like. As of this writing, Thanks God!, no signs of that.

While waiting for some improvements, I made some inquiries [emails and phone calls] from some speech therapy centers. I never thought it was this hard to find one. Most center do not have avaiable slots so we're still on the waiting list. We're still in search for a speech therapist.

For the mean time, we're trying to motivate her to utter sounds, do some facial massage and stimulate her senses. Well, its still best to have someone who specialized on this.

In God's time, we'll find one! Aja! :)


   "We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence.... We need silence to be able to touch souls."
   ~Mother Teresa

Person with Disability (PWD) 20% Medical Discount Now Available

PWDs may now avail of 20% medical discount (From People's Tonight - published June 10, 2009 and in National Council on Disabilty Affair (NCDA) site )

Filipinos with disabilities may now avail of discounted medicines and other health related services!

The Department of Health (DOH) recently issued Administrative Order No. 2009-0011 detailing the guidelines for the provision of medical and related discounts and special priviledges to persons with disabilities pursuant to Republic Act No. 9442, an act amending the Magna Carta for Person with Disability (R.A. No. 7277).

Under the administrative order, persons with disabilities are entitled to a 20% discount in the purchase of branded and unbranded generic medecines from all establishments dispensing medicines for the exclusive use of person with disabilities; and 20% discount for the cost of medical, dental, and rehabilitation services, diagnostic and laboratory fees in services wards and pay section of government health facilities in accordance with the Clinical Practice Guidelines or Hospital Treatment Protocols and in all private hospitals and medical facilities.

Other discounted services include psychological or developmental tests in service wards of government hospitals; and speech therapies or services in all private hospitals and medical facilities.

In the same administrative order, persons with disabilities who are not yet non-paying PhilHealth members may become PhilHealth members if they are sponsored or enrolled by their respective local government unit (LGU) or voluntarily enroll themselves as individually paying members.

To avail of the discount, a person with disability must present his/her identification card issued by the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) or by the local government units (LGUs) where he/she resides. In addition, a purchase booklet issued by the LGUs to persons with disabilities for free shall be presented every time a purchase of medicine is made.

For more inquiries, please contact the department of Health-Degenerative Disease Office at Tel. no 743-8301 local 1750, 1751 and 1752.