MUM AND DAD!!!
Parents´testimony
When our daughter Malia was about 3 and a half months old, we realized that something was happening because she only used her left hand. In the following review of the pediatrician we discussed it and his diagnosis was torticollis. Not satisfied with the pediatrician’s verdict, we decided to go to Madrid because we assumed that it would have much more resources than an island as small as Lanzarote. We went to Madrid to a pediatrician recognized for his good work, professionalism and clinical eye. When he recognized Malia, he already knew what he had even though he didn’t tell us anything, he simply suggested that we do an ultrasound on his head to check that everything was in order because of his plagiocephaly. An ultrasound showed a cyst, and we immediately contacted a pediatric neurologist to explore it further. The results showed a black spot in the left hemisphere of the brain due to lack of oxygen and blood, as a result of this this part of the brain had not developed … The Doctor: his daughter has HEMIPLEGIA. But how it has happened, what is that, it has a cure, what we have to do, we have to move to Madrid for treatment … ??? First few weeks were very hard, uncertainty, sadness, guilt, anguish, fear … Luckily, the neurologist recommended us to the best professionals for their rehabilitation in Spain (mainland) and Lanzarote, were we live. Although we would have gone to the end of the world if there had been the best professionals to treat my daughter. We were open to all possibilities.
Currently, Malia is 9 months old, twice a week a private pediatric physio (the only one on the island) works the Bobath concept with Malia.
We work at home 3-4 times a day concept Vojta, once a week comes home a physio from Gran Canaria specialist in Vojta, 2-3 days a week we go to the pool, 1 day a week we have physio in the Public Health, 1 time a month we visited an Occupational Therapist in Gran Canaria.
It’s a 24 hours job, when you play with her, you do it according to the guidelines of the professionals. Another point to deal with is the economic, maybe it’s because there are fewer health resources on the Canary Islands and you have to find private doctors. Public health does not use a specific physiotherapy for babies with neurological damage, the same professional treats a hip fracture or sprain, or Malia. We are very lucky that our families can afford to help us financially. I, as a mother, can’t work because Malia needs stimulation all day, she is totally dependent. We are spending a month on rehab for Malia around 1000 euros. A family without any help from the government would only have access to the rehabilitation of the public health, which in our experience, is very poor. What quality of life awaits this baby in the future?
We know it’s a lifelong rehabilitative job, and we do it with all the love in the world. Seeing her so happy, her smile and eyes speak out loud from her deepest inside:
DAD, MUM, I’M ALRIGHT, THANK YOU!