Dericks Story

Derick was born Sept. 19, 1989.  He had dislocated hips, low set ears made up of flaps of skin, large hands with usually joints (ie:  missing joints, joints were there shouldn’t be any ect…), and his cry was different.  He was a poor feeder.  I tried nutsing but he was losing weight so we bottle fed at 2 months old but it was a good 2 year struggle with that.  He has a milk allergy which affects his bowels and he has many battles with pnemonia even now.  At 2 1/2 he developed grand mal seizures that are very tramatic.  He has broken his arm and nose in falls from seizures and most recently stopped breathing and turned blue.  Very scary.  Derik has many skeletal/muscular abnormalities and has had major hip reconstructive surgery as well.  He walked at 5 years old, never spoke but learned some sign language and communicates by using tangible objects (ie:  brings a cup to you if he wants drink, will grap your hand and lead you to what he wants ect.)   He is deaf and blind.  He feeds himself with little asistance but requires us to dress him, bath him, toilet him ect.  He is still in diapers.  Even though this sounds bleak he is a very happy and easy going young man.  he laughs all the time and has no significant behavioural difficulties even though he was quite irritable as a child.  Anyone who knows him says even though he doesn’t speak he is very smart and can problem solve almost anything.  He is very persistant and if he wants something he will find a way to get it.  He loves music and being outdorrs.  He loves swimming and sitting in the sun.  I have sent a pic of him doing his favorite thing sun bathing.

Submitted by:  Natalie-mom of Derick

Ontario Canada