Lily, age 2 ½, is walking independently and making remarkable progress, thanks to rehabilitative intervention at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and an early diagnosis of cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that affect movement and muscle tone due to damage to the developing brain during or after birth.
Lily’s parents, Michelle and Robert, were attentive to their baby’s development from her earliest days and noted that at age five months, her right hand remained in a fisted position, while the other hand opened as would be expected at that age.
The couple advocated to their pediatrician and the insurance carrier for an evaluation. And at 9 months, Lily was assessed by the physical and occupational therapy teams at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
Lily’s physical therapy evaluation included use of the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE). The findings of this examination led to a referral to the Neurology Department at Nicklaus Children’s, part of the renowned Nicklaus Children’s Brain Institute. The neurology team diagnosed Lily with cerebral palsy at age 1, about a year before most affected children receive a CP diagnosis.
Since her diagnosis, Lily has dazzled her care team with her persistence and progress. She began using a walker in her physical therapy sessions and after a year of hard work, was confidently chasing her dog around the house with her own walker.
Shortly after her second birthday, Lily began walking independently. At a recent physical therapy evaluation, Lily was re-classified from Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) Level 3 to GMFCS Level 1, the highest functioning level due to her progress in achieving independent walking before she turned 4.
Lily's success is a testament to early intervention, steadfast support, and her own determination. Her Nicklaus Children’s care team is excited to see what she will accomplish next.
Proud of Lily’s determination and success, Michelle, hopes to empower other families to support early diagnosis of affected children.
“My advice to other parents is to trust your instincts,” said Michelle. “If you think something is not right with your child’s development, don’t follow ‘wait and see’ advice. Insist on an evaluation.”
