Daisy was born on 30 September 2003, 8-10
weeks premature. She was diagnosed with Cri Du Chat recently at
one year old. The moment she was born and she cried her first
cry I remember saying 'she sounds just like a kitten'.
Daisy rolled back to front at 3 months old. At about 5 months we
were starting to wonder about her development rate as she didn't
progress from there. Her paediatrician queried cerebral palsy,
but after blood tests we finally had the diagnosis just after
her first birthday.
Daisy is a beautiful, happy baby, with a real personality. She
still rolls back to front, and occasionally front to back but
gets her arm stuck under her and can free it now and then. She
usually gets stuck on her tummy and cries or whinges until
someone comes to pick her up. She can't push herself up on
her arms. She sits with support, but throws herself back
when left unaided. She shakes and hits her head a lot, pinches
and scratches herself a bit too. Always taps her feet on the
ground, always needs to be moving. Squirms a lot.
She tends to become quite frustrated that she cannot move around
and then she whinges for someone to entertain her. Also she's
not really a good sleeper which will probably change in time as
she's only one, I hope.
She only tolerates pureed food, lumps cause
her to gag. And she's just started holding her own bottle.
Daisy had reflux which was quite well controlled with Gaviscon
which she recently came off and is doing well.
She has constant ear infections and is on the
waiting list for grommets. Every cold and bug around is
picked up. She throws up a lot when she has just an
ordinary cold. A cold causes her to become quite sick.
Daisy recently started an early intervention
centre called the Champion centre. They have an OT,
physiotherapist and speech and language therapist. Daisy
goes once a week for an hour. They're really great.
She also goes swimming now and then, she loves the water.
I have found this site really informative, and it's great to
hear from other parents with children who have Cri Du Chat.
TOP
Update on Daisy
November 2006
Daisy is now 3
years old. She started crawling a few months after her 2nd
birthday and in the last 7-8 months can walk with someone
holding both her
hands or unaided with her walking frame. She can pull to stand
against
furniture and climb up on the couch and get down.
Daisy understands close to 100 words and about 30+
sentences/commands. I
started a game to build her vocab "where's the.....?" and she
points to
things I name around the room. She learns new words quickly and
is accurate
every time.
She communicates with sign language, body language and a few
sounds.
Words starting with 's' she will make an 'ssss' sound, ball and
school are
'oowa' and she can say her name although not always clearly.
Yum and yuck are
the only other words can say. She does try really hard to copy
words but
they more often than not come out 'da'.
She continues attending the Champion Centre one morning a week
for early
intervention. They've done so much for her.
For the last 6 months she has been spending one morning a week
in the
preschool at Van Asch Deaf School picking up sign language quite
easily.
She also goes to preschool in the afternoons most days, the
staff are so
good with her and include her in every activity, she learns a
lot from the
other kids.
Her favourite things include going to preschool as she loves
playing and
being around other children, swimming (we have hydrotherapy once
a week) or
anywhere she can find water, looking at books, cuddles, playing
with the dog
or cats, turning the TV on and off which we are trying to stop,
the vacuum
cleaner, cell-phones, opening drawers and cupboards and emptying
them out,
anything she's not allowed, and just making a mess really.
She loves music and follows along with some of the actions.
Eating is still an issue, most of her food is mashed with small
lumps,
rice, peas and corn with sauce are about the biggest lumps she
can tolerate
as she doesn't chew at all. She likes to eat a lot despite
being so skinny
and is finally starting to feed herself.
Overall she is a very happy, friendly girl who waves to people
with her
biggest smile as we walk past them. She's full of energy, very
cheeky with a
good sense of humour. A real drama queen when she is tired or
doesn't want to
do something or hurts herself.
We are really happy with her progress, all the help and support
we've
received is the reason she has achieved so much.
Click here if you want to email Daisy's mum, Megan
Please note that all first
emails, except for those in other languages, go to the Co-ordinator of our group and are then
forwarded to the intended family. We have to use this practice
to prevent families from receiving inappropriate email and being
inundated by the constant barrage of Spam emails. If you feel
uncomfortable with your email being read by a third party, keep
your first contact note simple.
After the initial contact is made and received by the parent, we
advise you to exchange emails and continue with private
communication.
