4th Baby Born with Cerebral Palsy

[Jo78Mum]

After 3 Natural Births Delivering 3 Girls, My 4th Daughter Kassidy, was born on my Birthday, January 6, 2007, Complete Opposite way to my Birth Plan.
Emergency Caeserean in which I had never expected, Prepared for or ever even read about. Apgar Score was 4, needing Resuscitating, Oxygen, Not even a Sound. Transferred to Rockhampton, But within 36 hours Siezures started, she Refused Breast/ Bottle. So we were flown to Brisbane Royal Womens Hospital, where Further Tests, MRI etc.. were Performed. Shocked & Hearbroken when we were Delivered the News, that our New Beautiful Baby Girl Kassidy, was Born with Brain Damage.
Today, Near 16mths old, Its Confirmed Cerebral Palsy. Kassidy still has Fluids via NasalGastric Tube, But she now eats Puree Solids, Good Quantities 3-4 times a day. She said her First word, Mum, 5weeks ago. But No other real Sounds or words.
Kassi is only at a rolling Stage so far. Her first visit with Cerebral Palsy League is this Tuesday 30th April, which they intend on starting her with Standing Frames & Other Aides. My Kassidy is an Extremely Beautiful Baby & We Love her to Death, her sisters Adore her also, She is still Perfect in everyway to us, Regardless of her Disability.

[SHELL 70]

What a lucky little girl your precious Kassidy is to have such a beautiful Family. Of course she is perfect, Kassidy will grow up in a loving home with her big sisters to take good care of her.

I wish you all the best for your app on Tuesday. Take care and enjoy your four beautiful daughters.....

Big hugs, Shell xo

[Isadora]

Shell, Kassidy sounds like a gorgeous little girl. Your are a very lucky mummy to have four beautiful daughters. All the best for Kassidy's appt.

[HotI]

Hi

My gorgeous niece had a similar rough start in Nov 06. Traumatic birth, Agpar of 1, resuscitation, medivac-ed to Mercy Hospital in Melbourne when she was only a few hours old, life support, seizures in first few days, MRI showing extensive damage. We were prepared that she might not survive the life support being turned off. Our little fighter had other ideas.

She too has been diagnosed with CP, and is absolutely gorgeous. She is now crawling and able to pull herself up on the couch. It took her quite awhile to work out how the sitting thing works, but since then has been increasing her skills at an amazing rate.

That's great that Kassidy is eating puree solids. Our little one takes all food orally, but still needs thickening for milk bc her reflex is not quite strong enough. She is getting there though. "Mum", that has to be the sweetest sound to your ears.

I was at my niece's birth, and know the angst of silence when a baby is born. Her first cry when she was 10 days old was music to our ears!

There is a book that i really like (despite the title) called "What to do with your Brain Injured Child" by Glenn Doman. It talks about the importance of getting rolling and crawling down pat before walking. You can order it from Amazon if your bookshop can't order it in.

take care,

kate

[MistyFying]

Hi Jo and welcome to BellyBelly. Thanks for introducing us to your beautiful daughter Kassidy. I hope you'll soon feel at home here in our community

[aussienic]

Hi and

I am from boyne Island.. I also have 4 kids.

[widdly]

What a lucky family you are to have been blessed with your beautiful baby girl Kassidy. Just wanted to tell you that my best friend has Cerebal Palsy, she was never expected to walk let alone do much else. However she leads a perfectly normal life, she walks with a limp but other than that she seems just like anyone else. She gave birth to a beautiful healthy boy last year and is a happy mum. Kassidy will lead a wonderful happy life amonst her special big family x x

[maz]

OH Jo honey - I feel your pain

my 4th baby also..but 3rd boy was born on the 8th of January this year and was placed in special cares nursary. We were sent home after catscans and tests concluded that he was fine...but almost 3 weeks later, at 19 days old, my baby started having seizures. We were flown to the Royal childrens in Melbourne were blood clots were found in his Vein of Gaylen and floating around in his fluid. After having an MRI it was also discovered that Mateauz had dead brain cells due to the rupture of some of these clots...and he to now has Cerebal palsy.

Im actually shocked that it has taken your doctors this long to give Kassidy a diagnosise. Im also shocked that your only just seeing the CP team now....could they have not come to you earlier to help with early intervention? Have you been doing physio with her the whole time? We were todl the earlier the better and seeing that we found out at 3 weeks and have been working hard with Mateauz, we're hoping it will help him. We were also told that due to him being a new born still that the parts of his brain that are still alive would help over ride the parts that were dead.
Either way.....I dont think you recieved the support you should have from the start. Im glad to hear your gettign it now and that your beautiful daughter is saying 'mum'
All the best matie and make sure you keep us in the loop

[Indadhanu]

I want to send you big hugs. My bro had a similar birth, and has Cerebral Palsy. I know I can't really help with what you are going through right now but I just wanted to say that he is an amazing 15yo (birthday last week), extremely intelligent and charming, and is a student representative for his high school, and wants to be a psychologist or a lawyer. He had such a similar start to your little girl (and your little prince too Maz), but kids with CP are such fighters, I've never met a stronger more resilient person.

I would also encourage you to contact a man called Shane Scott. I can forward his email to you if you PM me. He is a social worker who has CP, he's got his own business called "Access Counselling Services" and also works with DSQ helping people get funding. He helped my bro and my parents work through acceptance and understanding. He is based in Brisbane but he has contacts around Australia and it might help to chat with someone. I trust whoever he recommends. The CP League can be good, but sometimes you get people who are very disillusioned, and it can be really disheartening.

[maz]

Leasha - thank you so much for your post. It is wonderful to hear that someone with CP doing so well and proving that having a disability doesnt hold you back...you sound so proud of your brother, he sound so strong and fantastic. It is truey is a blessing to hear of such a wonderful person.
Thank you also for sharing your CP knowledge with us..I will be googlin
and
OMG look at how beautiful your belly is growing!

[Snoopea]

Congratulations on four beautiful girls, treasure every moment as they grow up too quickly!!!!
Hope all go's well with your upcoming appointments, I know it must be daunting with the hard times ahead!!!

[ozchicki]

Congratulations on the birth of your little girl. I know how devesating the diagnosis is, so huge hugs to you! I have found the CP League here in Toowoomba to be sooooo supportive. I would love to get in touch with other CP mums!

[Rach75]

and welcome to BB