Body
Though Harvey S. was born in Virginia, he spent several months of his infancy far from home.
His parents, Michele and Jake, brought Harvey to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago where he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) at just four months old. This early diagnosis enabled his family and pediatric care team to begin specialized therapy as soon as possible during his first year of life.
Habilitative Therapy Focuses on Developing New Skills
Body
Michele had experienced a healthy pregnancy. However, following a rare uterine rupture during labor, Harvey was born with a severe brain injury called hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). HIE is a condition that occurs when a baby's brain does not receive enough oxygen and/or blood flow during or shortly after birth. He spent 35 days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Approximately three months later, Harvey and his parents came to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for an Expert Evaluation, where he was given a diagnosis of CP. Then, they returned a month later for intensive inpatient “habilitative therapy,” a type of therapy geared toward developing new skills that is often used for children with chronic conditions.
By introducing early, specialized therapy while the brain is developing rapidly, the pediatrics team at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab helps kids like Harvey achieve better outcomes.
During seven weeks of inpatient care, Harvey’s clinical team focused on his mobility, posture, socialization and feeding skills. For instance, in speech therapy, he worked on taking bites of applesauce. In occupational therapy, he engaged in sensory work, like touching different textures with his hands and feet. Therapists also worked with him on visual tracking, where he would practice watching objects — such as rattles and light-up toys — as they moved. Finally, in physical therapy, he worked on various skills — such as initiating rolling and sitting on a ball — and built strength by practicing everyday tasks, like using his arms to prop himself up.
When it was time for Harvey to head back home to Virginia, Michele cried happy tears, stating, “All we've ever wanted was to give Harvey the best possible life. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab changed Harvey's life for the better! You gave us hope for Harvey's future!”
Building on Skills & Reaching New Milestones
Body
Since Harvey has been back at home, he has celebrated his first birthday. Also, Michele, Jake and big brother, Jack, continue to help Harvey build on his skills and reach new milestones.
Today, Harvey is ….
- Tolerating tummy time for several minutes each day.
- Holding toys on his own.
- Learning to roll over (and he’s so close to sitting independently).
- Using adaptive equipment like an activity chair, stander, bath chair and adaptive stroller — plus ankle-foot orthoses are coming soon.
- Smiling and cooing.
- Improving his sleep and sleep patterns.
Michele and Jake hope to return to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab so Harvey can receive further intensive therapy as he continues to grow and develop.
“I'm confident that with intensive therapy from Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Harvey can continue to meet and surpass important milestones. We do everything we can to help Harvey at home, but by having dedicated, intentional and progressive daily therapies, we trust he'll make leaps and bounds of progress again,” said Jake.
When asked what she would tell other parents starting a similar journey, Michele’s advice was clear: “Seek proactive providers and aggressive treatment. Give your child as many therapy opportunities as possible. Believe in your child's worth and abilities.”
