A note from Cairo’s mom…
Cairo is the youngest of four boys. He was born during the pandemic and was in the NICU for the first three months of his life. His father and I learned that he had Arthrogryposis, which is the congenital contracture in two or more areas of the body. He was also not able to drink any milk by mouth and had to get a g-tube in order to receive nourishment. There were so many questions about his care and future. Would he be able to move, walk, or talk in the future.
After three months in the NICU, it was time for Cairo to finally go home. But first, his father and I had to learn how to use the g-tube safely. Cairo and I were sent to A Children’s Home to learn from the nurses and other staff how to use the g-tube. I was exhausted, but the staff at A Children’s Home were great teachers and gave us a routine for feeding Cairo. Thoughts of how I would be able to return back to work ran through my head. I have extraordinary resources, but this was not anything that I have ever had to deal with personally. One day, Meg, the Director of A Child’s Way at the time, came to visit me. She told me about the program and left me with information. Months went by and I started working from home due to the pandemic. But, as things started to go back to normal, I contacted A Child’s Way and got Cairo enrolled.
The model of care that A Child’s Way used was a perfect fit for Cairo. The daycare staff helped him developmentally while the nursing staff made sure that he was was healthy. This was extremely important as people were getting COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.
When Cairo started he didn’t move his arms or legs very much. However, the teachers in his class made sure he was included with the rest of his class. The teachers, teacher’s aids and volunteers were so caring.
Cairo received physical, occupational, and speech therapy through A Child’s Way. They would often meet in the classroom. The teachers, nusrses, and therapists all worked together. The teachers were receptive to the strategies that the therapist taught them. They used them during class time. They were using exercises to help him build strength exercises that helped him with speech. The therapist worked closely with everyone to get Cairo a stander, a gait trainer, a communication device. The teachers and nurses use the equipment to help him bare weight, learn to walk, and communicate with his class.
Cairo has made tremendous progress in the last four years. He has a wheelchair. Therapist have worked with him on how to navigate in the building and on the sidewalks around the school. The wheelchair allows him to be more independent and interact with his peers. He is social and aware of his wants and needs. You can hear staff saying hey Cairo as he rolls through the halls of a Children’s Home.
As his parents, we are eternally grateful for the care provided by the staff of A Child’s Way. We have a peace of mind knowing that our son is safe while we are working and that is well-being is a priority.
Love, Dalila