Abi, Nothing Short of Miraculous Progress!!

July 14, 2016

BACKGROUND
As I mentioned before …..we embarked on this journey with QRI because Abi was really behind on fine and gross motor (for example not meeting a single OT goal over a five months period at the special school she attends…they have group therapy there). I first heard about QRI when a friend bought one last year, then this year at an OT eval at Solaris Pediatric Therapy Center, the owner Yulene, suggested QRI as part of the the treatment plan for Abi as almost all of Abigail’s reflexes were not integrated. But at that time we didn’t have the insurance coverage or the resources to do anything about it. So when Robin or Andi, my T21 warrior mama friend started this board, I was all over this.

Abigail is a cognitive SUPERSTAR (at three she has vocabulary of over 500 words, at least…can read, but functional language and articulation is not quite there), has a diagnosis of Trisomy 21 and Growth Hormone Deficiency…so pretty severe hypotonia, poor core strength. She walked, but not steadily; and OT, well, didn’t meet a single OT goal set by her school from Jan to May this year.

We are about 3 weeks into regular once a day home QRI program….the changes we (my husband and I) have noticed
1) immediately (within a couple of days) were better SLEEP!
2) after about a week or two…….quicker cognitive response (more banter, pretend play, initiative)
3) Elongated sentences (Abi’s speech therapist whom we have not seen for a while pointed that out to us. When speaking into the “telephone” instead of saying “hello, Duke?”….she goes “Hello Duke? xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxx xxxx xxx xxx xxx” She has a lot she wants to say these days!
4) Within the last week, we have also noticed stronger upper body strength, esp her grip (I used to be able to yank the Ipad away from her, now I have to pry her fingers open! Lol)
5)Better brain/muscle coordination…..her sense of rhythm is now visible..able to clap and “play” piano according to cadence (I have posted a couple of videos on this board scroll through to see them)

Now, Thanks to new insurance coverage…..we will now be able to start regular OT/SLP clinical therapy this week in addition to the QRI program we are doing at home

Yulene Brussard, (OTR, owner of Solaris Pediatric Therapy Center) and her (SLP) wrote very detailed evaluations on Abi way back in early March when I commissioned the private evaluations as I was looking for grants/funding to help my child.

When Yulene Broussard and Christine Fritsche have the time…I would love for them (and give them permission to) to share with you their observations.

I would love for them to share the changes they have seen in Abigail last week (after they have not seen her for a while)…
and the changes after Abi receives a month or two of clinical treatment from them, in conjunction with the QRI program I am doing with Abigail at home.
The awesome Rosemary (OTR) also met Abi couple of weeks ago and will see Abi again end of Sept.

I am putting myself out there, sharing our journey here, cos
1) I’m paying it forward…hope that our story with help another family.
2) I don’t have a blog (no time and no skillz!).
3) I am in a unique situation where I have three very experienced therapists on my team, and a full MNRI eval of my child couple of months before we started QRI.

QRI is new to our very experienced and awesome SLP Christine, but two of not just Houston’s, but the the world’s most experienced QRI practitioners are guiding me through this journey.
Rosemary Slade and Yulene Broussard are one of the first OTs to be certified in QRI. I will also be attending the three day training that QRI founder, Bonnie Brandes is hosting in Dallas in a couple of weeks.

So keep your eyes on this thread. We will update on Abigail’s progress over time!

Update: July 25,2016

MIRACLE!!! From being a girl who just about a month ago was hypersensitive to touch and loud noise …..to enjoying 5 mins pick up and drop off all this week at a weeklong VBS camp (not our home church….a facility, people that are new to us but who wanted my daughter there!) and

*DRUMROLL*…..this girl fell backwards at PT this afternoon from a 3 inch high mat and instinctively reached her palms behind her, near to where her booty is, to break the fall!!!!!!
THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE !!!!!! QRI You’all!!

Oh! So this is what integrated reflex looks like!! This mama’s heart is full!!!!!!
I’m sold! We are starting to see the physical changes…..the good sleep pattern, increase in cognition, imaginative play, desire to socialize…..that’s all just bonus that I was not expecting when I bought the laser!!!!

Thank you Bonnie Brandes for inventing this concept and Yulene Broussard for bringing this mind-blowing home program to our attention! Can’t wait to see how QRI Talk will help my girl!!!!

Update: August 20, 2016

Look what just happened yesterday evening!!
You’all, less than 2 weeks ago Abi had no idea how to go down a flight of stairs. This is unreal!!! It’s not perfect but looks like we are on the accelerated track!!! Abi had weekly traditional PT for a year, was fired from Aquatics PT therapy in May for being “too uncoordinated”…5 weeks of QRI and 3 OT sessions with Yulene and her team…Boom!

Update:  October 21, 2016

This is the same child, whom we were told back in May by her preschool “It was like we lost Abigail. She was not participating in circle. Like she forgot every routine we ever learned”, had no hip flexion back then…..Fast forward…started QRI in June, once a week OT in late July/Aug, she’s had 3 Yoga sessions with Yulene Brussard this last month…and yesterday ….my girl walks into a room full of adult strangers at 4pm…..after 6 hours at school, after an hour of OT, and followed instructions to do Yoga for 25 -30 mins from someone she’s never met before! She killed it and slayed everyone in that room! 3.5 years old you’all! Her focus was soooo impressive these OTs who were at the location for their Yoga certification (whom I don’t know) made sure to come downstairs and find me to tell me how AMAZED they r with my child’s focus and attention! Here’s a link to a two minute snippet of Abi doing Yoga with Kathy Randolph, trainer for Yoga For The Special Child.
And in comments link to what the super nice stranger OTs said to me! Made me cry! My mama’s heart is so full!! (we don’t know them…not sure if they travelled out of state to take this course…Abigail was a “demo” student for their practicing observation)

Update: October 31, 2016

Another anecdotal observation…so since my daughter started preschool 2 years ago, we pretty much had to give her antibiotics every 6-8 weeks to fight the preschool cootie snort …before it turns into bronchitis or something. I guess that just happens when u go to preschool.
My hubby (praise the lord!) has in the last year taken over “snort sucking” duties from me. He uses a baby nose comfy to suck the snort out of Abi’s Nose. He just commented to me yesterday…I haven’t had to suck snort from Abigail since she started preschool this fall. That is true folks! The only thing we have done diff is the QRI which does work at a cellular level to regenerate cells? Could this be a reason for no antibiotics since starting school in late August? I hope so! Fingers crossed! 10/31

Update: November 10, 2016

…Hmmmmm…..let’s see, where to start?

How about the fact my daughter was “fired” from Aquatic Therapy PT Pgm cos PT said she was “too uncoordinated” back in May.
How about the fact my 3.5 year old Abi did not know how to walk down stairs at all back in May, maybe even June?
And now, about 4 months into QRI, (Quantum Reflex Integration) Home Program, she is not only walking down the stairs (with assistance) she is singing and articulating clearly the words to the “Do Re Me” song from Sound of Music soundtrack, while walking down the stairs!! I think her cadence and rhythm was pretty on point too!! I call that a MIRACLE and a WIN!!!!
Thank u Bonnie Brandes, Yulene Brussard, and Rosemary slade!

Update: November 11, 2016

QRI works you’all!!! Here’s an Abi update

First, Abi just had her primitive reflexes re-assessed by her OTs, Yulene Broussard and Diana Dang (Solaris Pediatric Therapy in Houston, TX) and a lot of her reflexes are still not integrated but many are no longer hypersensitive.
We have seen so much other gains in socialization, speech and physical since starting QRI in June/July, that I thought, wow, if her reflexes are not yet integrated and we have already seen so many improvements, can’t wait to see what else is to come when she is fully integrated! We are in this for the long haul!

Update: November 18, 2016

From Diana Dang, Abi’s OT

We did Abigail’s initial evaluation in March and have seen so many changes since! If I moved closer to her in March, she would move away. She did not let anyone touch her and now she does not stop giving me hugs (which is fine by me!). She use to walk with an extremely wide base of support, legs circling with each step, hands held up in high regard and with that, she fell/tripped a lot. Now she’s able to walk with a more narrow base of support, hands semi at her side and walks across mats (sometimes falling but not as much) and even down the stairs! In August, she needed a lot of help going down the stairs and max cueing (sometimes hand over hand assistance) to use the hand rail and now she can go down with one hand held for support and hold onto the rail! When laying in prone (on tummy) Abigail use to have her legs abducted out to the side at 90 degrees due to her low tone. Since starting QRI she can lay with her legs nearly fully extended. Her attention is on the rise! We completed the Peabody reassessment in 30 minutes a couple of weeks ago. Every time she walked away during, she came back when I asked! Abigail sings a lot! More back and forth communication during our session and she’s highly receptive if I sing her actions into songs. For example: sing- we’re putting on our shoes …… and she’ll lift up her leg to put it on and help with the fasteners!

These are only a few of the many differences we’ve seen in Abi. I definitely agree with Chermaine about doing the laser consistently and seeing the results in person!

Update: November 27, 2016
Hubby says to me in kitchen (I’ve been working away in my home office) “So did you hear her crying?
Me: Huh? No?”
Hubby said, “Neither did I.”
So I give him …..THE LOOK…😡😡😡 like what OMG! What happened with my daughter when she was with YOU upstairs???
Me (yelling): “What happened? She fell down and we both didn’t hear her?!!!!!!!!”
Hubby: “No, no, I CUT HER HAIR AND SHE DIDN”T MAKE A PEEP, NO FUSSING, NO CRYING, didn’t shake her head, was just fine with the whole thing.”
Me: “Oh!! …I think someone on the QRI board was talking about looking forward to no trauma haircuts. I better post this little victory to encourage somebody!!” 

Update: December 19, 2016

I spoke with an integrative doctor who has a QRI and access to level 3 or 4 lasers that chiropractors use. She ran same reflex integration protocols on kiddos with QRI and also the more expensive lasers …..and after six sessions ….difference that showed up in a brain scan was from using QRI. The parents of her patients (most with ASD) saw a diff in their kiddos in behavior with QRI but not with the other laser. This doctor told me…there is something about the CMT that is making a huge difference.