June 5, 2016 I got my cold laser today and was able to do the whole program minus 2 to Oliver while he took his nap! Excited! He slept for 2 hours which is unusual for him. I wonder if the laser calmed him. I did have the CMT on low so there was a little noise.
Update: June 20, 2016
Uhhhhhh…. I feel like I’m hallucinating or making this up but… OLIVER CAN WALK NOW!!! 4 days with the cold laser! He actually took two steps 2 days ago, but it was too shocking for my brain to process, but it’s for real!!! He’ll be 3 years old next month.
I did an hour session every day for 4 days (now 5, I just did another one) I’m slow so I did 9-12 points a day plus the opening and closing sequences. All while he was asleep except day 1 did do it when he was awake and one day I did a couple more while he was awake after I had been working on him during his nap
In addition to cerebral palsy, Oliver has PTSD (they called it PTSE for Experience). The PTSD wreaks havoc on reflexes.
Update: June 23, 2016
You guys!!!!! I have before and after videos of Oliver going up the stairs!!! The first one in the red shirt is from Saturday. (You can see his fisted hands and that he had to use his head to help him get up the stairs.) And the second one I just took! He’s never walked up stairs before
or even tried but today he practically ran up the stairs squealing with delight the whole time!!!!
The video (wearing a gray shirt in the comments) is when I asked him to do it again for Daddy. (The first time was more stable with more alternating of feet but still!!) I’ll post this on my page in case you can’t share it here…. Monumental difference in 5 days!!!!!
Update: June 23, 2016
Guess what soon-to-be-3-year-old child w/PTSD slept by himself last night for the first time! Just 3 months ago (before he started CBD oil), I had to hold him chest to chest and he’d say “Mom?” about 300 times before he’d fall asleep. CBD oil slowly helped w/that until he was able to sleep next to me w/only asking “Mom?” a couple of times. And now, the cold laser therapy has gotten him in his own bed!! Needless to say, Daddy is very happy. Here’s Oliver just waking up this morning in his new Lightening McQueen bed that he got as an early birthday present. (I did sit next to the bed until he fell asleep.)
Update: June 29, 2016
More proof that the laser is helping w/the PTSD: Oliver was able to watch Finding Nemo without freaking out! If any of you know PTSD, you know what I mean. Any bit of stress (a door not closing on a toy, not being able to break off a piece of bread, any scene in a show that has any sort of stressful situation etc.) could send a child w/PTSD into your arms howling and it takes an unusual amount of time for them to recover. Well, Oliver watched about half of it and was next to Daddy who said things like, “His Daddy will find him” and “They are smart they won’t get hurt.” “That fish is just hungry” etc. Sooo nice…
Update: July 1, 2016
Yay! Here’s Oliver’s newest trick! I have NOT done the hands grasping but one time because I need someone to help me and another someone to watch Jett. Hopefully I’ll be able to do it so he can really use his hands! So this is without hands grasping. (The duct tape is Grandpa’s touch.)
Update: August 23, 2016
Oliver playing with new friend, Jaylen. I was afraid to have kids his age over because Oliver was so unsteady. Now I’m more confident after laser treatments. He was thrilled to get to finally get to play with a boy his own age!
Update: Sept 11, 2016
I asked the in laws to make Oliver (has cerebral palsy) a handled step stool so he could be a little more independent on the potty. They did a great job! He loves it and can use it! We just got it recently and just now, Oliver asked to WALK DOWN the stairs!!! The real stairs–full flight–and he did it–alternating feet no less! Of course I held on to him the whole time, but this kid is fearless, determined and progressing!!! We had painfully slow, minute progress before the laser!! Astounding!!
Update: November 19, 2016
Oliver is getting more independent by the day! Here, he’s getting out of a chair and walking. He couldn’t even sit in a chair unattended before the laser!
And we recently took him to an orthopedic doctor and Oliver has been downgraded from Moderate CP to Mild CP. (I always said “mild” until I looked up the definition… to my dismay, he actually had moderate CP. Fortunately I found out after he’d jumped a level!) His hips look great and they were blown away by his overall flexibility.
I told them all about the laser and other therapies that have helped along the way. They had heard of none of them and agreed to review the research I send them. So, although they won’t be able to help Oliver in any way unless I’m interested in surgery, hopefully this dialogue will help them to help others.