Emily - First Steps (in the pool)

Emily is in pre-school now! She is attending a special needs school in our county and they have a pool where she gets to "work out" a couple times a week. Here she is taking her "first steps." This is really incredible considering all we have gone through with her over the past couple of years!! We're amazed.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• atrophy
• emily
• muscular
• pool
• school
• sma
• spinal

[PauleQueenie]

Has Emily learnt how to float in the water?

[miershpedankl]

@PauleQueenie No. The neck float is all kids with SMA can do without some help. She has no neck control and she can't stiffen her body, so it'd be hard to float. She loves the neck float though and LOVES being in the pool. We go often in addition to her pool time/therapy at school.

[xLittleMusicFan]

Omg ! good job emily ! U're so pretty ! But, she can't talk ???

[miershpedankl]

@xLittleMusicFan No, Emily has a very difficult time communicating verbally. We are looking into eye-activated systems and touch systems, like the iPad to give her some communication ability.

[jsrcamp]

hi mom and dad she lookes like she is doing great. we have a special needs school like that where i live called clover patch and they have a pool to. my two younger brothers went their when they where littel. it helped them a lot and I know this school will help Emily alot.

[miershpedankl]

@jsrcamp She certainly does enjoy it!

[PauleQueenie]

@miershpedankl, if Emily has no control over her body why is she encouraged to walk in the water then?

Some children with SMA do float in the water wearing an inflatable helmet and inflatable arm bands, there again, children are all different and do enjoy the freedom they gain in the water where their boyancy is less than the gravity on dry ground. I think it does help with relieving their spine from the weight of their body, something everybody notice while in the water. Fun is a leading idea

[xchiikax]

WOW GOOD JOB EMILYY !!! GET BETTER PLZ!! WHAT AN ANGEL!!!

[miershpedankl]

@videolver2: good question. :) Emily has a disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and cannot sit up or support any such weight with her body. The movement you see in her arms is essentially all she can do on her own. So, the water is extra good for her b/c it makes her weightless :)

[videolver2]

I think water helps kids. how old is she and what happen to her?