First graders are often known for their playful sense of humor and energetic personalities. Prior to her accident, the same could be said for Aamyiah. During Labor Day weekend festivities, Aamyiah’s world came to a screeching halt when she was involved in a tragic ATV rollover accident. The 6-year-old fractured the temporal and frontal bones in her skull and was on life support for 5 days. The days were long and many wondered if Aamyiah would survive. She proved to be a fighter during the most crucial period, and has remained fighting ever since.
Only two months after the accident, Aamyiah was released from the hospital and into the care of staff at MCRC. Our team immediately began planning for her arrival. The accident had caused issues with extensive swelling, facial nerve damage, vision impairments and issues with communication and mobility. After learning the expected outcomes, the future seemed daunting; however, her family was encouraged by the hope provided by staff at the center.
Despite the drastic changes to her everyday life, Aamyiah remained positive about what she could accomplish, never saying no to a challenge. Her bright spirit and desire to return to normal activities were the perfect recipe for success. Aamyiah’s team of therapists worked together to come up with a collaborative treatment plan. She began weekly therapy sessions of speech, occupational, and physical therapy and made rapid improvements in each, making her one of the quickest recoveries from a Traumatic Brain Injury that our therapists have ever seen. Her therapists focused their efforts on the paralysis of the right side of the body, as this affected her speech, ability to swallow and issues with balance and coordination. During her initial evaluation, Aamyiah was unable to clear her mouth while eating, trace a line, scan a room, or even walk for extended periods independently. The unusual challenges required unique treatments.
Her speech therapist, Juliana began using a treatment called e-stim therapy to allow muscles in her cheeks to wake up. This improved the symmetry in her face and gave her the skills needed to eat independently without concern. Juliana remembers how excited Aamyiah was to reach this goal, as her favorite foods were no longer an obstacle. The pair worked on her ability to orient herself in conversations, recall information, and regain executive functioning skills. These treatment goals differ from what many expect speech therapy to be; however, our therapists specialize in a variety of conditions to ensure that we are treating the child as a whole.
Her occupational therapist, Emilie, implemented fun strategies like using I spy books and arts and crafts. She made quick progress in recovering her handwriting skills and improving her ability to navigate the double vision caused by the injury. Similarly, in PT she worked alongside her therapist Jami to regain her balance, prevent any additional falls and to navigate the visual challenges that affected typical play. These accomplishments allowed Aamyiah to return to school, something she dearly missed! Only six short months after her first therapy session Aamyiah showed everyone just how far she had come, by celebrating a triple graduation day!
For many children with Traumatic brain injuries, the recovery can be a difficult and extensive journey. Aamyiah however was determined and has re-learned to walk, eat effectively, write clearly, and balance on various objects. These accomplishments are a testament to Aamyiah’s determination, the specialized care of her therapists, and the miracle that the 6-year-old is! We are so proud of Aamyiah and can’t wait to see all that she does next!