Tag: Therapy Room

As a fan of SpongeBob, sea creatures, aquatic life, Shark Week, and his multiple pets, Carson is like most nine-year-old boys. His favorite things to do are swinging, jumping, and climbing. Carson also likes small places, like a tent or under the bed, to hide if he’s having a bad day. Like all mothers and as a single mother of two, Carson’s mother is concerned with balancing activity and safety.  Having been diagnosed with sensory processing disorder, SPD at age three, and recently diagnosed with Autism, Carson is a sensory seeker who likes to move all of the time. He has received occupational therapy for SPD and worked on fine motor skills. They also worked with the vestibular system for some motor functions of the head and posture, and the proprioceptive senses to help combine sensory information from the inner ear to receptors in the muscles and the joint-supporting ligaments for stance.

As Carson gets older, it will be even more important to have a safe space of his own, including appropriate sensory stimulation.  A custom sensory room from Sunshine on a Ranney Day will give Carson what he needs to be and grow happier and healthier. Together with his family, he will better enjoy their three cats, bearded dragon, and beta fish and will have spent some energy so he can sit down and watch Shark Week like other kids his age.

Photography by Pear Tree Photography

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It is ironic that “happy” is a symptom of Angelman Syndrome, a rare neurogenetic disorder that causes global developmental delays, lack of speech, and seizures. Stetson, age six, was extremely happy and a “good” baby. Born at 8lbs. 6 oz. and acting so full of life, it was surprising at ten months to notice developmental delays. At 12 months, Stetson began PT and OT once a week at home. Stetson was so social, engaging, and happy, and his parents were told he would probably ‘catch up’ quickly. At 16 months, Stetson had his first of many seizures and was given a seizure disorder diagnosis. Over the next six weeks, Stetson had multiple seizures, as the family awaited genetic testing, which confirmed his Angelman Syndrome diagnosis.

Stetson’s mom stopped working outside the home to care for him. They have spent the last four years traveling to specialists all over the east coast and even participating in brain studies to help learn more about this rare disease. Stetson participates in speech therapy twice a week, hippo-therapy, and swim lessons as well as going to kindergarten, where he also receives additional PT, OT, and speech therapy.
Children with AS tend to be very sensory seeking and have an oral fixation, but overall, they are happy kids. Stetson loves to wander, climb, and play with whatever he can get his hands on. He can be very impulsive and is not always safe while exploring. He has to be watched non-stop, even in his own home, to make sure he is safe. With the increasing demands of a new baby brother, a sensory/therapy room will allow Stetson to explore and play safely while attention is shared between two children. It will also provide him with the opportunity to improve his motor skills at home while playing and offer some of the independence six-year-old boys crave, things that are important for his development. Stetson’s parents will have peace of mind knowing he is both safe and getting the proper stimulation.
The past five years have been replete with travel, testing, and treatment. With an in-home sensory/therapy room, Stetson’s whole family will benefit from more routine day-to-day life at home.

Photography by Pear Tree Photography

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This adorable eight year-old boy is going to be getting an incredible dream makeover! His name is Samuel. He is an inspiration to many and transforms the hearts of all who encounter him. He has an amazing way with people and every time they see his bright smile and bold determination, they forget about their own worlds of troubles and challenges and are instantly illuminated with delight.

Samuel and his twin brother Wesley were both born prematurely at 25 weeks on January 25, 2011. Both boys weighed just over one pound. The fact that they both survived is a miracle. They stayed in the Kennestone Hospital NICU for three months. Though very sick, Wesley made it through the ordeal with no lasting physical challenges. Samuel, however, suffered from a Grade IV intraventricular hemorrhage at five days old. This led quickly to hydrocephalus, the placement of a shunt, and the diagnosis of cerebral palsy. Right before his 4th birthday, Samuel aspirated on some food during his first seizure. He was life-flighted to Scottish Rite (CHOA) Hospital. He recovered, but after several more seizures immediately following this episode, epilepsy was added to his list of diagnoses. In August 2016, Samuel underwent his first shunt revision and in April 2017, he suffered from a subdural hematoma, which led to an additional surgery and a shunt placed in the left side of his head to drain the excess fluid.

Due to his challenges with cerebral palsy and balance deficits, Samuel is unable walk independently. He uses a Kaye Reverse walker, a gait belt, or a Lofstrand crutch for mobility. He also wears AFO’s on both feet and has significant weakness in his right hand. Samuel has put in hundreds of hours working through physical therapy, occupational therapy, therapeutic horseback riding, and a one-on-one gymnastics class for conditioning and strengthening. Every little success is a milestone for him and he has made huge stride over the past several years. After enormous amounts of hard work and dedication, Samuel can stand for minutes at a time, walk across the therapy gym without falling and catch a volleyball. These feats drive him to work harder and keep sight of his goals and dreams.

In spite of his physical challenges, Samuel is like any other 8 year-old boy with a hearty sense of humor, zest for mischief, a wealth of good jokes, an obsession with motorcycles and a never-ending supply of giggles when his dog bathes his ears with kisses. His ultimate goal is to ride a motorcycle one day and he is surely going to accomplish that goal.

The relationship between Samuel and his brother Wesley is a beautiful and unique one. Wesley lovingly stands by him in every endeavor and cheers him on. Samuel yearns to be as independent as his brother and therefore eagerly works toward mastering new skills. They celebrate every victory together and no triumph is small.

Sunshine on a Ranney Day will be celebrating all of Samuel’s conquests through the provision of a stunning new therapy room! We look forward to watching him light up the room as his radiant smiles and contagious giggles fill the renovated space! We hope that you will join us at the big reveal!

Photography by Niki Murphy Photography

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Sweet Fenton has captured our hearts and will be acquiring a dream-worthy state of the art therapy room from Sunshine on a Ranney Day! Fenton was a perfectly healthy four year old boy until June 22nd last year when he woke up complaining that his neck hurt. He was diagnosed with Acute Flaccid Myelitis (Modern Day Polio). His entire body has become paralyzed; he is on a ventilator and a tracheotomy. This endearing little boy, who is the baby of the family, is fun-loving and laces humor into everything with comments and one-liners. Fenton is very verbal and very inquisitive. He has a big personality; and, has always asserted that he will be nothing less than mighty. He loves life with all of his being and relishes in learning. He is fascinated with different languages and loves learning words in many languages. He follows Atlanta sports teams and keeps up with the players and recruiting for the Atlanta United, Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta Braves. Fenton is currently one of only four cases of Modern Day Polio in Georgia and one of roughly 300 nationwide.

Fenton’s spine was infused with inflammation that quickly destroyed tissue including the nerve conduits leading to his extremities. He is scheduled to receive an innovative new surgical procedure called nerve transfers and is hopeful that the results will be positive; and, he will be able to breathe without a ventilator. Fenton’s daily routine is built upon an intensive therapy schedule. With therapeutic electrical stimulation and consistent movement, children like Fenton show strengthening and meaningful muscle improvements over time. Intensive therapy treatments are important for Fenton to achieve maximum potential. Fenton is a resilient trooper and a complete ray of light. He provides hope in the face of fear and replaces sadness with smiles. Sunshine on a Ranney Day hopes to bring endless smiles to Fenton and his family though this exciting venture! We’d love to see you at the big reveal!

Photography by Niki Murphy Photography

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