Giant leap for wee Inverness boy Sam after ‘space camp’ treatments at the Brain Plasticity Center in Orlando, Florida
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THE family of a brave Inverness boy have noticed an amazing improvement in his condition after he underwent cutting edge therapy in the USA.
Sam Douglas (3) was born with a neurological condition which causes epilepsy and developmental delay and needs to receive regular intensive courses of a range of therapies, many not available on the NHS.
The Step up For Sam fundraising campaign established by his parents Kris and Steph has inspired generous giving from across the Highlands and recently the whole family, including Sam’s sister Molly (6), travelled to the Brain Plasticity Center in Orlando, Florida, where Sam underwent a week of treatments including being spun in a gyroscope.
It all so much resembled equipment used in astronaut training that Mr Douglas dubbed the week “space camp”.
The fund paid for Sam’s costs plus one parent while the family paid personally for Molly and the other parent to go too.
Mr Douglas said that they have noticed a definite improvement.
“Sam’s baby reflexes have now re-integrated, his autonomic functions have improved across the board and reflexes he didn’t have in his arms and legs have come,” he said.
“He definitely seems brighter on the whole, but there is still a long way to go.
“We were given a programme of treatment from the centre for the next three months and it was suggested we return in six months.”
Sam had three blocks of therapy per day in Orlando, including five to 10 minutes in the gyroscope twice a day.
“He grumbled a bit on the first day but then he was fine,” Mr Douglas said.
“To try to put it in simple terms Sam had neurological roadblocks that were inhibiting him developing any further, but now these roadblocks are out of the way it is hoped that he will progress forward with his physical therapies and some hard work.
“We are aware that Sam will never be ‘typical’, but what we as parents are trying to do is to give him the best possible chance to be the best he can be and function as best as he can.
“Sam’s sister Molly has been with him every step of the way, cheering him on and never grumbling once while waiting through hours of therapy. We are so proud of them both.”
