FIRST STEPS AND FIRST WORDS: ROBIYA’S STORY
Robiya was born 3 weeks premature and had problems with breathing at birth. While pregnant, her mother knew there was an RH blood incompatibility between her and Robiya. Robiya was delivered by C-Section and immediately needed a blood transfusion in the first days of her life. She spent 1.5 months in the hospital before going home for the first time.
Parents realized that their daughter had problems with both motor and language skills. She was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy and developmental delay.
When parents attended The Doman Method™ Course, Robiya was just turning four years old. She was unable to walk and she had no words of speech. After attending the course, her parents immediately started a program of patterning, to teach Robiya how to move in a cross pattern. She also started a daily program of creeping on hands and knees to develop her mobility, as well as a balance program to support coordinated movement of the body. When Robiya reached a target of creeping 400 meters every day, Robiya began to learn to walk under Glenn’s Ladder. Parents taught her using the Doman Method™ reading program, which Robiya enjoys. Parents changed her diet per Doman International’s recommendations of the importance of nutrition for children with special needs.
Robiya has been on the Doman Method™ Program for six months. Parents are very happy with the results. Robiya has started to read her first words. She is more engaged with her environment and her understanding has improved. She now creeps on her hands and knees in a well-coordinated pattern, and creeps all around for transport. For the first time in her life, Robiya is talking! She has gone from having no speech to having many words of speech that she can use to communicate her needs!
The biggest win is that Robiya is now taking independent steps of walking, without any support! Her record to date is walking 4 meters without stopping. This is a special and beautiful achievement for her. We congratulate Robiya and her hard-working parents.