“I have so much trust in them to get him to the next goal they have for him. His therapists are excited to see that he’s growing and changing for the better and, as a parent, this makes you feel confident and calm.”
Sergio is a sweet and playful one-year-old who was born with thumb hypoplasia, a rare condition that occurs in about 1 in 100,000 infants, meaning he was born without the ability to use his thumbs. Although the joints are present, he is unable to activate the muscles as his thumbs are underdeveloped.
The thumb is a very important part of the hand as it accounts for about 40 percent of the hand’s function. Sergio was also born with clinodactyly, which are abnormally bent or curved fingers and hammer toes, a foot deformity that causes the end of a toe to bend downward, resembling a hammer or claw.
Due to the deficits in joint alignment and integrity, Sergio had a weak grasp and tightness in the web space between his fingers which limited mobility. Tummy time was also a struggle and he wasn’t crawling. Instead, he was dragging his face on the floor, which was alarming to his mom, Jessica, who never faced these milestone challenges with her two older children.
Through her research, Jessica found Children’s Specialized Hospital’s Early Intervention Program, and brought Sergio in for an evaluation, wanting her son to receive the best care. Following his evaluation, the therapists reported that he had 23% less strength than the average baby his age.
“As an educator, I knew early intervention is key and that you have to act fast,” shared Jessica. Sergio began receiving outpatient occupational therapy services twice per week and physical therapy services once per week at Children’s Specialized Hospital’s (CSH) outpatient facility in Union.
As part of his treatment plan, Sergio’s therapists utilize a multi-sensory approach to engage more than one sense at a time, including visual input, rhythmic tones, tactile media, and more to address his current challenges.
Addressing Upper Extremity and Core Strength
Within Sergio’s first three months of therapy at CSH, he learned to master the art of crawling independently.
“I was really sad and concerned about him not being able to crawl. Sergio would be so frustrated and cry. To see him crawling now with no issues and pulling himself up is the best! I am so happy and proud,” Jessica notes.
Currently, Sergio is working with CSH Union occupational therapists Caitlyn Finnegan and Giulia Vitolo on upper extremity and core strengthening by getting him to stand up more and working with him on slanted surfaces. They’re also working on fine motor development and functional use of his hands for play.
Sessions begin with focus on postural control, which is the ability to maintain balance and orientation while keeping the body’s center of gravity within its base of support. This helps Sergio further enhance the strength in his upper and lower extremities while supporting his coordination and precision of movement.
Sergio benefits from various dynamic platforms and sensorimotor equipment like swings, physio balls, and the Hypervibe, which is a plate that uses whole body vibration for core work and back strength. This type of equipment challenges motor planning for reaching and helps Sergio practice using the correct amount of force needed to complete a task during age-appropriate play.
He enjoys weight-bearing opportunities and exploring unique and increasingly challenging motor demands, motivated by exciting toys, music, multi-sensory manipulatives, and engagement with his therapists.
“It has been a pleasure watching Sergio grow and helping his little hands make such great gains,” reflects Giulia.
Sergio has come a long way in therapy in regard to gross motor, fine motor, and play skills. Currently, his therapists are beginning to focus on hand strength for more precise grasping patterns through various interventions such as taping, splinting, and various play-based activities.
Sergio’s care team is currently working to improve his transitions from sitting to pulling himself up to standing independently. “He’s continuing to work on building his pinch and grip for improved participation with age level toys, self-feeding, play, and social participation,” Giulia explains.
In physical therapy, Sergio has been working with Union physical therapist, Marni Magenta, on progressing his gross motor skills through strengthening, balance, and other functional activities.
“Sergio has made such excellent progress over the past couple of months, and he loves to crawl around and explore his environments! We continue to work on his standing skills so he can continue to reach his gross motor milestones,” Marni describes.
“Don’t give up hope and trust in the people at this facility. They’re so personable, warm, and inviting, and make you feel like family. They’re skilled, knowledgeable, and trained so well. They’re good at what they do,” Jessica reflects. “When you find a place that makes you feel you’re finally getting the help that your baby needs, it’s a great feeling. I’m so grateful for the providers at Children’s Specialized Hospital.”
Learn more about Outpatient Programs and Services at Children’s Specialized Hospital.