Cassie and son Elijah (Spina Bifida) ..Conductive Education

It was four years ago when I first saw a video of the Ability Camp. In a small physiotherapy office I sat in the British Virgin Islands, holding my little one year old toddler with myelomelingocele spina bifida. My jaw opened so wide in amazement I thought it would touch the floor. I was just in awe at the idea. “Some day when he's a little more able to follow instructions, we'll go.” I vowed.

Well, when Elijah made his fifth birthday I realized it was time to check it out. Although he had two corrective ankle surgeries and multiple physiotherapy sessions, Elijah mostly got around in a wheelchair or crawling by dragging his feet along behind-and he was getting heavy. Too heavy for this teachers to help him in the bathroom and too heavy now for me.

On September 12^th we made our way over to Picton and settled in to the Camp. I guess we were the new guys on the block but the other parents immediately made us feel welcome the moment we stepped in the door. It didn't take long to feel like you're one of the family. Still, I felt a little apprehensive at first – I was wondering how a little guy with ”SB” could fit into a class of “CP’s”? Was I in the wrong place?! (You might think that at first, no matter what level of ability your child is at, and it's understandable when you attempt anything new, but hold on there, be patient, and in a few short weeks you will see the results. I did!)

Every morning when the rest of the class marched in with walkers, there went my son, backwards with butt sticking out, holding onto a wooden chair and pulling it along as he placed one foot back and then the other. Who could figure he would start like that? Then the doors would close and I would wave and then read and relax until almost 1:00 pm when I would see him again.

Yet what went on behind those closed doors was nothing short of a physio-miracle, pure creative mobility genius! Three weeks later I watched Elijah stand straight, allowing his legs to support him, but holding on for balance and then practice walking along the poles ten times. (His physiotherapist could barely get him to do this task once!)

When he was with his cousins on a merry-go-round last weekend, he pulled himself to standing position, and he corrected his feet by himself!! Today I watched him walk across the length of the classroom (using a walker) and head to the bathroom. (The classroom is at least 25 ft. long) and then after using the commode, he stood up in his leg splints (after I put on his diaper) and he pulled up his pants completely by himself! (another first-time feat for me to see). Can Ability Camp help children with spina bifida? Well, may I add, we still have two weeks more and we have already reached farther then I expected to go. The results speak for themselves!

Cassie Stoutt, Tortola, British Virgin Islands

For more information and to receive a Free DVD call Kevin (Director) at 1-800-442-6992 or email kevin@abilitycamp.com