Hi everyone! 

 

We wanted to share an exciting update that we have officially transitioned some of Camila’s pediatric therapy services to Shriners Children’s of Chicago. The prior twelve months, she has been receiving many of these therapies from two private outpatient therapy clinics and Early Intervention (EI). This was largely due to a shortage of pediatric providers in Illinois, long wait lists, and an effort to meet Camila’s needs. We simply couldn’t allow for Camila to fall through the cracks. 

 

Frankie and I are so appreciative of the many therapists who provided such wonderful care to Camila, many of which also follow along on this page and have truly become a part of our support system, way beyond the four walls of a therapy space. We will miss them dearly. 

 

What makes Shriners Children's presently a good fit is they often treat rather medically complex and atypical presentations, which means they have notable experience in treating aspects of Camila's symptomatology. They truly work within an interdisciplinary model of care, meaning they collaborate closely to develop an integrated treatment plan, instead of each discipline working separately. We truly believe this model will lend itself best to Camila's growth and development. 

Camila has already begun physical therapy, two sessions a week at Shriners Children’s. Some of the interventions are already new to us, one being Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) therapy. It rapidly activates Camila’s muscles and stimulates her nervous system, with the long-term benefits of improved muscle strength, endurance, balance, coordination, and even some sensory regulation. Camila also participates in aquatic therapy. The water’s buoyancy helps support her body weight, which in turn should make it easier for her to perform movements that her body often struggles with on land. It also provides sensory input to promote both muscle relaxation and activation, enhance stability, increase body awareness, and support her sensory system needs. 

Frankie and I also wanted to extend a thank you to everyone that has shared our Support Now page and the financial contributions towards our fundraising goal. It is because of these contributions that we have officially placed an order on one of Camila’s mobility devices, Permobil Explorer Mini. In a few weeks, we will have our driveway resurfaced and a 30ft wheelchair ramp installed so that Camila can safely use her mobility devices at home. We will also have completed remodeling in our main floor bathroom to increase accessibility. 

 

Thank you all so much for supporting and caring for our family this past month. We can’t wait to celebrate and share how accessibility opens up the world for Camila. We look forward to providing more updates soon! 

 

With love, 

The Weilnhammer Family