Strengthening those Legs!

Back in the beginning of April, Isaiah's PT brought a Gait Trainer for Isaiah to try.

The gait trainer was here for just a few weeks as we worked on ways to tweak it to make it work for Isaiah and figure out if it was something worthwhile to pursue with insurance.

Isaiah loved it.  He loves having his feet on the ground and he loved trying to move in little ways.  and I believe it woke him up to realize that his legs are useful parts of his body....since then, Isaiah has even been learning how to scoot when laying on his back!

2.5 and learning how to scoot his little self? #OICAN! All I am doing is holding his feet and he's doing the rest. An inch at a time and with every push my heart soars. My baby is getting so strong!!! #osteogenesisimperfecta

A video posted by Vicky (@oibelieveinisaiah) on Apr 22, 2016 at 11:07am PDT

Once we gave the demo gait trainer back, I knew Isaiah needed to continue to "stand" so I spoke to a few other moms of kids with severe OI and one suggested the Joovy Spoon walker.  It looked great! Not covered in toys, a removable tray, and can grow with a child to three different heights.

Isaiah immediately fell in love with it.  I was bummed that even the shortest setting was just too tall for Isaiah.  We found a way to modify it thanks to other parents of little people (who have modified theirs successfully), but in the meantime we've placed some foam under his feet so he has a ground to stand on.

Hopefully, we'll hear about the gait trainer soon.  I know Isaiah's PT has written a letter of medical necessity and Dr B wrote a prescription for us so now we wait for insurance to approve it so we can order it! :)

but how amazing will it be when Isaiah really learns to walk in this baby?? :) After the last few weeks of Isaiah really working his legs, I am very optimistic! :)

STANDING for the First Time

You read that right, my friend, for the first time in Isaiah's two and a half years of life, he got a glimpse of what it feels like to be upright with his feet on the "ground" (in quotes because we had to make a little adjustment there).  Isaiah's PT brought a gait trainer to our house to try!  Are you wondering what the heck a gait trainer is?  Well, it's a device on wheels which helps a person who is unable to walk independently to learn (someday, kids!).  It's slightly comparable to a baby walker but has a lot more supports available.

Initially, he was hesitant....but that seriously lasted no more than 10 seconds.  

In the words of Isaiah, Ta Daaaaaaaa!!! 

Look at those toes touching the ground...well...the top of our ottoman.  Even the smallest gait trainer made by this company (the Rifton mini pacer) is too big for Isaiah, but only by a few inches and in all honestly, we're not intending to use it to teach Isaiah to walk just yet...the purpose of this for Isaiah is to give him a safe supportive piece of equipment to get the idea of standing in and to do some weight bearing to strengthen the muscles in his legs (there's actually a sling that he sits on which takes some of his weight). The ottoman topper works to perfectly help his feet touch the "ground" and is actually perfect because it has a bit of give so he's not pushing on a very hard surface (like our hardwood floors).

He seriously warmed up to this new position and device so quickly...

And after a half hour in it, I went to take him out, only to get this reaction from him...

"Not yet, mama!" His first time in a gait trainer and he spent an entire HOUR in there.  It is very easy to get him in and out of it myself (and that's a mega perk in my book) and when the time comes that he wants to take steps, that ottoman topper is perfectly inside so he'd be able to walk backwards and forwards.

We have this on hand for the next week for Isaiah to continue to check out and we'll be doing some research/finding a DME (a company that can provide this) to order one for Isaiah sometime in the future.

It was so insanely amazing to see him like this today.  To see him enthusiastic, with his feet flat, goodness, he has come a looooong way.