The month of March blew by- literally and figuratively! Such strong winds and so many activities- and we missed sharing the stories with you. Each week we welcome new children to Santo Nino. They find us through our families who are eager to share the services they have found for their children with special needs.
Reyna was born on the feast of the Epiphany. She has Downs Syndrome and her mother is just fifteen years old. She has quickly become the “princess” of the clinic. Her special friend is Karen, age 13, who also has the syndrome. Actually everyone is Karen’s special friend! She doesn’t know a stranger. Her mother and Lupe, Miguel Angel’s mom, have given much support and practical advice on the importance of early intervention and infant stimulation to Reyna’s mom.
Hugo is two years old and was born with an open spinal cord defect. He has had several successful surgeries and is an active toddler, crawling faster than the speed of light but not faster then Angel Eduardo who has the same condition but is a year older. Angel has leg braces and is beginning to use a walker. It’s slow going compared with his speedy crawling so he hits the deck when he really wants to cover some territory. We have to “look out below” when the two of them are in the clinic!
Jesus Daniel is five years old but looks about two. He is in very fragile health due to a congenital heart defect. His mother suffers from uncontrolled diabetes but still manages to work in a factory to provide meager support for the family. We have been trying to get Jesus enrolled for the government health program but between Elisabeth’s work schedule and illness it has been difficult. In the past two weeks she herself needed to be hospitalized but was told there were no beds (translation: no beds for those with no money). Last week she came to the clinic in a miserable state and just curled up on a mat next to her son. Yesterday Cristina took her to the hospital and we paid for some diagnostic tests so hopefully she will be able to access treatment. Meanwhile the other mothers helped her teen-age daughter at the clinic with poor little Jesus.
We also know that it’s springtime because the chicken pox has paid us a visit. Every ten days or so a new case “pops” out! Bring on the calamine lotion!