I am working now with a 4 year old girl, a tragic case
She had been through a terror attack a year ago.people threw rocks at their car and it hit her left side of the head taking away most of the cranium of this side and all the way to the back of the skull.
She fought for her life and survived and ever since she is in a special rehabilitation institute for head injuries .
Her mother heard about me from 2 mothers whom sons I have been working with(a boy with brain damage after cancer removal surgery and a charming girl with down syndrome)
She is having each day 45 minutes PT sessions in which they are standing her on her knees leaning over a bed and encouraging her to lift her head with very little progress and a lot of good intentions.
I saw her first last week when they came for 2×2 days mini intensive and yesterday and today for another mini intensive.in my work with her I use my skils and knowledge as a Feldenkrais and the Anat Baniel Merhod(ABM) for children with special needs.
She has almost no functions , it is not clear if she sees anything at all but her eyes moves all the time.she lost any ability to move and talk and is in a wheelchair I was not sure if this work will do anything to her but worked the slowest and gentlest I can.
When they came yesterday I could see that something in her presence and the tonus of her face and hands(they are spastic all the time) is different and the mother indeed said that she seems to be trying to communicate and mumbles. She is taking deep breaths from time to time and seemed to get calmer. and noticing more of her environment
I worked with her yesterday on the left side spending a lot of time building supports for her hands and legs and working with the hand thinking that I should go as far back to primitive as I can. I worked very very slowly on her left hand bringing it to her mouth. she could go just almost and I bridged with my hand the gap and touched delicately her chin and fingers at the same time saying this is your hand, this is you finger, this is your chin and so on.
Gradually while at the same time touching with my other hand on her ribs of the left side, she could let me bring the hand to the mouth .She was so attentive and both me and the mother could see that there is someone home.her breathing changed and she let go of her jaw.
When they came after the break for the second lesson the changes were enhanced further and the left hand was not spastic so much. I continue work with my hand around her mouth and lips and the head became light since the chest got connected to it in her brain and a lot more.
will see them next week and I am wondering what further changes will occur
until then