Extraordinary Kids

This post is dedicated to some of the fabulous, amazing, incredible, adorable, outstanding children I've had the pleasure to work with. Obviously I cannot photograph every single child I see everyday (which I would honestly love to do, because they are all so adorable). It has been such a joy to see all the smiling faces and get to play with these children while helping them. I can honestly say I will miss the children more than any other aspect of this experience.

A little boy I worked with for a few days who was had casts for bilateral club foot, but also had arthrogryposis. I was helping him walk again, as well as give him exercises to strengthen those little legs. 

Always a smiley face and so happy to play with me!

We have been establishing relationships with some of the children and have been treating some patients for quite some time now. This little boy from one of my previous posts has been staying at the ward for a couple of weeks with severe spastic CP. I evaluated him initially, and we have had the opportunity to be involved in his plan of care since, including discussing with the physician about surgery. We even got to watch the surgeon perform an achilles tendon lengthening. Since then he has had casts placed on both legs below the knees and we are working on standing and upper extremity movements.

Another shot of Krista and I working with our little boy with CP. 

Working on standing.

Such a pleasure to work with! You will almost always find him smiling and happy.

Some of the other children I have seen I haven't had the pleasure of working with on multiple occasions, but they are nonetheless adorable and fun.

This little one suffers from Post-Injection Paralysis (PIP). This happens quite frequently in Tanzania following gluteal injections from malaria or other sicknesses. 

Most days there are MANY people in the treatment room, and we try to have fun with it.

I gave one little boy I was working with my camera, and he became a great photographer. Especially with a great model like Krista! 

Krista has been working mostly with this little guy who has spastic CP. Today I got the chance to treat him and have some fun. 

Krista and I have shared some of the same patients, mostly the ones that stay in the ward and come to physiotherapy everyday. A majority of the time we see different patients, and she has no doubt also been lucky in treating some adorable little ones.

Krista and one of her patients with Erb's Palsy.

When the clinic is slow and there aren't tons of children waiting to be treated we often can co-treat with Mari and Silje. It's fun to collaborate with physical therapists from a different country.

I have had some amazing opportunities thus far in this internship. I am excited to see what the next and final week brings!


- K