**OLDER CHILDREN WITH HEMIPLEGIA**

[mamof3]

I HAVE A 6 YEAR OLD SON WHO HAS LEFT SIDED HEMI DUE TO A STROKE IN UTERO, I HAVE READ A FEW OF THE POSTS ON HERE AND THEY ALL SEEM 2 BE ABOUT YOUNGER CHILDREN WITH HEMI, WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERES ANYONE ON HERE WHO HAVE OLDER CHILDREN WHO HAVE HEMIPLEGIA.
WOULD BE GREAT TO HEAR FROM ANY1 [SMILE]

Hi, I have a 7 year old daughter with left-sided hemiplegia. She was premature and had a bleed in her brain after she was born.

Have you joined HemiHelp or been on their website/forum. I have met lots of people with older hemi-children through HemiHelp groups/events as well as through various therapies we have done.

Happy to chat more if you like.

hiya, have briefly looked at hemi help, do u have 2 pay to join ?
would love 2 hear more about ur daughter, is the hemi mild ? is she meeting school targets etc ? does she wear a splint?
hope u dont think im being nosy but
its just helpful to have an idea of wat other children are able to do and the problems my ds may inccur as he gets older

Hi for HemiHelp you have to pay £12 per year I think but if you really cant afford it I imagine they will let you join anyway if you speak to them. The website forum can be browsed/read by anyone so you can look on there anyway about various topics such as schools etc. But you need to be a member to post on it I think.

DD's hemi is mild - she seems to always have been playing catch up - walking, talking, reading etc she can do but has done these things later than her peers. Some things like getting dressed are beginning to be a problem now that everyone else can do it easily.

At school she is sort of in the lower end of the class as far as learning goes but that is fine. I take the view that she will get there and there is no rush in the great scheme of things. I am more concerned that she doesnt have many friends although she is not unhappy there.

She wears a support sleeve thing on her arm but not a leg splint. She has orthotic shoes though. She does swimming and Riding for the Disabled as well as physio. Oh and she has epilepsy too.

How is your son doing?

hiya, my son is also in the lower end of the class and like u i dont mind,he can get dressed and undressed himself and can also do shoelaces but not ver tight (physio did say he would take a while to learn to fasten laces but he was quite consistent and practiced for ages !)
as for friends, he is not one of the more popular ones however does have a few friends, probably because he is known as a bit of a joker in the class.
he is suposed to wear a leg splint for school however he refuses to wear it as it is uncomfirtable,he then got fitted with a night splin 2 wear in bed, but this again is too uncomfortable and he keeps kicking himself in the right leg with it wen he is turning over in bed !
hpoweverhedoes have insoles fitted in both shoes as his feet role in and his left shoe has been raise by a couple of mls as his left leg is shorter than right leg.
is ur daughters arm affected more then her leg? as u have mentioned she does not wear a splint ?
can she ride a bike with no stabilizers?
how is her concentrating at school ?
my son has very poor concentration and at present is being assessed by an educational psychologit who will hopefully be able to give me some strategies

One of my dd's diagnoses if left sided hemiplegia, following a very premature birth and a grade 4 brain haemorrhage. She is 8.

Hemihelp is very good.

Me again - my DD cannot ride a bike at the moment. Would like to try this but practical issues as nowhere to practice much nearby and other children etc to look after so we dont get round to it. She used to have a big trike thing - lent to us by a charity - but has outgrown and returned it. She needs something - a strap or something - to keep her left foot on the pedal.

Her concentration is poor - this is finally being officially recognised - I hope. Not sure what strategies they will have for this.

If you live anywhere in the south/southeast then Hemihelp are having a fun day on 21 June which in my experience is fabulous and is free for members I think. My DD has said in the past that she is lucky to have Hemiplegia so our family can go to these fun days! They have other events around the country as well but thought I would mention this one as it could be worth you joining and going to this. In the last year or so my DD is much more aware of what hemiplegia is etc and going to these days out I think is good for her to see lots of other kids with the same difficulties (and to have a good family day out!).

PHEASANTPLUCKER- does it affect both arm and leg in ur daughter ? how does she cope at school etc ?
MRSMOLLY-we r from mewcastke, my son has a bike that he needs stabilisers on, he 2 needs a strap to keep his foot in place is it both arm and leg affected?
i know my son is only 6, but i constantly worry about him and how he will cope wen he gets to the seniors, i worry 2 much me thinks !