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Holly Taylor
It is hard to tell from outside appearance that 2 ˝ year old Holly, with
her beautiful curly locks and long eyelashes, suffers from a rare birth
defect. At nine months old she was diagnosed with Schizencephaly – an
extremely rare developmental birth defect characterized by abnormal slits,
or clefts, in the cerebral hemispheres of the brain. According to the
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, individuals with
clefts in both hemispheres typically experience developmental delays,
delays in speech and language skills, and problems with brain-spinal cord
communication. Individuals with clefts in only one hemisphere (called
unilateral clefts) are often paralyzed on one side of the body, but may
have average to near-average intelligence. Individuals with
Schizencephaly may also have an abnormally small head, mental retardation,
partial or complete paralysis, or poor muscle tone. Most will experience
seizures. Some individuals may have an excessive accumulation of fluid in
the brain called hydrocephalus.
Holly’s family has launched this website to serve as a home base for
fundraising initiatives on Holly’s behalf. Funds raised to-date have been
used for the additional therapy Holly requires. Twice a year she attends
a five week program for Conductive Education and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
at Ability Camp in Picton, Ontario. For more information about Ability
Camp check their website at www.abilitycamp.com.
For Fundraising info. Check the blog frequently for updates. |
