Hands For Maddie Foundation

Update following Maddie's first C.I.T. Therapy

It's been one month since Maddie completed the Constraint Induced Therapy at Hasbro Children's Hospital and it's hard to believe that it's all said and done at this point! We were surprised and relieved with Madison's willingness to participate in the beginning of the program and overwhelmed with her accomplishments by the end. She worked so hard each and every day and never quit. Her therapist, Linda Correia OTR/L, was phenomenal. She is extremely patient, kind and devoted. Linda believed in Maddie and helped her to achieve her goals.

The first week of Maddie's therapy was school vacation. It worked out perfectly to have a transition time at home to adjust to the cast and bond with Linda. Maddie hardly fought the cast and embraced having a new friend that was all her own! For weeks 2-4, I dropped Madison and Linda off at school at 8:40 and returned to pick them up at 11:10 am. Linda arrived each morning at 7am and immediately supported Maddie with dressing. We then proceeded on with breakfast and then Maddie and Linda were off! They brushed teeth, washed hands and played. All of the activities Maddie participated in were challenging but designed to make her successful no matter how well she performed the task. Some of the activities Maddie loved the most were play dough, bubbles, coloring and finger painting. Madison also loved to brush Linda's hair and that was often used as a reward activity. Maddie and Linda also spent countless hours atop the play structure drawing on the chalk wall and digging for treasures in Linda's bucket of rice and beans.  

Today, Maddie attempts to use her right hand often and both hands together regularly when appropriate. Her fine motor skills are still inhibited but in general, she's using her right hand much more than before CIT. Maddie also recognizes her own successes so she's more apt to try a task. Before the therapy, Maddie neglected her right hand most of the time and refused to use it when prompted. Now, she's more confident and involved in some of the activates we do. Yesterday, Madison and I created a sunflower patch. I tilled the grass and dirt and Maddie steadily followed behind grabbing clumps of loose grass and vigorously shook out the dirt with her right hand! This is an outcome of her therapy. Maddie also pushes her baby stroller around the house like an old pro! She puts both hands on and rounds the corners with little difficulty. This is what being 4 is all about! 

Due to the success of this 1st CIT program with Hasbro, Madison has been enrolled in 2 additional sessions for October 2009 and April 2010. We are able to do this for Maddie with the support and generosity of our friends and family. We are eternally grateful for support and could not have provided this for Maddie without you!

Jen and Jason Moura
(photos by Jen)

Maddie Completes First Week of CIT Therapy with Style!

It is with relief and triumph that I announce the completion of Madison's first week of CIT therapy! And I have to give Maddie a hand. Of course she could use one literally, but I mean this figuratively. She amazed me time and time again over the past 6 days with an unlimited amount of patience, devotion and motivation. She asked just once for her cast to be removed and never complained that it was limiting her abilities.

On April 20,Maddie started Constraint Induced Therapy at Hasbro Children's Rehabilitation Center with some hesitance and a truck-load of spirit. Her initial assessment and casting went well and we were back home with our new friend, Linda the therapist, within 3 hours. (for the record, it's Linda Vieira, OTR/L) I give full credit to her therapists for allowing Maddie to be herself and express her needs and wants without jeopardizing the integrity of her cast and therapy. Linda is persistent and passionate about her work and puts first Madison's successes and helps her avoid failures. Her consistency and endurance impresses me beyond any.

This week Madison was on school vacation and spent the majority of it in therapy. Linda Vieira, OTR/L, worked with Maddie from 7 am -1 pm Monday thru Saturday. Upon Linda's arrival, she and Maddie would get dressed, eat breakfast, brush her teeth and start with various therapeutic games and activities. Some of the more interesting and fun moments were those spent outside. Maddie spent hours with Linda in the sandbox shoveling sand into buckets, sifting for toys and drawing tracks in the sand. Baby Becky, Madison's doll, had her fair share of activities including riding the teeter totter with Maddie, getting diaper changes and even potty training! On Saturday, Linda put a glob of Lemon/Lime scented shaving cream on the picnic table and Maddie spread it around the table like frosting on a cake. Madison also had the pleasure of hiding out atop the new play structure drawing on the chalk wall. ALL of these activities were done with her right hand! It was never easy for her but as she progressed through the week we noticed Maddie volunteering to use her right hand more with less prompting from Linda. She is opening and grasping her hand with some ease and has improved her grip with writing utensils. She even drew a circle yesterday morning! And whether or not related to this treatment, Maddie is hopping around like a bunny. She is so proud of her achievement and greatness. With all her might she flings herself up into the air, both feet off the ground and down again with a thud rarely stumbling!

For the rest of us, this week was incredible. Incredibly hard and incredibly wonderful. I found it challenging to have a new person in our home for so many hours each day and it was even harder to keep Maddie's brothers off of her and out of her therapeutic activities. Maddie has a sense of ownership of Linda and defends her territory fiercely. Maddie discovered the one good use for her cast: Clubbing her brothers. I found that even I was more effective if not directly involved with her activities. I was sort of a runner, fetching supplies, making snacks and sometimes stepping in for a hug. On Saturday I had a moment alone in the backyard and suddenly realized that I had been relieved of worry and guilt. I am without any doubt that this was the right thing for Maddie and it is obvious now that she was ready for this and is accepting it! Madison is making strides!   

This first week was topped off with