Earlier this year, two-year-old Pierre was involved in a car accident that left him unable to walk or talk. Doctors found that he had bleeding on one side of his brain and a fracture on the other, bringing his development to a screeching halt.

“Before the accident, Pierre was like any normal two-year-old. He was running around, talking, and just being a kid,” explained Pierre’s mom, Jalessa. “After the accident, he lost a lot of that.”

Once Pierre was stabilized and received immediate care, he was transferred to La Rabida for inpatient rehabilitative therapy. Here he receives physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and works closely with the infant development and child life specialists. This holistic team works one-on-one with Pierre and his family to help him regain the skills he lost during the accident.

In the two and a half months of being at the Gem on the Lake, Pierre has improved by leaps and bounds. “Before the accident, he was talking normal. Afterward, he lost his speech,” shared Jalessa. “Because of therapy he’s back talking again!” Pierre’s mobility has also made tremendous waves.

“He couldn’t walk after the accident and now he’s getting back to it. I saw him up and walking yesterday, using a stroller to support him. That was great to see,” explained Jalessa. These are things that Pierre could not do earlier this summer.

Pierre also takes part in hydrotherapy to help build up his strength and endurance. This type of therapy can relieve pain by reducing gravity and joint stress, while also adding some resistance for patients like Pierre who are working to strengthen muscles. By working with his therapist in the pool, he is able to make progress during therapy while also having fun splashing with his therapist.

“The team has done a lot and brought Pierre back almost to himself again. I would just like to thank them. I really appreciate everything that they have done.”

This story was featured in the August 2021 issue of eCurrents. Read the full issue here.