One’s first steps are something to celebrate. For Variye, shortly after beginning to walk for the first time, he started walking up on his toes. Over time, his muscles became so tight he was unable to get his feet flat on the floor.  This made it impossible for him to walk unsupported by a wall or his parents’ hand.   

This not only impacted his ability to walk independently, but also contributed to very poor balance and made playing with his friends very difficult.  

“At first I was scared, but I was ready to take on whatever,” Variye’s mom says.  

His physical therapist knew immediately Variye needed serial casting.

Serial casting is a treatment that helps lengthen shortened muscles caused by muscle tightness or contractures. It’s a non-invasive intervention to help improve joint flexibility and allow for improved standing and walking alignment.  Serial casting can be utilized in a variety of medical conditions including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, brain or spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy, congenital abnormalities, club foot and sensory toe walking.

The road to recovery would be hard, but Variye’s family and therapists were prepared to rise to the occasion.  

“My baby is a trooper,” Variye’s mom says. “He doesn’t really whine or cry about things. If there’s something in front of us that we have to tackle, we go head on as mom and son.”  

With support from his family and care team, he is now receiving outpatient physical therapy and can now stand and walk independently. He is now working on his higher-level balance and coordination skills because he is able to achieve flat feet on the surface and now has a stable base to stand on. 

“Variye and his mom came to every appointment, followed all directions and worked hard at his home exercise program every week,” says Kim VanKlompenberg, La Rabida physical therapist.

“Week after week, Variye made visible improvements in his gait pattern until he was standing and walking with his feet flat and without any help!”   

Variye is making great strides in catching up his skills to those of his peers. He is able to play on a playground with his friends without support from his parents and walk around without needing to hold onto someone’s hand. 

“[Coming to La Rabida] makes you feel better that you’re somewhere people are actually genuine and care about your child almost as much as you do,” Variye’s mom says.