Making us so proud, Go Team Jaden!
The PHF is proud to present the winner and now the National Face of Hydrocephalus Awareness 2012, Jaden Brown:
Jaden was born in April 2010, unknowingly as a healthy child with no known health issues at birth. Jaden’s head started to grow at a rapid rate around 4 month of age. My older son has a “large head” and has had an MRI to confirm that there is no medical condition. So at Jaden’s 4 month well check- we all didn’t think much of his “big head”. When his head continued to grow our doctor recommended he have an ultrasound which, then lead us to an MRI and neurosurgery consultation. Because of where we live in Southwest Colorado, we have to travel to Colorado Children’s Hospital for specialty treatment which is about 350 miles from where we live. During the first visit with Jaden’s Neurosurgeon, we learned about the large amount of extra-axial fluid on his brain and that Jaden had also suffered a stroke.
He has a large amount of brain damage affecting the left side of his brain and right side of his body. Jaden’s diagnosis is Hydrocephalus, infant Stroke, Cerebral Palsy and a vision condition called Cortical Vision Impairment. Jaden had his Shunt placed in 10-2010. Knock on wood his one and only shunt is working well and his MRI’s show a lot of improvement fluid wise. Jaden works hard with physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. He is little to no use of the right side of his body and is developmentally delayed. His movement is = to a 6 month old, and cognitive = to a 12 month old.
Yet he is full of personality, strength and joy. It is amazing how many people’s lives he has impacted in his small years- his future is bright to say the least. Jaden has something in his smile that lights up a room. He enjoys working on therapy with his iPad, playing cars with his brother and laughing with his family
~ Jaden’s Mom Christina
Christy:
ReplyDeleteThe blogspot looks awesome. Your strength always amazes me. It is hard to believe that your birthday is around the corner with the beginning of Spring. I am so proud of you and the perserverance that I have seen dealing with Jaden. He is a treasure chest that has clues every once in a while that appear to make him even more special if that is possible. I am proud to be the grandmother of Micah and Jaden Brown - they are both joys in our lives and I am happy I am part of their lives. Love you always!
Mom