Three-year-old Elizabeth Lowe, who has Rett Syndrome, has been gifted a specialist swing and trampoline from Simon’s Heroes children’s charity to enhance her physiotherapy and general well-being.
Rett Syndrome is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder which is characterised by typical early growth and development, which is then followed by a slowing and regression of development.
‘Elizabeth was developing normally for the first few months of her life, then we noticed she was struggling to focus on things and couldn’t give eye contact,’ her mum Heather explained. ‘She began to speak a few words, however that stopped at around 12 months.
‘She was fully mobile but sadly that is now in regression too. She is limited on how far she can walk. She will fall to the ground or drop when standing, which overwhelms her and that triggers narcolepsy.’
Elizabeth, from Burntwood in Staffordshire, was officially diagnosed in April 2022. She also suffers from Pica, a feeding disorder where she eats non-food substances that have no nutritional value, such as paper, soap and chalk. She has frequent absence seizures, which involve brief, sudden lapses of consciousness and onset sleep disorder. She has recently been diagnosed with myoclonic seizures, where her body goes into sudden spasms.
‘Elizabeth loves spending time on the platform swing at her sensory play group, the motion really soothes her and helps with her balance and coordination. She also benefits from rebound therapy, which is a type of physiotherapy involving a trampoline. It helps develop her motor skills, balance and coordination and will help prevent conditions such as scoliosis developing later in her life. She absolutely loves it!
‘We have a swing at home, but she had outgrown it. We approached Simon’s Heroes to see if they could fund a new swing that offered the same support as the one at her sensory group. We were delighted to learn that our wish had been granted. Furthermore, they offered to buy her a trampoline as well, which means Elizabeth is now able to access her sensory integration therapies more frequently and at home, which were not available through other funding routes. It will have a huge, positive impact on her development, both physical and sensory. It’s lovely to see her so happy. All thanks to the amazing team at Simon’s Heroes.’
Author: C Abbott.
