Our Stories: Zoe

Intensive Therapy improves Zoe’s walking skills

Zoe, the youngest in her close-knit family, is approaching 7 and makes sure she is right in the thick of the action with her older twin sisters, Maddie and Emily, 9. She has cerebral palsy and seizures, so good communication skills and a competitive, ‘I-can-do-it’ attitude are valuable assets.

When Zoe was 20 months, her parents, Stan and Jodi, took her to Courage Center for physical therapy to address Zoe’s motor delay and help her learn to walk. In time, and in concert with physical therapy from a second facility, Zoe mastered walking with a walker.

In summer 2010, Zoe returned to Courage Center to participate in Intensive Therapy, a program that focused on strengthening Zoe’s body core to improve her walking skills.

“Our goal was to help Zoe gain enough core strength to stabilize her movements and allow her to walk with a smoother, more stabilized gait,” said Jodi.

Zoe and her therapists set to work. For three weeks, they worked three hours each day, five days a week. “Zoe learned to use walking sticks there,” reported her mom proudly, “whereas she had relied on a walker before. Now she can walk well with the sticks and is even starting to practice walking with just one stick.”

Improved ambulatory freedom – unassisted walking – is important to this little dynamo whose favorite thing to do is play with her friends.

“Therapy has enabled Zoe to gain the strength she needs to participate in activities and to lead a full life,” said Jodi. Down the road, I envision Zoe progressing, walking stably with a single walking stick, flourishing in all she does, and continuing to be the happy daughter that we know her to be.”

Diagnosis: Cerebral palsy and seizures
Age when connected with Courage Center: 2
Connection with Courage Center: Physical therapy in 2006; Intensive Therapy in 2010
Gains made in health and independence: Increased core strength and stability; improved walking skills

Learn more about Intensive Therapy