Remarkable 7-Year Old Given Cord Blood Transfusion to Treat Cerebral Palsy
Most 7-year olds have plenty on their minds. It’s an age where they go to school and start to build lasting friendships. Some kids start taking on extracurricular activities while most start to exert some level of independence in their daily life. It’s a cycle that gets repeated every day around the globe; but not for a remarkable young man named Ee Han. Ee was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy shortly after birth.
You see, I have a 7-year old of my own and I can’t imagine life without her. I’m her father, yet I feel like she teaches me more than I teach her. So when the story of a boy struggling with Cerebral Palsy was published by Young Parents it caused me to pause and consider how fortunate we are to have banked her cord blood should we need it.
Now the story of Ee Han isn’t entirely sad – following a transfusion of his own cord blood, there have been some great advances and he’s starting to experience improvements.
This is his story.
The Journey of a 7-Year Old with Cerebral Palsy
Doctors identified that Ee was born with severe hearing loss at 3-days old. This was the first indication that something is wrong. 15-20% of children with cerebral palsy have some form of hearing impairment. According to CP Family Network
Ee’s parents started to have increased concerns when at 3-months; they observed that the child was unable to support his head. Doctors examined the boy and identified that he had cerebral palsy.
“His neck was soft and he still could not support his head, and that was when we decide to take him to the hospital for further checks,” – Ee’s Father, Desmond Tan
Cerebral Palsy is typically caused by some sort of lesion on the brain. Those lesions frequently come from an injury during pregnancy or birth, or from an injury received after birth. Depending on the severity, the disease affects muscle control as well as hearing and vision. In Ee’s case, it left him with an inability to control his arms or legs. It has also left him with a series of developmental delays including an inability to control his emotions.
Ee’s Journey Improves Through the use of His Own Cord Blood
At the age of four, Ee’s parents noticed one of his peers in an early intervention program making remarkable progress. That child along with several others had undergone a transfusion in Singapore using their own umbilical cord blood. The cord blood had been privately banked since birth.
Parents of children treated using the procedure reported impressive results to Ee’s parents.
“We heard from the child’s mother that his mobility and sleeping habits all improved tremendously after the cord-blood transfusions. She highly recommended it to us, and that was when we recalled we had Ee Han’s cord blood stored.” – Desmond Tan
Umbilical Cord Blood Banking
Umbilical cord blood is usually treated as medical waste; however, when properly banked, it can be used down the road to treat a wide range of diseases. There are no guaranties on where the future of treatments will go; however, it does provide a large number of parents with true peace of mind.
The blood left in the umbilical cord is rich in stem cells – those same cells that are being used on the cutting edge of current medical research.
We stored the cord blood for our children and after reading Ee’s story, it was reinforced how good a decision that was.
Not a Cure – But Still an Improvement
There is no cure for cerebral palsy. In fact, most treatment is focused on helping patients improve their quality of life while living with the disease. Further, the use of cord blood in the treatment of cerebral palsy is still very early in the research stages. That said, Ee’s parents couldn’t be happier with his progress.
Progress Following Cord Blood Treatment
Ee’s parents and therapists have reported that since the transfusions of his own umbilical cord blood, he has experienced “noticeable improvements in his temperament, muscle control, coordination, and strength. These changes started within the first few weeks.
It’s also heart warming when the parents share that he’s now more able to control his emotions and is responsive to other people including able to maintain eye contact. They’ve seen the boy progress to the point where he’s been observed interacting with other children which never occurred prior to the transfusions.
Ee’s journey is by no means complete; however, he does appear to be heading in the right direction with the love and support from his parents, therapists, and doctors.
Who Should Bank Their Baby’s Cord Blood
I’m sharing the story about Ee because it strikes a chord (no pun intended) with me. I have a 7-year old as well as two sons and we elected to bank all three of our children with Securacell. Their service is unmatched and their prices fit perfectly within our budget.
Ee’s life is better because of the decision his parents made so many years ago to privately bank his umbilical cord blood. I recommend you make the same consideration.
