Stories From The Field - Miguel

Twelve-year-old Miguel was enrolled in International Child Care's Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Program one year ago. Miguel suffers from a severe developmental delay because the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck during delivery depriving him of oxygen. Because he only has the developmental age of a two or three-year-old, his mother Ana was especially happy to learn of a program that could help her son.

An ICC rehabilitation worker visits Miguel and his mother every week to teach her how to help Miguel learn more skills. Miguel has a hard time sitting still, so his rehabilitation worker brings a toy to entice him. If he sits still for just a few minutes, he can play with the toy at the end of the session. Miguel has a bright smile and playful personality. When he feels shy he hides his face in a pillow, but peeks out to see visitors. He beams when his rehabilitation worker tells him he's special and likes to claps along with the song, "If Jesus Satisfies You, Clap Your Hands."

After just one year in the CBR program, Miguel has learned how to sit still for longer periods of time, to put things in order by size and to put similar objects in pairs. He still struggles with colors, but is now learning to draw simple pictures. All of these exercises help develop his mental skills and are building blocks for the more complex tasks of daily living.

To help control his hyper activity and improve his memory, Miguel is also on four medications. His father's salary from working at a factory in the free trade zone does not cover the cost of these very expensive medications, so his mother also works as a maid.

Currently, Miguel does not attend school. For a time, he attended the government's special education school, but they were not prepared to deal with a child with his level of activity so he was asked to leave. Until another more appropriate school is found Miguel´s rehabilitation worker will bring the only education he will receive.

To learn more about the health services that are helping Miguel and what you can do to support these vital programs, visit our Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Program page.