Little Ryah Hope clutches a toddler’s cup with water in it. A gentle finger touches his jaw and strokes his throat in a downward motion as he is reminded to suck, not chew, on the straw. At first he struggles to figure out how to use the straw, but soon he remembers.This might not be a big deal for your average three-year-old, but it is for Ryah who only recently started taking food and drink by mouth.
All that changed following six weeks of hyperbaric oxygen treatment he had in Louisiana with Dr. Paul Harch, something that’s not covered by health care for drowning patients, Natalie said. Ryah can now pull himself up into a sitting position by himself when he’s lying on the floor, can stay sitting up on his own, is able to walk with the help of a walker, can pick up and plunk toys into containers, and can eat some soft solid foods that are fed to him.“He’s improving at a crazy fast, fast rate. It’s really, really encouraging.”
Natalie said they are now looking into a nervous system-based physical therapy called Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration that will best help his mobility. Like the hyperbaric oxygen treatment, MNRI is also not covered in Canada.