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A Simple Story
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In the fall, a young pregnant woman planted bulbs in her backyard. The neighbors’
cats hunted frequently there and used the garden soil as a litterbox. In the spring, the
bulbs bloomed into beautiful flowers. At the same time, a baby boy was born to the
woman, but an infection in his brain caused him to have severe eye and brain disease
at birth. Unknown to his mother, oocysts from the cats in the garden soil contained
parasites that infected her while she was pregnant. The family expected the boy
would never be able to walk or talk or see or hear but, because they felt they had no
other choice, began treating him with medicines that had not yet been proven to be
safe or efficacious for babies. By a year of age the baby could walk, talk, and play
normally. He could also see, although he had some impairment in his vision. His
teachers and doctors thought he would never learn to read. However, his mother
worked with him with a special phonetic course, and, at seven years old, he surprised
everyone by teaching himself to read with a flashlight, dictionary, and the book
“Robinson Crusoe.” As he grew up, he helped his family build a new house. In
middle school, he started painting and entered a self-portrait into a contest for
visually impaired children and won first prize. Now in high school, he is an avid
civil war enthusiast, loves playing basketball and making movies, and is planning to
apply to college. |
Useful Links for Parents
A Helpful Resource for Parents of Differently Abled Children
If your child has Toxoplasmosis, you will be faced with many complicated questions...
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* How do I help my child reach his/her full potential?
* What do I need to know to insure a good education?
* How can I get the best medical care?
* What if I die?
* How am I going to handle this?
Janet Morel's book is packed with experience suggestions, instructions, and
support needed by new parents of differently abled children. Written from
the perspective of a parent who has been there, Janet answers the questions
that every specially challenged parent asks. It's like having a mentor, a
support system, and a friend that every special parent can embrace.
This book is available for purchase at Amazon.com
Also you can request a free electronic copy by
emailing info@toxoplasmosis.org |
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