Chicago Special Parent Magazine 2008

In Our Shoes Small in stature, big on dreams 6-year-old proves that there are many different types of normal oribio Romero dreams of becoming Superman so he can fly. But for now, he’s just ust thrilled when his two feet touch the ground. His parents, Alondra and ra Jaime, also have a dream am for their son, who was born about 15 weeks too soon on and has cerebral palsy. “I . would like for him to walk one day on his own, even if ven it is with a walker,” Alondra ondra says in Spanish through an gh Easter Seals Joliet translanslator about her determined ned 6-year-old son. “But only nly time will tell.” Wearing a characteristic eristic smile, Toribio fuels his need s to move with his power er wheelchair, endless viewewings of the movie “Cars,” rs,” noisy remote-controlled ed race cars and pretending ing to drive while sitting on Jaime’s lap in the car. All that plus ample walking ng practice in a reverse walker two blocks down and back to his house and at therapy erapy at Easter Seals Joliet Region. Alondra, who learned to drive a vehicle so she could get Toribio to and T from therapy, says she sees Toribio really as no different from anyone else. He wakes up, goes to school, comes home, has a nap, goes for a walk, comes home, has dinner and takes a shower before going to bed, she says. While walking is Toribio’s primary goal, his family delights in his every victory. Toribio loves looking at books—especially books about cars or Sesame Street, reads 40 words, pronounces the colors of each building block he uses at therapy and attends school at Lynne Thigpen Elementary School in Joliet. “I just want him to better himself, to be everything he can be,” Alondra says. MOM’S WORDS Best advice ever rece received: “Treat him like a normal child child.” W Worst day: “Not w him, with with other people. They look at kids with special needs as if they’re different o or from another wo world. But I just igno ignore them and go about my busines ness.” The one thing you would say to o other parents with children with spec special needs: “To be v very patient very, with them because, belie believe me, you can get v very frusvery, trate trated.” Denise M. Baran-Unland Toribio Romero HOW WE DO IT “KEVIN, 14, IS MILD cognitive delayed and Kameron, 9, has more severe behavior aggression and nonverbalism. I balance our family life with trying to spend time with each child separately as well as keep balanced by taking college credit courses. I think it’s very important to carve out “me” time because you have to be strong physically, mentally and spiritually.” Photo by Gayle Valentine Sabrina Nixon, Chicago “WE HAVE TWO BOYS, Daniel, 9, and Matthew (Matty), 8. Matty is my angel baby. He is severe/profound mentally impaired. He functions at a 12-15 month level. He walks with assistance, is 100 percent non-verbal and is not potty trained. But he is the most lovable child. “We have come to accept him as the wonderful, adorable little boy that he is instead of the child he is not.” Julie Miklos, Chicago 6 | Specıal Parent 2008 CHICAGO ChicagoParent.com http://ChicagoParent.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Chicago Special Parent Magazine 2008

Chicago Special Parent Magazine 2008 Contents In Our Shoes Of Mothers and Mission Control A Love Story Keeping the Whole Family Well What Do I Do? Resources God's Special Child Our Kids Inspirations

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