GORE BAY—“The five of us walking behind him in school when he was walking were all in tears—it is a huge milestone for Maxim,” stated Amanda Hore, of her son Maxim Bell who has cerebral palsy and did not walk until very recently (after his eighth birthday). “It was like seeing your baby walk for the first time, but at eight years old.”
Maxim had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and a seizure disorder when he was just 14 months old and this hasn’t been easy on him or his family. “He had been walking with assistance with someone taking his hand and walking with him,” explained Ms. Hore. “Then, just after his eighth birthday (which was March 6), my dad (Murray Hore) was walking him around the house and decided to let go of his hand and Max took 8-10 steps.”
“Two days later at school (Charles C. McLean Public School) he walked all away around the hall,” continued Ms. Hore. “His physiotherapist from Sudbury had come over that day with some new equipment for him, saw this and said I guess he doesn’t need this any more.”
Ms. Hore noted that Apryl Mayer, an educational assistant at C.C. McLean, works with Max on a daily basis and that he is on a bike program at school to build up his legs.
“Maxim is not fully walking on this own, he still needs help to get up on his feet, but one day he is going to do this himself and start running,” said Ms. Hore. She pointed out, “the doctors from the beginning said with the help he gets at school and with a physiotherapist Max would some day walk. I guess when he turned eight he decided he was going to grow up and walk on his own.”
Maxim’s family includes his mom, dad Mitchell Bell and little sister Layla Bell.
As has been reported previously, when Maxim was born he scored well on the development scale and as he aged was hitting all the laid out milestones, however the family was concerned with the lack of use of his right hand.
“We took him to the local doctor’s office just to make sure all was okay,” Ms. Hore explained. “We would not receive the news we were hoping for. Instead, Maxim was referred to a pediatrician and for further examination. After the pediatrician checked Maxim and asked all the necessary questions she told us she believed our son had cerebral palsy, a mild case in which he may walk and talk and perform every day activities, but with a lot of therapy required. We were sent for tests and scans to determine the exact diagnosis.”
At his first birthday party a few months later, after family and friends had left, Maxim had a grand mal seizure and was rushed to the hospital via ambulance.
“At 13 months Maxim had an MRI, and the results showed damage to the brain and thinning of the white matter, a diagnosis of spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy, which would affect the muscles and brain activity on the right side of his body,” continued Ms. Hore. “After multiple seizures he was admitted to the pediatric floor for two days. More testing was done and Maxim was also diagnosed with a seizure disorder.”
The family attends multiple appointments yearly to monitor any changes and to learn more of how to help Maxim. He also has daily physio and occupational therapy routines at home and school. He receives botox injection in his right arm and leg to help his muscles and alleviate tightness in his limbs. He also wears a brace on his affected leg every day to assist him to walk, as well as special pediatric equipment like a walker and stander, and uses a pediatric stroller.
“All of Maxim’s success and his walking on his own is due to his hard work and determination,” said Ms. Mayer, who works with Maxim every day and has done so since he was in JK. “He is a strong willed happy spirited boy. We’re very proud of him.”
“It is amazing to see the changes Maxim has undergone,” said Ms. Mayer. “He now can walk the halls in the school, a couple of times a day. Absolutely, it is so great to see his progression. Max impresses me every day, he is a strong willed and happy spirit.”
