The Smallest Gesture That Makes All The Difference
Dr. Tom Chau has been called a “wizard.” Corvin and his parents know why.
Corvin is an adorable 9-year-old with curly blonde hair and an infectious smile. Corvin has dystonic quadriplegia cerebral palsy and severe to profound hearing loss, a condition which affects his voice and the movement of his arms and legs. Corvin’s ability to speak is limited to two-word sentences and, because of his physical challenges, he is unable to use a conventional communications aid. It seemed that Corvin would never be able to express himself fully—until he began to work with Dr. Chau and his team at the Bloorview Research Institute.
A renowned biomedical engineer and Canada Research Chair, Dr. Chau is pioneering communication solutions for kids like Corvin, novel solutions that are based on subtle body processes like heartbeat and skin temperature, or on tiny physical movements like a blink of the eye, a thrust of the tongue, or, as in Corvin’s case, a lift of the eyebrows.
Dr. Chau’s team first developed a prototype switch connected to a computer that Corvin could turn on by simply raising his eyebrows. Because Corvin would easily get tired with this process, the team then developed a vibration switch that could be placed in the form of a band on his neck. As Corvin utters sounds, the vibrations are detected in the band and subsequently activate a switch. Now Corvin can play video games and eventually will be able to type.
Corvin’s mother Varinia is excited about the possibility that Corvin will be able to communicate more easily thanks to the improvements to his communication devices.
The majority of the gains Corvin has made at Bloorview are in the area of communications, but the seating clinic has also helped him be more comfortable and relaxed in his chair. Corvin also enjoys swimming at Bloorview with his older sister Astrid and accesses specialized services for feeding, nutrition, dental and developmental support. His pediatrician has also been helpful in overseeing Corvin’s various treatments and providing guidance and referals on different developmental areas.
“All the services that Bloorview offers have a noble mission to help children achieve their full potential and to improve the quality of their lives,” says Varinia, “Each child is different so there’s not one solution for all. A lot of work is put into making and bringing forward solutions for a wide range of disabilities. My family truly appreciates all the work and research of Bloorview’s professionals so children like my son can have a voice, or use specially designed mobility equipment to improve his quality of life.”
What Varinia likes most about Bloorview is that it offers a complex set of services that help children develop from multiple perspectives.
“It makes is so easy to know that there is a place where you can come for guidance, have a follow-up plan that evaluates the progress of the children and provide individualized advice. On the other side there are specialized and adapted recreational services that children really enjoy and they feel good about participating. Another aspect that I am grateful for is the special support offered to parents through informational sessions on different subjects like government and legal support,” says Varinia.
