Dominic’s favorites:
Dominic is such a happy go lucky boy, he has an infectious smile that lights up a room and gives you a sense that everything is going to be okay!
Dominic loves socializing with children! Even though he can not verbal talk, he makes sure his presence is known with great big hugs and babbling. He also loves anything that has to deal with water and music. He likes to dance and could spend hours playing with toys in the sink or bathtub.
Dominic’s diagnosis:
Dominic’s dad and I always had a gut feeling that something was different with Dominic. He was reaching his milestones of sitting up without support and crawling but they were greatly delayed. He was also experiencing low tone in his muscles and would seem to be more tired than most children. We talked to his pediatrician about our concerns and they suggested Physical, Occupational, and Speech therapy. We started having those therapists come into our home and they still do have sessions with Dominic. Even with all the therapies something still felt different in our guts. So we called Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and got an appointment with their Genetic Division and that is how we got the results back with Dominic’s diagnosis.
Dominic’s family wants you to know:
We want the parents and families to know that they are not alone. The bigger support group you have the better. We are so grateful and fortunate to have our family and friends. They have been a great support system for us. Also the amount of support we have from the online community is great too. It is beneficial for us in a way that these families know what we are going through and have a lot of helpful insight. I would say that is one of the most important things to remember with going through this journey is, no matter how bad of a day you are having there are so many great families out there who are going through the exact same thing and willing to be there for you. Also keep fighting for your child and do not give up hope. I know there will be days when that is what you feel like doing because Dominic’s dad and I have been there. We have to keep the faith and hope that all of the research taking place will lead to a cure.