What is actually going on?

Rather, the question is: what is it about the head that makes the hand not quite cooperate?

Ella-Marie has had a brain development disorder from birth. As the doctors have described it, "in nature, sometimes you have bad luck and that is what is the case here." Or also, going for kids is a risk. You don't think about it when you start it, but it can go wrong. Father and mother are healthy, in the family no one has a problem with the brain, but still it didn't quite work out with her.

On the right side of the brain there is a dysplasia. To put it in ordinary human terms, the right side of the brain is broken. As you probably know, there are 2 hemispheres of the brain. In a normally functioning brain, the right side will cause you to be creative, love to dance and be involved with music and for many, many other things. Found a nice illustration below and even more explanation at Onze hersenen - New Heroes

The good news is that brains are extremely flexible. When something breaks down, the brain tries to place the functionality somewhere else. We can assure you that TikTok, YouTube and other channels have been known by Ella-Marie for much longer! :-) So it is certainly not that she cannot do anything of what that part should be able to do.

The biggest problem for Ella-Marie is that there is always epileptic activity in that part of the brain. Even with medication, she currently averages 2 seizures at night and she can also slip into a "smaller" seizure during the day. Apart from that, Mathematics is a drama and concentration is not really her strongest point. Physically, too, you notice problems especially in the left arm (yes, left, because the right side manages the motiorics on the left side of the body). The fine motor skills (holding a fork, catching a ball, unscrewing a stopper on a bottle, etc.) are particularly challenging; the gross motor skills (raising your arms, controlled swimming strokes, etc.) are also more difficult (but better than the fine motor skills).

Cycling is done on a Tri-Bike (yes, you got it: 3 wheels). The climbing course at school is a nice challenge from which some positive experiences do emerge. The wonderful Frank Van Der Beeck (swim coach) and the trainers of the G-Swimmers of Arduas can even get Ella-Marie to swim 100 m breaststroke and the never-enthusiastic-losing physiotherapist Griet De Cuyper of Akketuut maintains Ella-Marie's balance, fine and her gross motor skills.

11 November 2022