Ammaarah is a very positive 11-year-old with a huge enthusiasm for life and a “nothing- can-stop-me” attitude. When she was only seven weeks old, therapists at KidsAbility began working with her, embracing the belief that is still held true today: early intervention is essential in order to maximize a child’s opportunity to realize their full potential.
Ammaarah has Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita, a joint and muscle disorder which prevents her muscles from forming properly. Physiotherapists at KidsAbility work with Ammaarah to increase her range of motion and to fit her leg braces. Occupational therapists also help Ammaarah to develop techniques so thatcan dress herself and use a computer to allow her to complete lengthy written homework. KidsAbility provides necessary therapies to help her live as independently as possible; something that will become increasingly important to Ammaarah as she grows up.
"Coming to KidsAbility has changed my life and the lives of my family. My mom was so used to hearing things like I wouldn’t walk or that I would always need help with even the easiest things," says Ammaarah. "The first day we came to KidsAbility was the first day that my family was given hope. The therapists did not tell us all the things I wouldn’t be able to do. They didn’t look at me like I was the kid with Arthrogryposis. They looked at me like a little girl who had potential."
Ammaarah wants to show people that children with special needs can do a lot more than they think they can.
"Kids with special needs just need a chance, a chance to show the world what they can do. KidsAbility teaches you that you can do anything if you work really hard. They make the work so fun that you don’t remember that it was so hard. I have learned that I am not different than other kids. The way I do things is different. That is not the same thing and now I want to show other people that kids with special needs are not different than other kids. They just do things in a different way," says Ammaarah.
Ammaarah is leaping towards a bright future full of only hope and potential!