It was a dreamed-of child. Melinda gave birth after forty, she approached the pregnancy responsibly, the amniocentesis turned out excellently, everyone was looking forward to the baby. Even the older siblings.
Zoltán was born shortly after the coronavirus outbreak. He arrived right on time in May 2020, and they took him home healthy. However, their happiness was short-lived. By three to four months old, the first doubts arose; the little boy moved poorly, especially around his shoulders. „The carousel of examinations, fear, and worries began. We didn't want to admit that it could be something serious, and especially permanent,“ says his mother, Melinda.
Unfortunately, hypotonic syndrome has been confirmed. They practiced Vojta therapy at home, but due to quarantine restrictions, they couldn't attend intensive rehabilitation stays. „Everything they closed down, it was also mentally demanding for us. We didn't wish for anything else but to be able to go somewhere with Zoli. Where they'd help us, show us new tricks, exercises.
„When he was 14 months old, it was summer, but we had Christmas. Our son sat up by himself for the first time. It was a miracle for us. At a year and a half old, after the COVID restrictions were lifted, he got into Adeli. I'll never forget it. After a two-week stay, we came home and our Zoli stood up. He held himself on his little legs, with support of course. It was a big step forward.“
Zoli is now 5 and a half years old and can take a few steps on his own. He has to feel like it, though. He doesn't speak yet, and epilepsy was diagnosed when he was three. It's also clear that Zoli has some form of intellectual disability. „We are currently looking into genetics – a problem with chromosomes 17 and 20 – which also affect the nervous system.“
Zoli's birth turned the family's life upside down. Melinda knows she won't be returning to work. She worked as a chief of staff's assistant at the office, and she enjoyed her job. But her son comes first; she's still on extended maternity leave, and after that, she'll seamlessly transition to childcare leave.
From a distance, the little boy appears healthy. He likes people and enjoys laughing. At home, his favorite thing is watching the ladybug cartoon, which he already knows by heart. He doesn't play with toys for long, but he enjoys building blocks and balls. He is lagging behind in his development compared to his peers. At home, they can tell from his crying, shouting, and sounds what he wants, what might be hurting him, and what bothers him. They attend and need to attend ADELI to improve his motor skills, concentration, and speech. „We are focusing more intensely on speech therapy; I believe one day I will hear the word “mama' from my son."
They know Zoli won't be completely healthy; his parents dream realistically. „We hope he'll at least start talking a little and that the wheelchair we'll get him after the stroller will only serve as a backup solution. Every stay at Adeli moves us forward; we really feel it's intensive exercise that can't be replaced by home routines. However, we can't manage financially without the help of good people. Thanks to Adeli, Zoli has taken his first steps; we hope his first words will follow. We thank every donor from the bottom of our hearts in advance for our Zoli.“
