Meet Mae — Perinatal Stroke

Mae was born in February 2014.  She was a very crabby baby, and mom and dad quickly learned the meaning of colicky.  Aside from the crying, fussiness, and feeding issues, Mae was gaining weight and seemed otherwise healthy – she was just your typical baby.

When Mae was 10 months old, we began to notice she wasn’t using her left hand as much as her right hand.  We would encourage her to use it in various ways, such as by putting her food on the left side of her high chair, but we did not see much progress.  After speaking to her physical therapist and pediatrician, we took Mae to see a neurologist at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.  It was at that visit that the doctor told us she suspected Mae had an injury to her brain which caused a delay in her left side.  The doctor ordered an MRI to be done on Mae’s brain to see if that was the case.

We had the MRI conducted a few weeks later, and after a short conversation with the neurologist it was communicated that Mae suffered a stroke around birth.  Being the first time mom or dad had ever heard anything about babies suffering strokes, we were a little thrown off.  We were also glad to have found out the cause of some of her issues.

Mae has limited use of the left side of her body due to the stroke occurring on the right side of her brain.  She sees a physical therapist and occupational therapist every week.  With constant use and exercise, we hope that she will regain some fine motor skills and learn to function with the impairment.
Mom and Mae began doing crafts together when she was about 17 months old.  This served as a therapeutic activity for Mae.  It calms her down and allows her to focus.  Mom and Mae began to mix the ingredients for Lavender Warming Sachets, and this activity actually led to the formation of a home based business.

Ever since we learned of Mae’s stroke, we have worked to increase awareness for Pediatric Stroke.  We ordered custom wristbands that we try and give out when we can.  Through our business, Marilyn Mae Premium Handmade Goods, we launched a special benefit candle (Berry Popsicle scent) where, for every candle sold, $1 is donated to Pediatric Stroke Warriors, a non-profit group located in the Northwest United States.

Mae is now 2 years old and is the center of attention wherever she goes. She is a light in a dark room.  Though we know Mae will certainly have her work cut out for her, we know that Mae is such a smart girl and will do just fine.

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