Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Isaiah Hazard went from being a completely healthy 5-year-old boy who loved camping, playing sports, and chasing after his younger brother to suddenly not being able to move any of his limbs.

a boy in athletic clothing and headband smiling
a boy lying in a hospital bed with lots of tubes and his mother draped over him

In September of 2018, Isaiah fell ill from unknown causes. What started as typical cold symptoms, unexpectedly left him paralyzed from the neck down. Just a couple of days after starting kindergarten, Isaiah was diagnosed with acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a rare and serious neurologic disease that affects part of the spinal cord. This disease, similar to polio, drastically and quickly took over Isaiah’s life.

“My family and I were told to prepare for Isaiah to never walk again,” said Isaiah’s mom, Erika Thompson as she began to learn the severity of AFM.

In October 2018, Isaiah arrived at Franciscan Children’s for physical therapy, occupational therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation. Upon his arrival, Isaiah was unable to move his arms or legs and was only able to breathe with the help of a ventilator.

“It’s hard to watch your son, especially five years old, go through this but you just stay strong,” said Erika, when describing her son’s physical state. “You encourage him and you keep pushing him.”

a boy smiling while lying in a hospital bed
a group of boston bruins players arounding a boy in a hospital bed

With the help of Franciscan Children’s amazing staff, Isaiah began making incredible strides. He worked twice a day, six days a week with physical therapist, Kaleigh Duggan, to improve his core and leg strength, his sitting and standing balance, and his functional mobility skills such as rolling, sitting, standing and walking with assistance.

“Isaiah was very determined and positive throughout his long stay,” said Kaleigh on Isaiah’s persistence. “He was a very spunky and loving kid.”

Isaiah also worked closely with occupational therapist, Ray Levitre, to regain use of his hands and forearms. Learning to assist in dressing himself and perform tasks like eating and brushing his teeth.

While regaining physical strength, he was also improving his pulmonary strength. Isaiah’s doctors and respiratory team worked to slowly wean him off the ventilator. By Christmas Eve, Isaiah was completely off of the vent and breathing on his own.

Free of the ventilator, Isaiah was able to advance his physical therapy with Kaleigh. “From early on in his admission Isaiah told me he wanted to go ice skating and how his mom was planning on taking him for his first time prior to getting sick,” said Kaleigh.

With the incredible combined effort of our Adaptive Sports Program and the Franciscan Children’s Child Life team, Isaiah was able to ice skate for the first time.

“While at Warrior Ice Arena, home of the Boston Bruins practice facility, Isaiah never stopped smiling. The Bruins even surprised us all by giving him a gift bag,” said Kaleigh when describing Isaiah’s adventure.

a boy next his parents and the red sox mascot
two children smiling in front of a christmas tree

After six months of intense care, Isaiah learned to sit on his own, move from sit to stand, and even walk with assistance from an adult or in a gait trainer. Given his amazing progress, he was finally able to go home with his family.

“The team at this hospital is exceptional.  You’re not just a number or another case. You’re a patient,” said Erika on the care Isaiah received at Franciscan Children’s.

Isaiah continues occupational and physical therapy at home, but has returned to kindergarten and is starting to remember what it’s like to be a kid again.

Erika noted, “Isaiah has defied odds when odds were against him. There is no cure for AFM. There is no prognosis for AFM. But there is hope. And Isaiah never gave that up!  He continues to fight on a daily basis!” #TeamIsaiah

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