Tiny Light Noah, to most people, would look like a normal, small, three-year-old boy with lots of energy.
He spends his time swimming, dancing, and playing with his dog, Java, his brother, Nick, and sister, Julia. But he has already gone through so much in such a short time.
Related: What is Traumatic Brain Injury? [1]
[2]Noah was born healthy at 30 weeks gestation, weighing 3lbs, 7oz. However, his condition quickly took a turn for the worse as doctors discovered a major bleed on the left side of his brain when he was just eight days old. This bleed caused him to have severe brain damage and a buildup of fluid on his brain. His parents were told his prognosis was not good. Soon afterward, Noah was diagnosed with a swallowing disorder and a mild form of cerebral palsy. But this Tiny Light has worked his whole life to overcome these challenges. He has been in intervention therapies since he was just four months old and he just keeps trying. Noah has worked very hard to learn to crawl and walk, and recently he has been trying to overcome his struggles with speech.
More health issues could arise for Tiny Light Noah as he gets older. Recently, doctors have been checking on a heart murmur, but Noah’s mom thinks his future is full of opportunities and excitement. “Noah has had so many issues and hurdles in his short life, it’s hard for me to remember them all. But one thing is certain, he is such a fighter. He never gives up and neither will we.”
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Related: Surviving and Living with a Traumatic Brain Injury [4]
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Swallowing DIsorder & Cerebral Palsy
Story written by Karis Sengarai
Images Captured by Teagan Photography
Read More Stories From The Tiny Light Foundation [10]
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This post originally appeared on our July/August 2013 Magazine [19]