By Elizabeth Lowe
Staff writer

Atlas Twp. – When James Gannon was 6 he got his first taste of independence.
James, a dark-haired 13-year-old with cerebral palsy, learned to get around using a walker and wheelchair during special suit-therapy in Poland.
‘Before we left, he wasn’t standing at all,? said his mom Kathy Gannon. ‘He would crawl or we would carry him.?
Kathy was pleasantly surprised at her son’s progress.
‘For the first time James was proud of himself that he could do something,? she said.
James made five trips to Poland with his family for the therapy. The next session will be less than 800 miles away. This time, the Gannons will remain stateside, traveling to Atlanta.
From the time James was born, his parents knew he would have disabilities. He also has visual and hearing impairment, and occasional seizures.
‘Basically James had a stroke at birth,? said Kathy.
Cerebral palsy, which affects more than 500,000 Americans, refers to a group of disorders in which the brain does not adequately control movement and posture.
Although it’s not a condition that gets progressively worse, children with cerebral palsy are at risk for muscle complications. Muscles may not be used or stretched enough to keep up with bone growth, causing them to contract (see http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cerebral_palsy/detail_cerebral_palsy.htm).
Despite studies and research, cerebral palsy hasn’t gone away. At least as many Americans–if not more–now have cerebral palsy than 30 years ago. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site, this is partly due to an increase in improved intensive care helping critically premature and frail infants survive.
With suit therapy, the child first has hot packs applied, followed by massage and stretching.
The child then dons special clothing that clips rubbery bands from a vest, to shorts, to knee pads, to shoes. The bands provide resistance to keep muscles properly aligned during exercises.
At Sunshine Therapy in Atlanta, children get therapy four hours a day, five days a week.
The thought behind suit therapy, says Kathy, is to repeat exercises over and over to ‘retrain the brain?.
It’s tiring for children, who need lots of motivation. In Poland, it was up to parents to motivate their children, but therapists will help in Atlanta, says Kathy.
In a dark blue shirt sporting a basketball motif, James has come a long way since his rough start in life, when he was hooked to so many tubes he couldn’t take in nourishment.
Food’s not a problem now for James, a connoisseur of Cheetos, waffles, and French fries, says Kathy, with a smile.
‘The kid who’s visually impaired can see a Burger King or McDonald’s half an hour away,? she says.
James loves to swing the bat when playing tee-ball, and gets a kick out of wheeling around the bases.
He rides horses in the Offering Alternative Therapy with Smiles (OATS) program, and is a big fan of classic rock and the Beatles, says his mom.
People often hesitate to let their children ask questions or talk to James.
Kathy encourages both approaches. If you give him ‘about 10 seconds?, James always responds, she says, and she’s happy to answer questions.
It can be just as awkward for the Gannons.
‘If I bombard you with information, a lot of people are backing away,? she said.
His younger brothers Ian, 10, and Paul, 5, have become close to their brother, especially since James began attending Michigan School for the Deaf in Flint. The whole family has learned American Sign Language, which has greatly improved communication, says Kathy.
Knowing their brother has special needs, Ian and Paul have joined their parents in stepping up whenever needed, like when an ambulance came to the home in response to James? seizure.
‘They’ve been great,? says Kathy. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever asked them to hold a door open, they just do it automatically.?
Ian and Paul sometimes try out James? wheelchair or walker, or play on the peanut-shaped exercise ball.
Ian even tried on the therapy suit when he traveled to Poland with his brother and mom, where they had the opportunity to shop for special LEGOs, sun on the beach of the Baltic Sea, and tour the cockpit of a British Airways jet.
‘We’ve had a lot of great opportunities because of James,? said Kathy, who has witnessed her son not only tolerate, but bloom with the intense therapy.
She’s never seen a child not progress with the suit therapy, and looks forward to Atlanta.
‘We won’t have to do the planes, trains, and automobiles thing,? said Kathy.
It doesn’t cost anything for parents to check into the Atlanta therapy, thanks to a free presentation and evaluations at a conference scheduled next month in Detroit (see http://www.sunshinetherapy.com).
Some insurance plans are beginning to cover the therapy. The Gannons hope the more children participate in the therapy the easier funding will be.
‘Even if you think your child won’t benefit from it, it’s still worth taking the chance for the opportunity for your child.
‘We almost didn’t go the first time, but we got to the point you know this is something we’d feel bad if we didn’t at least try,? said Kathy, who wishes she knew about the therapy when James was even younger.
Without it, his life would be different, says his mom.
‘He wouldn’t be as independent as he is now.?
To learn more, contact Kathy at (248) 627-2340 or send an e-mail to m5gannon@hotmail.com.