Intensive Therapy Funds for a 2y old boy, Dominic

Dominic is the child of Cristina and Andrei Barta, a couple who always loved and dreamed about having a big family.

Their life changed upside down when Dominic was four months when he had his first seizure. Dominic was diagnosed with polymicrogyria (which falls under the cerebral palsy umbrella diagnosis), refractory epilepsy, infantile spasms and, later on, global developmental delay.

Despite trying multiple seizure medications, his seizures only worsened to the point that he needed oxygen and could not be discharged. After months of staying in the hospital, Dominic had brain surgery (partial resection to the right frontal lobe), hoping it would stop him from seizing.

Unfortunately, that did not happen; he eventually developed infantile spasms (the worst form of epilepsy), which, thankfully, doctors could stop. By the time we got discharged (3 months later), Dominic was eight months; he was developmentally somewhere around one month old.

His progress has been plodding despite enrolling in the Early Intervention program (Pediatric Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy).

While battling seizures, failing other seizure medications, and a medical ketogenic diet, Dominic continued struggling to progress in therapy, being on and off a feeding tube.

Dominic is two years old and developmentally evaluated around 4-5 months old. Dominic's team of doctors proposes another brain surgery to stop his seizures, hoping his progress will improve. There are still a lot of unknowns, and surgery like this is not guaranteed seizure freedom or progress for Dominic.

Dominic is a delighted baby, he has been through so much, but he is always smiling and in good spirits. He gets frustrated because he doesn't know how to use his hands to sit up or hold a toy to put in his mouth, but he wants it so badly.

We are raising this fund to cover intensive therapies for Dominic, equipment needed and medical expenses; most pediatric clinics that specialize in intensive treatments are not working with insurance and are cash-based. An intensive is considered about 15-20 hours of Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy/ Speech Feeding Therapy per week, and a minimum of 2 weeks is recommended. Insurance only covers an intensive only twice a year, and Dominic and his conditions need much more. For example, the cost of an intensive for three weeks (a total of 45 hours total therapy) is $5,400. This doesn't include any travel expenses, lodging etc.

We have been trying various type of therapy for Dominic (classical Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy, Anat Baniel therapy, Feldenkrais therapy, movement lessons, DMI, etc). as well as parents started looking more into genetics, epigenetics as well as functional medicine and naturopathy... As parents, we are trying everything in out power to find a better treatment and approach that can start Dominic's healing process.

Our lives changed a lot; it was hard and continues to be so; mom was unable to keep her job as Dominic needs full support, and Dad is the only provider; however, Dominic is still the best thing that happened to us. The love a parent has for their children is endless, and we are willing to move mountains to see Dominic breaking any diagnosis or any outcome doctors gave Dominic.

We dream that one day, Dominic will give hope to other families by sharing his story.

We are faithful to God and trust in Him and His bigger plan. He has been next to us along the way, and ONLY HE gave us the strength to go through so much with Dominic.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story. We truly appreciate any amount, great or small, and expect none. However, any donation amount is appreciated more than you know and goes towards helping Dominic get more therapy, treatments and medical equipment needed; and hopefully make more progress to sit up, to hold a bottle, to crawl and hopefully eventually walk and babble and talk.

Your help will allow the parents to focus on what is truly important, their precious baby boy's treatment and developmental progress.

May God bless each of you with exactly what each of your desires and needs.