Personal info Child

Epilepsy info

Medications used (in chronological order)

  1. Corticotropin (ACTH)

  2. Valproic Acid (Depakene, Epival, Sodium Valproate, Orfi)

  3. Phenobarbital

  4. Lorazepam (Ativan)

  5. Phenytoin (Dilantin)

  6. Topiramate (Topamax)

  7. Prednisone

  8. Carbamazepine (Tegretol, Carbatrol)

Personal Notes

DEAR PARENTS Our son Travis was born healthy in every way, until he received his D.P.T shot. That's when his and our world changed. I first noticed him having small thrusts forward, this went on for three or four days before I realized there was something wrong. I took him to Texas Children's. They ran many brain test and said, yes he was having seizures. The doctor told me they were called infantile spasms, and that if we didn't get them stopped he could be become very retarded. Well I thought this doctor was a very nice guy and all, but he didn't know my son. He was doing everything babies should do and right on time. But he was right. We had a hard time in the beginning. My husband and I would do shifts at night because he didn't sleep at night very little. About the second year half, I quit feeling sorry for myself and started loving this boy with all my heart. He had such a hard time walking because of all the medicine he would take. I bought him a karate helmet, so when he would have seizures it would protect his head. His walker I tied a pillow to it, And his room I put foam mattress on the walls. And on the corner of all my furniture, all of these would protect him when he fell. To ride a tricycle I would tape his hands and feet to the peddles. At first he hated it, then he got where you couldn't get him off. We had him in a school called B.A.R.C , where they would help him with life skills. Then he was getting very hard to handle, mostly because of the medicine he was on. So then they where saying he was autistic. I said No way, this boy is so loving and most autistic children aren't. If he was autistic, then that meant changing schools. He started going to an autistic school 1 month before he turned 7. In 1 month his teacher had him potty trained, though only from tee teeing his pants. From there everything just seemed to get better. He had a wonderful teacher that really fell in love with him, like he was her son. After two years passed, he started getting mean again because of medicine I believe . He was biting, and throwing fits, and it was getting worse and worse. The school said we have a home where some of the kids live. Why don't you let our respite care program watch him once a month, and see if they can work on his behavior. I really didn't want to, but I knew I needed some help. I made a couple of pop visits. I asked everyone in my family what they thought, they said give it one try. Well I did on Oct/24/97. I dropped him off at 6:30. I left at 7:15, and called that night at 10:00 to check on him. The caregivers said he was ok. The next day I called at 6:30 am, then 10:30, at 1:30, then at 5:15. But then I called around 8:00 pm. I said it's me again. I was calling to check on Travis, the lady said Wynell there's been an accident. I said with Travis'! She said yes, Travis was playing in the back yard and pushed a board loose, got in the neighbors pool! I said OH MY GOD, IS HE DEAD!!!! She said no, he was at Texas Children's Hospital. They came and picked me up where my youngest son and I were. When I arrived at the hospital, I seen most of the school staff waiting outside. Then I seen my best friend and knew it was bad. I stepped out of the car and said to my friend he's dead isn't he? She said yes!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it. And I still don't . PLEASE be very careful who you let watch your child. This was my very first time to let anyone, I mean anyone, watch him over night. I never trusted anyone. So just because the caregivers are a school doesn't mean there safe. Talk to the neighbors and ask them about the person your leaving them with. Then check locks, back yards, and then look at the other children to see how they are being cared for, etc..... My son was left in the water for over an hour before they even realized he wasn't in the back yard. Travis was 9 when he went to live with the LORD!!! PLEASE WHAT EVER YOU DO LOVE YOUR CHILD WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT, YOU NEVER KNOW HOW LONG YOU HAVE THEM. Good luck to all of you because I know taking care of kids with a disability isn't easy. Read lots of books on their problem, and never stop asking questions. AND LOTS AND LOTS OF PRAYER. THANKS AND GOD BLESS WYNELL MANSHACK

Contact info

For additional information, please send e-mail to Wynell (T9R7@webtv.net)