Miralcle Child Addison shows off her therapy skills

Addison Sechrist of Lebanon is excited for the new school year, although she hasn’t stopped learning all summer. Addison is a pediatric physical therapy patient and loves learning new skills with her therapist Taylor Clark at Penn State Children’s Hospital. Addison was born at 25 weeks and spent 87 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Penn State Children’s  Hospital. As a result of Addison’s premature birth, she has hypotonia or very low muscle tone. She also has hypermobility syndrome, which causes her joints to be too flexible and causes fatigue and pain, especially in her lower extremities. Addison attends weekly physical therapy appointments to increase her strength, balance and coordination.

Physical therapists like Taylor Clark make the workouts fun by incorporating games and toys into the exercises. For example, the Pedalo standing bike helps Addison work on her strength and balance. When Addison leans backward to grab a toy to throw in a basket, she is strengthening her back and core. Her favorite exercise, the barrel roll, helps with sensory issues – plus it makes her giggle non-stop!

“I can’t say enough good things about the therapy she receives,” says Addison’s mom, Stacy. “Since starting therapy, Addison can now go up and down stairs without help, she can keep her balance while kicking a ball and she’s able to run without falling.” Addison is a Children’s Miracle Network Miracle Child. Watch a video to learn how CMN’s annual Telethon helped Addison before she was even born.