Our daughter, Edel R, suffered a T1/T2 spinal injury as a result of a road traffic accident on 17 July 2001. Edel was just five years old. Edel spent several months in hospitals in Ireland, mainly in the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin. The medical experts in Ireland have told us that no recovery is likely to occur.

We learned about Mons. Albert Bohbot and laserponcture while our daughter was still in Dun Laoghaire and decided to access it for our daughter in the hope of improving her physical condition.

We first attended Mons. Bohbot in June 2002 and have been regularly visiting the laser clinic every 2/3 months since then. We feel sure that it has greatly helped Edel to her present good condition and state of health. Certain improvements are obvious to us who have absolutely no medical training or experience.

1. We were told in the National Rehabilitation Hospital that Edel's injury was too severe for her to be able to use callipers for walking or balancing exercises. Mons. Bohbot arranged for Edel to be fitted with callipers in Bourges in August 2002 and has since then been using callipers almost daily and is now able to walk around our home with the callipers and a walking frame.

2. Edel's balance has hugely improved since beginning the laser with Mons. Bohbot and she can now stand for a very brief moment without support.

3. Edel can now move both legs slightly at will and can feel pinpricks on her back and stomach below the injury.

4. Edel's skin is very healthy all over her body and she has suffered from no bedsores of any kind.

5. Edel's muscles all over her body have developed in unison and her legs are very strong and in proportion to the rest of her body.

6. Edel's sensibility has also improved and she can feel below the injury. For example when she twisted her ankle last year she was very much aware of the pain. She can also feel pains in her stomach etc. on occasions.

We are very pleased with her progress and intend to continue attending Mons. Bohbot for the foreseeable furture, confident that Edel will continue to improve.

Joan R (mother) and Tom R (father)

DOB: 10 May 1996

Date of accident : 17 July 2001

Car accident

Level of injury: D2-D3, complete transection

Clinic examinations from the Children's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland, 9 Aug. 2001:
Complete paraplegia at level T2-T3

• Motor and sensory systems:
  Upper limbs: normal.
  Lower limbs: none.
• Sensory level: none below the injury.
• Bladder:
  Permanent catheter. Cannot feel when her bladder is full.
  Prophylactic antibiotherapy.
• Bowels:
  Cannot feel when her bowels are full.
  Enema every other day.
• Stands in a frame since Sep. 2001.
• Does not have callipers.

Limbs measurements	Pinprick tests
Until 23/08/07   From 31/10/07 onwards
	06/12/04	29/03/05	07/07/05	01/09/05	05/01/06	01/06/06
	02/11/06	01/02/07	05/04/07	29/05/07	03/07/07	23/08/07
	31/10/07	14/01/08	25/06/08	27/08/08	07/01/09

Beginning of laserponcture: 4 June 2002

Frequency: during school holidays

1. Independence

• February 2003: can transfer alone from her chair to a lower level. Feels she has a better position in her wheelchair.

2. Stability

• Has KAFOs made in Bourges, France, since August 2002.
• Sep. 2002: stands between parallel bars in her callipers.
• 13 Jan. 2004: has a better balance on the treadmill (her father holds her trunk).

3. Mobility

• Sept 2003: turns in her bed spontaneously when sleeping at night.

4.1. Voluntary motricity

• 26/08/03: beginnings of a voluntary movement in her right and left big toes.

4.2. Walking

• Dec. 2002: first steps between parallel bars in her callipers.
• March 2003: walks between parallel bars alone in her callipers.
• Feb. 2003: first steps in her callipers on the treadmill - with the help of her father who holds her hips.
• 12 May 2003: walks alone in her callipers by pushing a walker.
• 13 Jan. 2004: walks without help on the treadmill.

5. Sensory level

• Light touch:
  26 Aug. 2003: can feel pinpricks on her lower limbs.
  7 Jan. 2004: slight feeling to touch on her lower limbs.
• Pressure:
  26 Aug. 2003: can feel the pressure on her lower limbs.
  6 April 2004: can feel when her big left toe is pressed and its position in space.
• Pain:
  26 Aug. 2003: can feel pain in her lower limbs when she knocks herself, but not constant.
  13 Jan. 2004: painful muscles at the end of the day after exercising for the first time.
• Hot:
  7 Jan. 2001: can feel hot water on her lower limbs below the injury, but not constant.
• Cold:
  17 March 2003: can feel wet towels on her stomach and ankles.
• Can feel the water on her skin below her injury, but not constant.
  5 April 2004: feels water on her lower limbs ; feels warm or cold water in her lower limbs but inconstant.

6. Bowels and bladder

• Bowels:
  24 June 2003: can feel pain in her stomach before exonerating, uses laxatives.
• Bladder:
  24/06/03: when catheter is blocked, feels dizzy and very hot.
  Sep. 2003: permanent catheter removed.
  Nov. 2003: can feel when her bladder is full because she feels hot. During the day: intermittent catheterizations, 6/day (every 90 minutes); permanent catheter at night since bladder leaks at 130 cc.
  Jan. 2004: does not take any antibiotics any more, catheter no more blocked.
• Intimate sensations:
  26 Aug. 2003: fleeting sensation when catheter introduced in urinary meatus.

7. Cough

• May 2003: can cough normally.

8. Other

• 6 April 2004: right kneecap reflex has appeared.

  Last update: 2 July 2009