Cerebra helps children with brain conditions and their families to discover a better life together. In 2021, they received £10,000 from the Foundation towards the salary of a Sleep Practitioner who helped Lucian and his family.
Seven-year-old Lucian is a happy, bubbly boy who loves being outdoors. In 2021, Lucian started to find it hard to sit still and was getting more
and more frustrated. At first, his Teaching Assistant at his school didn’t know why Lucian was getting angry. As his temper tantrums got more frequent, it became clear he was experiencing sensory issues. Lucian then started to receive occupational therapy and began assessments for ADHD and Autism.
Lucian also started to suffer from night terrors and lack of sleep and this is when his mum, Gemma, was referred to Cerebra and their Sleep Team. Cerebra’s Sleep Practitioners help children who struggle to get the rest they need. Lack of sleep affects the whole family. For children, it’s incredibly distressing and for parents, it makes the everyday challenges they face all the more difficult.
“Laura, our Sleep Practitioner was absolutely brilliant,” explains Gemma. “She started off by asking us to keep a sleep diary, before working with us on different techniques to help Lucian sleep at night. She was always available to catch up and so I let her know about Lucian’s sensory issues also.”
After talking through these issues, Laura recommended using the charity’s Sensory Toy Library service, which helps children with different sensory needs to organise and respond to sensory input through a range of toys, which also help them to learn and play.
Cerebra sent Lucian and Gemma a Sensory Suitcase, which contained fibre optics and UV lights, as well as sound and tactile items. Lucian loves to play with the disco light merry-go-round and the fibre optics help him to respond well to colours. The mental stimulation from the sensory toys will help Lucian stay relaxed and focussed and the sleep support will help him to have less restless nights.
Gemma adds; “All-in-all, I’m overwhelmed by the support we’ve had. We’ve received the knowledge, guidance and reassurance to help me realise that this is ok and there is support available.”
Return to Impact Report 2021