The BABA Programme

Andrea's story

Andrea is ten years old and has Down Syndrome. She has spent most of her young life, lying in a small cot with little attention or contact from others. She rarely expressed any emotion, didn't talk, smile or react to attention. She was painfully thin and unhappy. She was unable to sit up without support or to walk. Immobile and unable to communicate, Andrea seemed lost in her own world. 'At the beginning she would cry when she was picked up and became very tense when I held her. I worried she would never take to me' says but Baba Vivika.

Happily, ten months on, Baba Vivika and Andrea love to share a cuddle and have developed a strong bond. Andrea has gained weight and in now able to walk with a stable sypport. She loves the massage therapy which she recevies three times a week and is more comfortable around others. She smiles when her Baba arrives in the morning and immediately wants to come out of her cot. She is beginning to pronounce some sounds and one -syllable words. The benefits of Baba Vivika's loving and nurturing care are clearly evident in Andrea.

Please note: the names have been changed to protect the identities