Life can be difficult for six-year-old Phillip Sullivan. He struggles to communicate effectively and has some physical hurdles to overcome. He’s the type of kid who deserves some more joy in his life, so Satan’s Little Helper stepped in to provide a ‘wheely’ good toy!
Phillip Sullivan is a special kid, who loves water, cars, planes and trains – but he doesn’t have it easy. The six-year-old has a rare condition called DiGeorge syndrome, which means he’s got a few chromosomes missing and that makes it difficult for him to enjoy his passions.
He has developed a little slower than some other children his age and can only say a few words.
“We don't know how long it will take Phillip to talk like us,” says his step-grandmother Trish.
“He is starting to get more words out but he can’t do long sentences and, when he talks, it can be hard to understand.
“Mentally, he’s closer to four than six and his facial features are different. He’s also only got one good kidney, low bone density and needs an operation on his feet.”
Tough decisions - but for the best
His feet are facing inward and that means he often has to stop running around with his mates because they hurt so much. That limits him and, understandably, leaves him frustrated. The operation should fix that – but it will come at a cost.
“He’ll be in a wheelchair for six weeks after the operation, then he’ll move to crutches and will have braces on his legs.”
He’s also leaking calcium out of his kidney and has too much potassium in his bloodstream, which means he needs to see a paediatrician every three to six months.
“It’s a waiting game,” says Trish. “He has a lot of different tests and specialist appointments coming up and I hope we get some answers soon.”
Life hasn’t been easy for Phillip, but Trish says he’s giving it a good crack. He’s in mainstream school, where the smaller class size suits him, and the other children there are very understanding of his challenges.
He doesn’t find learning easy, but he’s got a tablet that he uses to help him communicate with other people around him.
An extra reason to smile
With everything going on in his life, Satan’s Little Helper reckoned Phillip could do with something to put an extra-wide smile on his face. As he’s a huge fan of hot wheels, we hooked him up with a brand-new set!
“He was so excited when he saw a package addressed to him! He’s been playing with it everyday.
“When he’s feeling a little overwhelmed, he can take himself off and play with that and it will calm him down, which is brilliant from our perspective.”
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