The Tanaka Family Story

Harutoshi, born October 2005

Masanori Tanaka shares the story of her son, Harutoshi:

Harutoshi was born in October 2005 in Japan. Shortly after his birth, We noticed that he had nystagmus, and after a few months and some genetic testing, he was diagnosed with PMD. We were a bit confused about his diagnosis but soon figured that we were just like any other parents in terms of raising a child for the first time, so we decided to do our best.

In his childhood, he actively worked on PT and OT against his developmental delay. Through a treatment called the Vojta method, he gradually gained control over his own body. I remember it was so interesting that when we measured his brain waves (ABR exam), he showed the same pattern as that of hearing loss, despite his very good hearing ability.

At age 12, he had scoliosis surgery. We were hesitant about his operation because he was in good physical condition at that time, even though his spine was beginning to bend. However, we thought it was a good decision because the surgery helped him to get his internal organs back in their normal positions. Afterward, he began eating more, weighing more, and was much healthier overall. After about a month of hospitalization, he himself did grow both physically and mentally.

Now he is a 17-year-old high schooler with a sister ten years younger. He learns many things in school as well as training to help him find a job - we hope he will find a rewarding one. He cannot speak but can communicate with people using ICT equipment. He has a very gentle personality, and his smile makes everyone around him happy.

We are grateful to the many people supporting him every day and are looking forward to seeing how he grows up in the future!