Katarina Ahlberg
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Katarina is 8 years old and has had a tracheostomy since she was nine months of age. She has had breathing difficulties from the day she was born, due to a weak and narrow trachea and slightly misshaped vocal cords. She spent her first month in hospital and needed oxygen. From that she managed on her own for a while. At eight months of age she got pneumonia and needed ventilator treatment for some days. After three weeks she got her tracheostomy. After four months we took her home.
She has managed without oxygen and techical breathing support basically all the time - it has only been necessary at a few times with pneumonia, time she has spent in hospital. The tracheostomy is normally enough to support her weak trachea and keep it from "falling together".
During the first year she developed several sounds, sounds she made with her tongue and lips. After one year - at two years of age - she got her Fogless Spiro speech valve. She was amazed! She made sounds. Constantly. The first month she couldn't go to sleep until we took it off. It seemed that she didn't understand that she could be quiet with the speech valve on, so she waited for someone to "turn her off" so she could go to sleep. Katarina has a severe mental retardation, so she doesn't talk, but it's good for her to be able to cry and laugh aloud.
- Some tips on bathing:
Katarina loves to bath. For bathing in the tub we use a Rifton bathing chair. The chair come in several sizes and can be placed in three different angels. It comes with support for the head if needed. In this chair she sits tight in an upright position, but can still splash water with her feet and hands. - Photo of Katti in the bathtube
Bathing in sea and swimmingpool was a trick. Katarina doesn't walk and she didn't sit steadily until she was six years old. And due to her mental retardation one can't explain to her why she should not lay down on her stomach in the water (which she'd love to do.) When she was little we used a swimring for babies, which had support for the back. Then we found this "boat" from Lino Productions, a small company in Sweden, that works fine with a few adjustments.
Katarina peacefully passed away at home Monday Mars 29, at age 9. Despite of all her disabilities she had a good, but too short life and I think she was a very happy child. She was a blessing to
her family and to all who knew her.
- Katarina's Memorial Page
- E-mail Katarina's mother, Annika
Ahlberg
Stockholm, Sweden
