23.7. 1993 Vitoria-Gasteiz / Spain - World Federation of Music Therapy

draw blood from his neck. At that moment I, too,
withdrew into an autistic-like state,it was the only way to
cope. Reading Hospital then admitted defeat, and after
giving him a brain scan, sent it and us to Great Ormond
Street to see a neurologist. The scan showed an underdeveloped
brain, an inconclusive diagnosis as Oxbridge
graduates can show similar brain patterns. Later we
were asked to return to Great Ormond Street to meet
the neurologist's colleagues. It was like a biblical scene,
us clutching Thomas to our bosoms with 40 or so
"elders" of the medical profession firing questions at us.
Afterwards we were signed off with a vague "Take him
home and look after him". So, several months later, we
were in hospital with a tragic shell of a baby. He was
unable to eat, communicate in any way, with severe
bronchitis and a fit every 10 minutes, day and night. We
felt that his small life had no joy or meaning for him and
decided to take him home to die in peace and dignity.
We withdrew all drugs, which by now were blowing him
213
up like a balloon, giving him severe pain in his joints. We
were long past crying, we just existed from day to day.
But, to everyone's surprise, he didn't die, in fact he
started to improve.
Realising we were entirely on our own, we researched
autism and sought out an expert. Dr. Ricks diagnosed
him as suffering from early onset of autism. Meeting him
when Thomas was 18 months old saved him from being
categorised as suffering primarily from cerebral palsy.
Many such children languish in institutions entirely cut
off from the special needs of these frail spirits.
We were now left with an entirely unresponsive and
floppy child. However, with a structured life at home and
a great deal of cossetting the fits began to decrease, but
he had forgotten how to smile, lift his head or initiate
movement at all. His baby babble was all gone and he