[INFOGRAPHIC] Caden can walk but not talk
Eight-year-old Caden Slabbert is slowly recovering after being hit by brick on his head.
Little Caden Slabbert who was hit by a brick on the head while travelling on the N12 with his father and sister, is recovering well in the Clinton Hospital.
His mother, Andriëtte Cooper, told the News that her eight-year-old son is making good progress and is getting stronger everyday.
Since the incident on 30 April, Caden has overcome many hurdles, including a stroke scare, after he was in an induced coma in the intensive care unit of the hospital. Sixteen days after the incident, Caden took his first steps to recovery in hospital, with the help of his father and grandparents who recorded it on video.
Due to the injuries obtained when the brick hit Caden on the left side of his head, which controls speech, Caden will have to learn how to speak again, but has since started eating again.
“Caden can’t talk at all, and will have to go for speech therapy to learn this skill again,” said his optimistic mother.
“In the beginning Caden couldn’t open his mouth, and had what doctors described as a locked jaw which was treated with speech therapy.”
Caden also drank some cold drink with a straw for the first time this past Monday, his mother boasted to the News about his recovery, which is illustrated in the infographic:
“At a stage I felt as if Caden had developed amnesia from the accident, because it felt like he did not recognise us.”
Since then videos and pictures of friends and family put a smile on little Caden’s face.
Cooper also explained to the News in a sound clip interview, that his skull will be put back at a later stage as doctors patiently wait for the wound to heal completely.
Just over two weeks since the incident, Caden smiled and laughed for the first time.
He has also started to slowly walk with support, which was also captured in an emotional video taken by the family.
“We still have a long road of recovery ahead of us,” said Cooper.
Caden’s 11-year old sister, Eden Slabbert allegedly saw the suspect dressed in a black hoody-top, standing on the side of the road under the bridge with two bricks, one in each hand.
She then saw how the suspect threw the brick that hit her brother on the head.
“She didn’t realise that the brick was intended for them and has since the accident gone for trauma counseling as she blames herself for the incident and frequently has flashbacks of the horrific ordeal,” explains Cooper.
It is believed that police are working around the clock to find the suspects who threw bricks at a number of vehicles in the area on the day of Caden’s incident.
Follow Caden’s road to recovery on his Facebook page Caden Slabbert.
