Annika’s path to a cerebral palsy diagnosis began at a young age. Born prematurely at 29 weeks and five days, Annika’s mother, Jessica, noticed subtle differences in her development around six months. When Annika’s twin began reaching certain milestones, such as rolling over, ahead of her, Annika’s family became concerned. “That was my first clue that something was not exactly typical,” says Jessica. “I mentioned it to her local pediatrician; however, Annika did a lot of other things typical and well, so she didn’t seem worried. I just knew deep down that something was off, and asked if, based on her prematurity, she could qualify for early childhood physical therapy. Annika began her first physical therapy when she was 7 months old.” Jessica’s persistence led Annika to early intervention therapies, and when Annika was 11 months old, she asked that the pediatrician refer her to a local pediatric neurologist. Despite […]