Operated for cerebral palsy: an eight-year-old boy can finally ride BMX like his brothers

An eight-year-old boy born with cerebral palsy can now keep up with his brothers on BMX circuits thanks to an operation that allows him to walk and ride a bike.

“The operation changed his life,” says Maxime Lessard, Zackary’s father.

“He never gave up,” adds his mother, Virginie Blouin, very proud of her son’s perseverance.

Eight years old, the boy dressed all in red is proud to show off his BMX bike, which he has only been riding since last summer. For Zackary, this is a big victory which allows him to follow his brothers aged 6 and 10, who have been practicing this sport for several years.

“I really like it,” shyly admits the boy from Sainte-Anne-de-Sabrevois, in Montérégie.

“Before, he couldn’t get on his bike alone. He was falling, his father recalls. But he really wanted to do it.”

From a very young age, the toddler’s parents had noticed his motor difficulties.

“Her feet were soft, like a ball,” recalls the 33-year-old mother.

An air bubble in the brain

At age two, the diagnosis hit them like a ton of bricks: cerebral palsy. However, Zackary was born at full term after a beautiful delivery.

“He had an air bubble in his brain either during pregnancy or at birth,” believes the woman, who did not have further details.

“We were in shock,” adds her 34-year-old partner.

Lucky in his misfortune, Zackary has paralysis that only affects his lower trunk down to his toes. Although he always had difficulty getting around and despite falling while cycling, scootering or running, he always got back up.

“He refused to fail,” his mother said. The phrase “You won’t be able to” never existed for Zack. He always adapted his body to what he wanted to do.”

On January 25, the boy underwent a major operation to cut nerves in his back.

He learned to walk again

This was a success. After two months of convalescence, the boy was able to resume his activities. He even did physiotherapy sessions adapted to BMX.

“He was itching to cycle,” reveals Mr. Lessard. As soon as he could, he was up, doing the bumps. He was gone!”

Nearly a year later, he has gained at least 30 percent more motor skills, according to his parents, and can keep up with his brothers in sports.

“He learned to get up again, to walk. He always wanted to go faster. We had to slow him down so he wouldn’t get hurt, his mother remembers. It was a tough ordeal, but we would do it again.”

A long 10-hour operation to cut nerves

Zackary underwent a 10-hour operation to cut nerves in his lower back, a long and rewarding surgery for the medical team a year later.

“It’s really very rewarding,” confides the D^r Jean-Pierre Farmer, neurosurgeon who operated on little Zackary Lessard at the Montreal Children’s Hospital almost a year ago. “He achieved his goal of cycling and he achieved it very quickly!”

Patients with cerebral palsy often have spasms in their legs because the nerves cause too much movement (reflexes). The brain can also send commands, but reflexes dominate.

The aim of the operation is therefore to isolate the sensory nerves, and to cut part of them. Afterwards, commands from the brain pass better to the legs and movements are better controlled.

Reflexes are crude

“We try to restore the balance between reflexes and what the brain can command,” explains Dr.^r Farmer. The brain controls healthier movements. Reflexes are crude, everything moves at the same time.”

The specialist who has been practicing this operation for more than 20 years notes that the benefits are still present as we age.

“It’s a long operation to decide which portion of which nerve to cut. But, to see patients make progress, achieve their goals and become productive in society, it’s very pleasant, he confides. It’s positive and it’s long term.”