Jonah is 6 years old and was diagnosed with Epilepsy in 2018. Since then, he has also been diagnosed with Apraxia of Speech, other developmental delays, and some anxiety. In October of 2022, we learned that Jonah’s Epilepsy falls into the category of Lennox-Gastout Syndrome. LGS is rare and those diagnosed don’t typically outgrow it. Patients like Jonah dealing with LGS have different seizures types and have a hard time with seizure control.

A service dog will help Jonah gain some independence and a better quality of life. Some places or events are a little overwhelming for Jonah sometimes causing seizures. Things as simple as school or even a trip to the grocery store. He averages about 2 seizures per month. He’s had them while sleeping, playing, eating, taking a bath, riding in the car - he’s had them at school. He’s had seizures where he just shakes, some absent seizures, and a handful of seizures where he would quit breathing. A service dog will alert us to a seizure, retrieve his medications, and keep him calm using pressure therapy. 

At first we were skeptical of how a service dog would help… until we were at an event, Jonah got overwhelmed and went into seizures. We thought he was stable enough to get to the car and tried making our way home. On the way to the car, another seizure happened and we stopped - luckily close to a paramedic setup. While they were checking him out, a lady that we had talked to earlier that day walked up. She was at the event training a therapy dog. She asked if she could lay the dog on Jonah - we said sure thinking it may make him happy and help him come around. She carefully laid the dog on Jonah and in no time, he was smiling and hugging this pup - then we thought it just may be worth it!

His doctors have done many tests and believe that he has quite a bit going on and is unlikely to outgrow the epilepsy. He has gone through medications that have made him sick to the point of missing a dose because he couldn’t keep it down. Medication changes also come when he grows as his weight changes. 

With Jonah’s epilepsy, his seizures are complex. Sometimes, he will have absent seizures, sometimes convulsive, and at other times - he will vomit a few times, lose strength in his legs, and his temperature will drop quickly (it’s gotten as low as 92°).  His seizures also change as he grows - when he was younger, he would have a fever after the seizure (this changed to the temp drops in the summer of 2022).

We have amazing family, friends, doctors, therapists, and teachers supporting us on our adventure… we couldn’t be more blessed! 

Thank you for your support 💜