Category - Health

Our son is fully aware that his little sister is different. He knows about her chromosomal disorder and her cognitive and medical challenges. He understands the implications of the R-Word and he’s aware of the range of physical disabilities that exist for so many people. He has been aptly schooled. We’ve shared Avery’s diagnosis and prognosis with him little by little. It’s like sex education that way — you want to provide enough information to prepare your child for what lies ahead, but you don’t want to bombard them with too much, too soon. He is basically up to speed when it comes to his sibling’s cognitive and physical challenges, or so we thought. I honestly assumed he already knew about her pinky fingers. Avery has a genetic condition called Clinodactyly.   Clinodactyly is the sideways bending of a finger joint. It is often caused by an abnormally shaped bone within the finger.  The pinky finger is most commonly affected.     This condition is usually heredity, but in our daughter’s case it’s a result of her genetic abnormality. My best friend actually noticed Avery’s “shorter than average” pinky fingers before I did. That’s a story in itself which I’ll share another time. […]