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Vol. 129 No. 2 Friday, March 18, 2011 Minnedosa, Manitoba Canada R0J 1E0 90 cents + tax

Service Dog needed for Griffin

By AMANDA BOYD

T hree-year-old Grif-
fin Bugg is one of the
happiest little boys you
will ever meet. He loves
to laugh and is a constant
joy for his parents, Michael
and Sondra. Despite his
easy demeanour, Griffin
has had to face more chal-
lenges than many of us
will have to face in a life-
time. In late 2010, Griffin
was diagnosed with a rare
genetic disorder known as
isolated lissencephaly, or
‘smooth brain.’
Lissencephaly is called
smooth brain because
Griffin’s brain literally ap-
pears smooth; it does not
have any of the usual folds
and grooves. This causes
seizures, low tone and
developmental delays. It
takes a very long time for
most children with lissen-
cephaly to reach their de-
velopmental milestones,
and they may not be able
to walk or talk.
To help with his de-
layed development, Griffin
undergoes occupational
therapy, physiotherapy,
speech therapy and child
development; all of which
come to the house on a
regular basis to work with Photo by Amanda Boyd
him. In the last week he Sondra Bugg plays with her three-year-old son, Griffin. Griffin has been diagnosed with Lissencephaly,
has started learning how a rare genetic disorder that causes seizures and developmental delays.
to sit up on his own; a feat
both of his parents are ex-
Sondra works from He needs full time support Griffin’s disorder also medication to help him
tremely proud of. “We’ve
home so Griffin is safe and and his therapists need to prevents his body from sleep. “It’s hard,” Sondra Continued
been working on that for
comfortable. This makes have access to him, so an- falling asleep, even when remarked on these chal- on Page 8
two years,” said Sondra
it easier for his therapists other home daycare is not he’s extremely tired, and lenges.
with a smile.
to visit and work with him. an option. his parents must give him

We will eliminate the confusion and 2I¿FH+RXUV

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