Lori Lindau

Name: Lori Lindau

Age/Grade: 9 years 0 months; entering 3rd grade

Parents: Rick and Charlene Lindau

Condition: dual sensory impairment and mental retardation

Background: Lori is the only child of Rick and Charlene Lindau, Evangelical Missionaries who returned to the states last year following five years in Namibia. Prior to their time in Namibia, the Lindau's had lived for five years in the highland villages of Guatemala. Early in her pregnancy with Lori, Charlene contracted rubella (although at the time she was unaware of the nature of the disease, nor that she was pregnant at that time). Shortly after birth, Lori was diagnosed with cataracts, which were treated at the clinic in Guatemala City. The Lindau's returned to Huehuetenango in the mountains, unaware that Lori still had other significant disorders.

When Lori had failed to reach major milestones by her third year, the Lindau's grew concerned. During their transfer proceedings form Guatemala to Namibia, the Lindau's took Lori to a children's clinic in Tejas, Mexico. The Lindau's were advised that Lori was legally blind, although the doctors believed she could see colors, shapes, and movement. The doctors also explained that Lori's failure to develop any language was because she was profoundly retarded as a result of Charlene's rubella in the first trimester of her pregnancy. The doctors advised the Lindau's to institutionalize Lori; the Lindau's refused and the family moved to Namibia determined to at least give Lori family love.

When Lori was six, she began to exhibit out-of-control behaviors -- crawling around, constantly in motion, picking up and turning over items, grabbing hold of adults' arms or legs. A doctor suggested she might have hyperactivity and prescribed Ritalin. Early in their last year in Namibia, an education specialist visited the compound and grew interested in Lori, who was almost seven years old and had no language beyond grunts and rough gestures. Through the educator's intervention, the Lindau's discovered that Lori had a significant hearing loss. This discovery of a hearing loss clearly threw the diagnosis of profound mental retardation into great question; however, Lori is still significantly delayed in language, academic, and cognitive development. The Lindau's moved back to the states to give Lori an opportunity for an education.

Comments and Insights

Parents: We can't believe how far Lori has progressed this past year. She has learned to say her name and our names; she can actually tell us she is hungry and if she likes something. I think she even told me she loved me. She is just about completely toilet trained, and is dressing herself properly. She has begun to show some interest in other children at school. It seems possible that she may blossom into a real little girl.

The real problem is that while Lori is gaining some of our language, her father and I really don't know how to communicate with her. For so long, we thought she just couldn't. . . so we didn't even try; we just let her do whatever. . . . Now some folk are even saying that her behaviors were just because she had no communication. Maybe we don't need to use that Reptilian? We always loved her, but we didn't really realize that there was such a complete little girl in there. . . We really need some help; we are just beginning to have hope. . .

Special Education Teacher: Lori was a real learning experience for me. I am still struggling with finding the appropriate communication system for Lori; she can see broad gestures and has learned how to let me know when she can't see what I'm trying to show her. She can get around safely, but misses almost all details. I think she needs a language that is both tactile and motoric. She is learning how to tolerate her hearing aids, but that was a real battle. Perhaps this year we can include glasses. Once we get the communication solved, I'm not so sure there will be many cognitive limits for Lori. Maybe the behavior will stabilize, too.

One other thing, Lori's coordination is developmentally delayed -- especially the gross motor and balance. She has a bit of difficulty with running. I believe we ought to explore some type of physical therapy or perhaps recreational therapy. Who knows, that might even augment her communication.

Regular Education Teacher: I don't know what to do with Lori. She can't hear; well, she may be learning to use the hearing aids, but I don't know. She can't see, except for colors and moving shapes; she will put her face right up to the television any time we have videos of animals -- the bigger and faster, the better. We need some consistent way to communicate with Lori. Oh, yes, she gets into everything (thank heaven for Reptilian); she needs some activity to help her learn responsibility -- some pet, perhaps, something to care for. Something big!

School Psychologist: I can't really get a true estimation of Lori's functional level without a uniform communication system. She has clearly learned many new adaptive behaviors this past year. That fact alone would indicate that the earlier diagnosis of profound retardation is clearly in error. Lori needs intervention in all areas -- communication, recreation, academics, social -- if she is ever to recoup what she has lost. I'm not sure why she was not in school all summer. At the risk of being unethical and in my humble opinion, she does not need medications for behavioral control. She just needs communication and opportunities to learn and use what she is learning.

Speech/Language Pathologist: Lori is a gold mine. There is so much just waiting to come out, but I need help! Lori can produce oral language to a certain degree, but desperately needs to work with someone who can teach sign. For my money, her parents (and teachers) need to learn sign, too -- and how to sign tactually as well. Lori also needs to work with a vision specialist, someone who can help her take advantage of the vision she has. Lori is nine years old and has almost never experienced going out to eat at McDonald's or going to Holiday World; she needs some recreation/leisure training and functional skills development as well.

Neighbor, Stable Owner (invited by parents to be part of IEP Team because Lori spends time with him daily and he seems to be able to get her to do things others cannot): I don't mean to blow my own horn, but. . . whenever Lori is in my stables, she's a different person. I don't know if it's because of me or because of the animals. We don't talk, or course, but the horses seem to know she's special; they are very gentle whenever she's around, and let her pet them. I just take her hand and show her where things are and how to pet or brush them; she learns quick and takes it from there. But, what I wanted to say was I've started to let her help me feed them. . . she carries the bucket, I'll bet she could even feel when the can is full, now that I think of it. . . I even tried to show her how to brush them and she learned faster than you could spit. That gal needs more chances like that to show what she can do.