Team Kye

Kyelynn was born with Dravet Syndrome, a condition characterized by having seizures of a variety of types.  Kye had her first seizure at just four months old. Initially, doctors thought her seizures were triggered by an elevated body temperature and she would grow out of them. Sadly, Dravet Syndrome is a disease that originates in childhood and never fades. It typically arises from a “de novo”  mutation in the gene for an ion channel that is important in the brain. Since the mutations originate uniquely in each child, the presentation of a child’s seizures may vary and medications are often ineffective. As a result, children with Dravet Syndrome find ways to live with the disease rather than fight it.

For Kye, that meant getting a service dog, named London. London, was matched with her in 2014 and has been her faithful companion ever since.  London is a multipurpose/seizure service dog, meaning she is trained to detect seizures before even Kye may recognize them as well as perform many tasks to improve Kye’s functioning in everyday life.  These include providing tracking and security for Kye, enabling her mobility, and helping to regulate behavioral disruptions caused by Dravet Syndrome. Most importantly, London is Kye’s constant companion, providing friendship, something that is often challenging to obtain for children with a consuming medical condition.

In many ways London rescues Kye from the challenges of living with Dravet’s Syndrome. You could say London inspired Kye’s tenth birthday celebration which was Paw Patrol themed. Paw Patrol is a television series about rescue dogs who work together to help keep their community safe. She celebrated with London, her family, and a special Paw Patrol cake. The cake was created by Sugar Angel Sarah Antonowski at Saucy Little Redhead 3D Cakes.

You can follow Kye’s story at Team Kye’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TeamKyeFanPage/.

Submitted by contributing Blogger Molly Sargen.