Students in the School of Health Sciences are among a group of 30 volunteers who are helping a local family with a severely disabled son.

Grayson Vernon, a two-year old boy from Hamden, Conn., was born prematurely with a severe form of epilepsy, cortical visual impairment and is developmentally delayed. He is unable to crawl, walk or even sit up by himself. His family decided to try an intensive therapy program, which includes working Grayson's limbs to simulate crawling, called "patterning," to teach his brain what those movements feel like.

It requires three adults to work with Grayson for about 45 minutes, three times a day, seven days a week, holding his body in place and helping him to "crawl," and then placing him on an incline plane and encouraging him to move forward.

School of Health Sciences Dean Ed O'Connor heard about the family and passed the information along to students. Many volunteered to help out, including senior occupational therapy major Kristin Palmisano, who serves as volunteer coordinator. She maintains the schedule, making sure there's always someone around for the thrice-daily patterning programs. She and Grayson's mother, Dina, are in daily e-mail contact, juggling the schedule and figuring things out.

Leia Sturtevant, a sophomore in the occupational therapy program, comes once a week for a few hours to help out. "I just want to be here to do what I can," she says. "Sometimes, that means playing with Ava and sometimes it means working with Grayson." Grayson's twin sister, Ava, was also born prematurely, but is in perfect health.

Silvia Ullrich, a family friend of the Vernons, says she sees a huge difference in the progress Grayson has made. "He was completely lethargic when I first started coming here back in May," she says. "Now his face changes. He doesn't cry as much, and he wiggles his arms. He can eat regular food instead of being fed through the (gastrointestinal) tube."

Read the front-page story that appeared in the New Haven Register.