Child with Cerebral Palsy Reaches Huge Milestone

Kiley Griggs, a 3-year-old with cerebral palsy, is learning to ride a horse.

Kiley, who will turn 4 this month, lives in the New Port Richey area with her mother, Lori, a Rushe Midde School teacher, and father Jason “Jay” Griggs, a Dunedin firefighter.

She is enrolled in equine therapy at Kiddy Up! Farms, a New Port Richey area business that provides equine therapy to children with disabilities.

On Wednesday, Kiley’s mother let folks on the Kiley's Progress Facebook page know about a big step Kiley has taken in therapy.

Here's what she had to say:

HUGE milestone! Kiley rode, for a few seconds, ALL BY HERSELF!!!!! Lots of tears from this one. 

She posted video of the occasion on the Facebook page.

Kiley’s parents dream of the Kiley being able to walk on her own some day. She can’t now. Even sitting up is a problem.

Her parents have pinned their hopes on another therapy that they think can  help her along the path to reaching the goal of walking. It's an intensive treatement called TheraSuit Therapy, which helps increase muscle strength, flexibilty, coordination and range of motion.

Kiley has completed two 15-day regimens of intensive TheraSuit Therapy and is scheduled for more.

The Griggs have funded TheraSuit Therapy, which isn't covered by their insurance, with money they won after taking home the grand prize in the National Upromise Dream Wall sweepstakes a year ago. They also won money from Disney’s I Heart My Family Contest to help with funding the therapy. They also are using money from a fundraiser from earlier this year to help fund the therapy.

See also:

'God Bless These Little Legs'

Pasco Parents Dream of Their Child Walking

Rushe Teacher 1 Step Closer to Dream Of Seeing Her Daughter Walk

TheraSuit Therapy Puts Child on the Path to Success

Learn more about Kiddy Up, which opened this year: Kiddy Up Teaches Kids with Disabilities to Ride Horses