What matters to Emma is the moment. Nothing else.
Photo essay for freundin magazine
Emma was born with Phelan-McDermid syndrome. The six-year-old is one of 3,000 known cases worldwide. A look at the life of a family with a special child.
Emma cannot speak and has the cognitive abilities of a one- to two-year-old; mentally, she will likely never progress beyond the preschool stage.
Equine therapy — The session with Strolchy the pony is Emma's highlight of the week
“Since the diagnosis, Emma's mother, Sandra, has been working only 20 hours a week, spread over four days. She spends the rest of her time helping the ambitious Emma stick to her training schedule—which is a full-time job in itself: physical therapy, occupational therapy, and equine therapy, as well as sessions with a speech therapist.”
Emma's older brother Paul still has to do his homework — preferably before Emma gets back from daycare
“Even with an extra 100,000 euros a year in salary, Emma still won’t be able to speak,” says Sandra. Since Emma’s diagnosis, her values have changed and her priorities have shifted.
Emma loves chaos. As long as she's going against the grain
“When Emma breaks something — which happens regularly—her mother no longer gets angry like she used to. Instead, she has learned to let Emma’s eternal childlike spirit rub off on her.”
Emma cannot speak, but she can communicate or understand the simplest things using picture cards
Emma cannot speak and has the cognitive abilities of a one- to two-year-old; mentally, she will likely never progress beyond the preschool stage.
Equine therapy — The session with Strolchy the pony is Emma's highlight of the week
“Since the diagnosis, Emma's mother, Sandra, has been working only 20 hours a week, spread over four days. She spends the rest of her time helping the ambitious Emma stick to her training schedule—which is a full-time job in itself: physical therapy, occupational therapy, and equine therapy, as well as sessions with a speech therapist.”
Emma's older brother Paul still has to do his homework — preferably before Emma gets back from daycare
“Even with an extra 100,000 euros a year in salary, Emma still won’t be able to speak,” says Sandra. Since Emma’s diagnosis, her values have changed and her priorities have shifted.
Emma loves chaos. As long as she's going against the grain
“When Emma breaks something — which happens regularly—her mother no longer gets angry like she used to. Instead, she has learned to let Emma’s eternal childlike spirit rub off on her.”
Emma cannot speak, but she can communicate or understand the simplest things using picture cards
