ABOUT BATTEN DISEASE: Batten Disease is a rare genetic disease that effects 2 to 4 of every 100 000 births in the United States annually. Generally symptoms begin with a loss of vision and seizures. Over time, affected children suffer mental impairment, worsening seizures, and progressive loss of sight and motor skills. Eventually, children with Batten Disease become blind, bedridden and unable to communicate. There is no known cure at this time and it is always fatal. Batten Disease is not contagious or, at this time, preventable.

REASON FOR TREATMENT: When Curtis was born, there was nothing to suggest he was anything but a healthy and normal boy. When Curtis was 3 years old, his parents began to notice changes in his speech. He also began to have what looked like epileptic seizures. He was medicated for his seizures and initially diagnosed with epilepsy. Curtis' condition however just seemed to be getting worse and finally, in April of 2007, he was diagnosed with Batten disease. Doctors gave Curtis few years to live and no hope of recovery. Curtis's parents decided not to give up hope, after a long research for treatment options, they chose to came to Beijing for Cell Therapy treatment.


BEGINNING OF TREATMENT: January 7th, 2008

TREATMENT: 4 Cell Therapy injections via lumbar puncture + nutritious Cell Therapy cocktail treatment (intravenous).

CONDITION BEFORE THE TREATMENT: 
See Videos: before1

The first symptom Curtis exhibited was a problem with his speech. On arrival in China, this had progressed to the point that he did not speak at all. Donna, Curtis¡¯s mother, said that sometimes he would suddenly surprise them with a word or two but that he was otherwise silent. Curtis also suffered from seizures which were somewhat controlled with medications. Eating had become impossible for Curtis and when he arrived in China, he was dependent on a feeding tube in order to receive the daily nutrition he needed. The difficulties in swallowing also made him drool frequently. Curtis had lost his ability to walk and his parents and caregivers would carry him or take him out in a stroller. While he was in his room he would mostly stay in his bed. He had also lost most of his eye sight and while he seemed to sometimes be able to follow movement, he was largely unresponsive to visual stimulus.
Curtis mother found it difficult to make him smile or show much emotion at all.

AFTER THE TREATMENT: 
See Videos: after1,  after2

During and after the treatment Curtis mother Donna noticed small but encouraging changes:
The biggest change was that Curtis began to show emotional responses, which he hasn¡¯t done for a long time. Curtis started smiling and laughing more, and in general ? was more responsive to the people around him.  He was also more vocal than he had been before, although he still was not expressing words.
During the Cell Therapy treatment Curtis started to get more control of his swallowing and was not drooling by the end of treatment.
Curtis was also getting stronger after the Cell Therapy treatment and had regained some strength in his neck and legs.
After returning back home from Beijing, Curtis's physiotherapist kept monitoring his condition and reported that there are improvements in Curtis's mobility and strength.  At the end of the treatment Curtis's mother is already considering coming back for another treatment, determined to provide Curtis with anything that can slow down the progression of the disease in hope that few years down the road a cure for Batten disease will be found.