Welcome
FS: Orion Withrow

FAMILY SPOTLIGHT:

MEET ORION WITHROW

Orion is a snowy haired five-year old with an infectious smile. His family moved from Maryland to Austin, Texas in 2012, when Orion was 2 years old. They moved because they found Austin offered programs and appropriate educational opportunities for all three of their children. Orion and his older brother, Skyler, who is deaf, are enrolled at the Texas School for the Deaf. Anastasia, Orion’s older sister, who is hearing, attends a public school in the family’s neighborhood. Orion’s dog, an adorable Chihuahua who is deaf, stays home and enjoys the wonderful Austin climate.

Orion’s mom, Heather, summed up their move and experience in the DeafBlind community this way, “Our friend-family just grew and grew, not just by where we live but where we’ve been.” Heather has many musings, stories, pictures and movies of Orion to be enjoyed on her blog, “A Mom’s Musings.”

From Orion’s Mom, Heather Withrow:

“O-T”, also known as Orion Theodore,
Took his first breath the evening of July 19, 2010,
Long and lean with snowy white hair and lashes,
Ice-melting smile, rich laughter,
Has a self-amusing sense of humor,
Little brother of Skyler and Anastasia,
Youngest son of Thomas and Heather,
All relocated to Austin from Metro DC Maryland,
His family is Deaf except for his sister,
Profoundly deaf and only his right eye has some light perception,
Plastic jewels we call scleral shells goes over his micro eyes,
Wears white bilateral cochlear implants that frequently fall off,
Enjoys hearing danceable music, rhythm and voices, vocalizing his own sounds,
Predictable tickles, swinging and wind in his hair bring giggles and happy feet,
Would welcome eating cupcake after cupcake with his own hands,
Learns through experience, routines, thus object symbols, touch cues and then tactile signs,
His body does not follow the conventional 24-hour day,
Often stays/wakes up at night “partying” at Mom and Dad’s expense,
He has mild osteopetrosis, also known as dense bones,
Although he can sit, he loves to lay around and lean on people,
He will explore objects within reach,
Especially HOLES,
We need to help him learn to get up, down, crawl and walk,
In spite of loud crying objections during physical therapy,So he can have stronger bones and muscles
And then explore his world some more!