OT: 7-year-old Holt boy recovering from bathtub burns

[Guest guest]

7-year-old Holt boy recovering from bathtub burns

Lehman has needed skin grafts on more than 50 percent of his

body after burn incident

Florida Freedom Newspapers http://is.gd/apRz

Like most 7-year-olds, Lehman likes to play in the bathtub.

On May 28, the Holt youngster unlocked the bathroom door, ran the bath

water, thought to stop the drain with the bath rug and then stepped in

to play for a while.

has autism. He didn't realize he had run the water on full hot,

nor could he feel it.

After playing for a bit, walked into the living room and sat

next to his father, Tyler, to show his red hands.

As 's mother, Pam, began to wipe down his body, she noticed the

coloring wasn't coming off, but his skin was.

The family immediately headed to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola.

was stabilized in the emergency room while the medical team

working with him searched for a burn hospital that would accept him.

He immediately was airlifted to the ph M. Still Burn Center in

Augusta, Ga., where he has spent the last several months in critical

care unit undergoing multiple surgeries to help heal his burns. He has

undergone skin grafts on more than 50 percent of his body, most

recently on his heel.

He spent three months on a ventilator and in an induced coma so he

would not fight the ventilator or try to pull off the skin grafts.

Pam has spent the entire time at 's bedside in the burn unit,

leaving her husband, mother and stepfather behind to care for Josh's

two siblings.

She was given a place to stay by the Southern Firefighter's Burn

Foundation. Tyler and the family make the seven-hour drive to Augusta

as often as possible, but months go by between visits.

" All in all, we're doing OK, " Pam said the day after Thanksgiving. " My

other kids had trouble to begin with, but now they are resigned to the

fact mom's not home and isn't going to be home for a while.

" At first when they couldn't tell me if he was going to live, that's

when it was hardest. Now that () is OK and is going to be OK ...

all in all, we're doing fine. "

already faced a lifetime of issues before the accident.

Typically, the family spends several hours a week in therapy for gross

motor skills, language development and basic skills assessments.

's behavioral therapy has stopped many times, due to traveling

distances to and from his therapists and financial restraints.

's mother is now a full-time mom, leaving her job behind to care

for and his two brothers.

will face many more surgeries and countless hours of physical

therapy to help him with his full recovery from his accident. Once

these scars have healed, his therapy for autism recovery will continue

with hopes that there will be improvement in all areas of affected

skill level.

is still in the Burn Unit recovering from his injuries.

will be in a wheelchair because the burns left him unable to bear

weight on his legs. Pam said doctors think he will walk again, but it

will be a while.

The family is hopeful that he and his mother will be home before

Christmas before likely heading off to a hospital in ville for

further rehabilitation.

" I hope they let us have a little outpatient visit, " Pam said.

" Because I have other kids and I hope we can all be together for

Christmas. "

WANT TO HELP?

A fund has been established for Lehman at Wachovia Bank in care

of his parents, Pam and Tyler Lehman. Donations will be greatly

appreciated to offset medical expenses not covered by insurance.

Contact Wachoiva Bank for details.