A two-year-old autistic girl has defied all odds and taken her first steps – despite doctors warning she would likely never be able to walk.
Keira Hockley, from the Sunshine Coast, was born with a rare and incurable viral infection called Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV).
The young girl is profoundly deaf, has a development delay and non-verbal autism, and was told she might never walk unaided as a result of the virus.
But last week her mother Danielle Hockley, who also acts as Keira’s full-time carer, shared a video of her daughter taking her first ever unassisted steps.
Keira Hockley (pictured), from the Sunshine Coast, was born with an incurable viral infection Congenital cytomegalovirus
In a heart-warming social media post Danielle expressed her utter joy at her daughter’s amazing achievement.
‘So proud right now of our daughter’s achievements. We never knew if Keira would be able to walk or talk and this video alone is proving them wrong. Keira WILL walk, she WILL run and cause havoc,’ she wrote.
‘We love you Keira! Keep up the good work baby girl,’ she added.
Describing the miraculous moment Keira took her first steps, Danielle said she was ‘over the moon’.
Danielle (pictured left) said they hoped to teach her to balance and to teach Keira (pictured right) to communicate
In a heart-warming social media post Danielle (pictured right) expressed her utter joy at her daughter’s (pictured left) amazing achievements
‘I ran outside and asked someone to film it for me, without her physio she wouldn’t have been able to do it,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
Despite the uncertainty of whether or not Keira would be able to walk, Danielle persevered and took Keira to see a physiotherapist twice a week for over two years.
‘We’d been trying to get her to walk… that moment, we’d been waiting for such a long time, and we didn’t know if it was going to happen,’ Danielle explained.
And now little Keira won’t stop walking.
‘We took her to a shopping centre last night and we just let her run free. She was so happy and laughing,’ Danielle said.
‘She’s so happy and proud of herself, you can see it in her eyes,’ she added.
Danielle has also set-up a GoFundMe page which will help to raise funds for Hydrotherapy (Keira pictured in the water)
Keira’s first steps were even more of a miracle as doctors had previously said they didn’t know if she would have the ability to walk.
‘They said they didn’t know [if she would ever walk unaided], and they had no idea what she would be capable of.
‘It’s different with every child,’ Danielle said.
The family have been taking every day as it comes since they first found out about the infection.
‘We found out [Keira had CMV] when I was pregnant at 37 weeks, and I had to be induced,’ Danielle said.
‘As soon as she was born she had a blood test which confirmed she had the infection, and she was put on anti-viral medication for six months.
‘I was absolutely devastated when I found out. It’s been never ending hurdles ever since.
Danielle (pictured left), who also has a five-year-old boy and a six-year-old boy, said Keira’s (pictured centre) older brothers were ‘amazing’ with her
‘But we had to come together as a family and pull together,’ she said.
Danielle said she had ‘absolutely no idea what CMV was’ before she was informed by doctor’s.
She said despite the infection actually being ‘quite common’ it’s not normally tested for during pregnancy unless something is wrong.
Danielle has set-up a Facebook page which documents Keira’s brave journey and raises awareness for CMV.
‘We’ve had so many parents contact us. It’s a good way to bounce questions off each other and have someone else to speak to,’ she said.
Danielle preserved and took Keira (pictured) to see a physio therapist twice a week for over two years
Danielle said she was ‘over the moon’ when Keira (pictured left) first walked, but the family had faced ‘never-ending hurdles’ since they discovered her diagnosis
Danielle also has two sons, who are five and six years old, and said Keira’s older brothers are ‘amazing’ with her.
‘They’re both amazing. They understand she needs help and they know they need to concentrate on the noises she makes so work out what she needs.
‘It’s great, they explain about Keira to their friends and they really do look after her,’ she said.
Danielle said in the future they hope to teach Keira how to balance and to teach her how to communicate.
Danielle has also set-up a GoFundMe page which will help to raise funds for Hydrotherapy sessions for Keira.
Hydrotherapy is a part of alternative medicine, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy which involves the use of water for pain relief and treatment.