metro

Completing The Puzzle

Sensory integration work helps unlock a child's full potential.

Karen Schultz Tarnopol I Contributing Writer

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

West Bloomfield, which recently celebrat-
ed its 20th anniversary.
Aryeh, 10, is the fourth of six children
of Dr. Lawrence and Dora Kurz of Oak
Park, who also have Shoshana, 19, Molly,
15, Avi, 13, Noam, 9, and Nesanel, 5. Dora
knew early on that Aryeh was different
from her other children. She knew he
needed help and, despite years of research
and exploring different avenues, she didn't
know how to help him. Yet she knew in
her heart that somebody did.
"Aryeh was my child that I never under-
stood from the time he was a baby," Dora
said. "My other kids liked to be swaddled,
for instance, and Aryeh had to be held
backwards and never close. By the first
grade, he had social and behavioral issues

12

June 6 • 2013

— some we eventually learned he had no
control over.
"I think I lived in the principal's office.
He didn't smile, and I used to feel like
at any second he was going to explode,
but I never knew when. He was not a
happy child. Aryeh is a really good kid,
but I never understood my Aryeh," Dora
explained.
It wasn't until Aryeh's psychologist asked
if they had done sensory testing that a
light bulb went off.
"I read a book about how to understand
my sensory child, and I thought the book
was written for Aryeh," Dora said. "We
took him to Kaufman to be tested and,
while I watched, I burst out crying because
he was failing every test. I finally began to
understand Aryeh."
When Aryeh first arrived for treatment,

he had no muscle tone and
Aryeh recently got
Occupational therapist
no confidence. "My son is in
straight As on his report
Chris Purgatori throws
sports now; he loves sports!
card from Yeshiva Beth
an object in the air
We joke that his muscles came for Aryeh Kurz, 10, to
Yehudah in Southfield. He
from Mr. Chris"
also joined the choir and
catch while riding on
Chris Purgatori, MOT,
spoke in front of 2,500 peo-
sensory integration
OTRL, also known as "Mr.
ple at a school dinner.
equipment at Kaufman
"I know I am doing better
Chris," is Aryeh's tireless occu- Children's Center. This
in school" Aryeh said, add-
pational therapist. Just watch- exercise helps Aryeh
ing proudly that "giving the
ing the two of them "play"
with his motor skills
would wear some people out.
speech was awesome:'
and coordination.
"In the year we have been
"I feel better, and I am
seeing Aryeh, he has made
surrounded by kids at
tremendous gains, and the biggest com-
school. I don't have to worry about being a
weakling anymore. I like playing baseball
ponent of his gains is the confidence
he exudes. Before he was shy and didn't
and catch sometimes with my brothers,
branch out a lot, and now he tells me
and I like to play basketball, too:'
about the games he plays with friends and
Dora added with a big smile, "Mr. Chris
how much fun he has at school: Purgatori
gave him that confidence. We could have
explained.
never imagined that Aryeh would have the