Ariel Coover

Ariel Coover has Canavan Disease. Canavan is a progressive, degenerative brain disease for which there is no cure or effective treatment. Death usually occurs within the first decade of life though there are some who have lived into adolescence and early adulthood. Children affected with Canavan usually have very low muscle tone especially in the neck which results in poor head control. These kids generally develop feeding and swallowing difficulties,seizures,blindness, and respiratory problems. Ariel has extremely poor head control. She has swallowing difficulties and respiratory issues.. She has seizures.She can see although it is hard to determine exactly what she sees.. She has her own special way of communicating with certain arm movements, vocalizing, smiling , and crying. Her sheer determination is truly an inspiration. When she works, she works very hard. Shes a clown. She loves to play little games . She likes to wear bows in her hair. Shes a girly girl. She loves music and singing. Potty noises are absolutely hilarious. Shes a daddys girl.Shes a mommys girl. Shes a Dylans girl. She knows her people and she prefers them over any others. Her personality shines. She is stubborn. She loves aquatic therapy. She brings her hands together for all done as soon as the therapists come in .She likes the sound of crumpling tissue paper.Sometimes she is lazy. She is beautiful.She thinks patty cake is awesome. She likes spongebob only because Dylan does. She likes to play with Dylans trucks. She likes to hold her big toes up in the air. She likes to suck on her pacifier especially when she is tired. Her favorite toy is a top. She listens to lullabyes when she goes to sleep at night. She has big, brown eyes and she thinks its funny if you call them her "brownies".She loves to go for walks in her stroller. If its noisy she probably likes it. She likes to watch the shows on Noggin. She is loved. She likes to go to Wal-Mart.She likes to take a bath .She thinks its funny when you call her stinky butt. She likes to swing. She likes to blow spit bubbles. She likes to hear me count to ten. She thinks its funny when Dylan gets in trouble. She has unruly dark blonde curly hair. She has long fingers. She likes princesses. She sleeps with a little mermaid Ariel doll.She likes to lay down on her couch. She likes car rides.She loves to be held close and cuddled. She likes to get in bed with Daddy on Sunday mornings. Her favorite color is purple. If you ask nicely she might show you her "buckeys" (teeth). She looks like her older sister, Amber ,who died from Canavan. She loves with all her heart and soul. Ariel Coover has Canavan Disease but Canavan Disease does NOT have her!