A Minnesota boy who received custom made glasses with a specialty strap system to fit his disabilities can now see with ease.
Eight-year-old Bentley Erikson was born with a birth defect called microtia, which prohibits the ear from fully forming properly, and his mom told ABC News affiliate KSET that along with other complex medical conditions and vision problems, her son struggled to find glasses that stayed on his head.
"I did what all moms do, I thought I could fix this, and I bought $250 worth of crafting supplies and tried to 'mom engineer' something," Kris Erikson said.
So Erikson turned to Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare in St. Paul that specializes in designing and building orthotic and prosthetic devices in a wide range of sizes for children.
Gillette crafted an orthotics piece that fit seamlessly around Bentley's shunt and hearing aid that could sit comfortably over his head.
"They dream it up," Erikson said.
"Although we see many patients with similar diagnoses such as cerebral palsy, each product we deliver is customized to the needs of each individual patient," Bradley Fisher, manager of the OPS department for Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare told ABC News. "It’s great to help a kid like Bentley achieve something as simple as wearing glasses, an ability many of us take for granted.”
Gillette's Orthotics, Prosthetics and Seating Department has 18 locations throughout Minnesota and books 2,500 appointments a month.
Fisher added that Gillette Children's "believe in patient centered care" and do their best "to find creative solutions" for each unique patient.
