Girl’s Stolen Assistive Device Replaced

Ciaran Neiman, 7, a second-grader with special needs at Marquez Elementary School has had her Tobii assistive device replaced after it was assumed stolen in early October of last year.

The device went missing during the morning routine of helping Ciaran onto the school bus from her wheelchair, Ciaran’s mother Shannon Neiman told the Palisadian-Post.

The Post placed articles in the paper and on social media about the theft and the family put up posters around the neighborhood asking whoever took the device to return it “no questions asked.”

After the device failed to be returned, Marquez provided the family with a loaner device until its replacement arrived in February.

The device is helpful to Ciaran, who contracted Ecoli 0157:H7 from an unknown source a few weeks after her second birthday, said Shannon.

“Most cases of E. coli do not cause disease, but rare virulent strains such as the one Ciaran contracted cause HUS (Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome).

This in turn caused strokes to Ciaran’s basal ganglia center of the brain, which controls movement and coordination,” Shannon explained.

“Ciaran understands everything a typical 7-year-old understands and she is working very hard every day to regain her movement and speech,” she added.

Like the missing device, Ciaran’s new replacement is similar in appearance to a tablet and is attached to her wheelchair by an arm that allows it to sit at eye level.

This is important because Ciaran operates the device with her eyes using its eye tracker.

“The device is for people with special needs who have limited movement but have great eye movement. It has given them the freedom to speak, socialize and be able to communicate what they want,” Shannon said.

With her device, Ciaran can communicate like a typical seven-year-old: ask for snacks, talk to her parents, watch a movie, read, play games and even take pictures. With the assistance of a full-time aid, Ciaran also uses the device in the classroom.

Ciaran is in a typical class of about 19 children and loves to read, swim, go to the beach, and hang out with family and friends.

“It’s with her at all times at school and at home,” Shannon said.