News spread quickly this week about a Belgium man who suffered 23 years unable to speak but able to hear doctors who misdiagnosed him as being in a coma, and later in a vegetative state.
Rom Houben is finally able to communicate, thanks to a brain scan — and thanks to his mother never giving up her skepticism about his poor prognosis after he was hurt in a car crash. She eventually was able to find someone who tested him with a specialized brain scan and found his brain function almost normal, according to the Associated Press.
That brain scan was about three years ago, but Houben’s tale was just recently reported in a scientific study.
See news coverage about his experience:
The Associated Press: Rom Houben uses a touchscreen to describe the “utter powerlessness” he experienced; his neuropsychologist says his condition is a form of “locked-in syndrome” in which people are unable to speak or move but can think and reason.
BBC News: See a video of Rom Houben using a touchscreen to communicate, along with a photo of him as a young man before his accident.
Source: syracuse.com/
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