Former Top Skater Irene Schouten Has Shared Details About the Health Situation of Her, Dirk. “We are happy with every step he takes,” Says the three-time Olympic Skating Champion in an interview with ad .
Dirk Has Been Diagnosed with a Severe Form of Epilepsy and A Rare Genetic Mutation, which he will suffer from for the rest of his life. This causes developmental problems, for example. Accordance to Schouten, it Therefore makes no sense to look at the development of other babies. “They can sit well and do all sorts of things after nine months. Dirk Cannot lift his head properly yet.”
Yet She Remains Hopeful. “The Care You Receive in The Netherlands is very good. So who knows, Dirk May take a few more steps. We are happy with every step he takes.” But she immediately adds a caveat. “He will never function if we do.”
Schouten, from North Holland, cool birth to her first child at the end of last year, after ending her impressive skating career in February 2024. Shortly before that, Schouten won three world titles and a Silver World Championship Medal.
Two months after Becoming a Mother, She Surprisingly Returned to Marathon Skating, But She Stopped Setting Up Her Own Team Due to the Health of Her Son Dirk.
Schouten Received Criticism for stopping Marathon Team
Schouten Says in an interview with the newspaper that they initially recurred critical reactions after pulling the plug on her own marathon team. “Then I had to carefully reveal that Dirk’s Health was not entirely good. I think people understand it now.”
“When Dirk was Just Born, Everyone Said: He will definitely skate. But we are not thinking about that at all. If he can just keep up with society a little bit. Which will already be diffired.”
Schouten Comes from a Large Family and had a desire for children for some time. She also emphasizes that there are good moments. “When you’re just lying with him, I Still Somtimes Think: There’s Nothing Wrong With Him.”