KIDS CAN PEDIATRIC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

What an incredible loving group Kids Can is! My son started this process nervous and closed off and in such a short time, we saw results we could have never imagined...and it was his favorite part of his week. I never imagined getting a call so soon that he no longer needs to attend but the work done was done so well and with so much love

Emily at Kids Can is a rock star! When [name withheld] began OT in fall 2017 at 17 years old he had a long list of diagnoses which despite years of doctors and therapies had only gotten worse. Added to his autism and Tourette’s was a form of ticcing that would last for days and had even resulted in hospitalization. Since [name withheld] was unable to predict the attacks he had become a recluse. Emily immediately saw what no one else ever had! [name withheld] had an undiagnosed vestibular condition that was drastically affecting every area of his life. Tasks that so many of us take for granted such as standing still, turning your head from side to side and even laying down created such a devastating imbalance the only way [name withheld] body could stabilize was to severely tic. Emily’s gentleness and sincere understanding of the problem has changed [name withheld] life! She developed a plan just for him and progress was immediately noticeable. In the span of a year my son went from his whole world consisting of his room with almost no outside contact to eagerly diving into new and challenging experiences. Over the summer 2018, [name withheld] went tubing on the lake, hiked on uneven ground, and even climbed on a wall to look into a ravine at Tallulah Falls. There aren’t words for the happiness you feel when you see your child feeling confident! We’ve got more work ahead of us as [name withheld] sensory issue isn’t limited to vestibular. He also has olfactory, visual, and auditory issues and Emily has created plans for it all. Excited doesn’t begin to describe how we feel about the road ahead of us. After years of being “stuck in the mud” we have finally gained traction and we couldn’t have done it without Kids Can!

I just want to tell you how impressed I have been with Emily so far. She is so knowledgeable on the topic of sensory defensiveness and has spent extra time preparing to meet [name withheld] today. She asked me ahead of time what makes [name withheld] light up. I shared with her we are planning a glow in the dark birthday sleepover for her. Emily told [name withheld] at their intro that at some point they are going to play a glow in the dark game. [name withheld] smiled so big...makes my heart happy to work with someone who is so passionate and cares as much as I do about making a connection. Thanks for everything so far. I’m very impressed.

My 5-year-old son, [name withheld], has been at Kids Can for almost 2 years. To say that occupational therapy at Kids Can has changed our lives is an understatement. We didn’t know anything about sensory integration therapy, but we were at our wits end with our sweet child; we were willing to do anything! Our therapist, Rachael, has been absolutely incredible. She not only has the patience of a saint, but she equipped my husband and me with the tools we need to help [name withheld] be as successful as possible in OT. We made very small changes in how we parent and added some OT techniques to our daily routine. [name withheld] has made wonderful strides! Before OT, [name withheld] was anxious and unpredictable. Fun things like birthday parties stressed us out beyond belief. But after just a few months, we noticed a HUGE change in [name withheld]. He was less anxious, and we could predict and therefore anticipate his behavior. Kids Can not only helped [name withheld], they helped our entire family. We are forever indebted to the wonderful therapists at Kids Can!

Our 6.5 year old was initially diagnosed at 4 years old with fine motor delays and sensory processing disorder. After spending several months receiving services in a hospital setting, we decided to switch to Kids Can. This was a life changing decision...he made more progress in 1 month at Kids Can than he did in the six months at the other therapy office. As time marched on, our son was eventually also diagnosed with ADHD & dyslexia. We have worked with two therapists over the course of 3 years and we love them both. The therapists spend so much time explaining occupational therapy, their process, and specifically how it relates to your child. What was initially a series of very overwhelming diagnoses, became manageable largely due to our therapists. In addition to working with our son, they have taken the time to teach us useful tools to use at home and school. They have helped us develop and implement accommodations for school as well as a behavior system for home. Our son’s needs have shifted over time and our therapists have been by our side the entire time. They have the ability to connect with our child when many others can not. In addition to being gifted occupational therapists, they are also kind, compassionate people. We wholeheartedly recommend Kids Can and would gladly talk to any parents that might like a parent perspective.

Kids Can has helped our two girls (ages 7 and 6) tremendously over the past 2-1/2 years with their knowledge and experience of issues related to ADHD and sensory integration. Emily Venable has not only been a patient therapist for our children, but also has been a great resource for educating us on how to deal with these issues. We continue to see improvements in our children in areas such as body awareness and auditory processing. We would recommend Kids Can to any parent who has children with similar needs.

Hi Robbyn, I wanted to thank you and Emily for all of the hard work and amazing improvements with [name withheld]. Initially the recommendation for OT was only for dysgraphia, but after speaking with you about an assessment, I realized that there was so much more rehab potential for him. The improvements in his balance, motor movements, sensory integration and overall confidence and satisfaction with himself are wonderful. We didn’t know how difficult things were in his mind, and the education for us as parents has been terribly helpful. It has been astonishing to have watched him progress over the 18 months of therapy, and enjoy the positive changes for [name withheld]. He began with Sensory Integration issues that we were aware of on some level, but no one had identified why he was having difficulty with simple things like background noise in the school cafeteria and his experiences in the hallways while changing classes. As Emily worked with him step by step, we saw changes in him, and his world got bigger since he could tolerate the sensory input so much better. It was global for him: light, sound, touch and his sense of self in his space were all affected, and the OT has made all of the difference for him. He can attend much better in class, and is able to be in a noisy classroom without needing to “get away.” He can sit at the dinner table with the family without having to leave due to the pain of his being overwhelmed. He also understands himself so much more, and can explain and express his experiences. He can identify if he becomes inundated, and he knows how to care for himself. It is amazing! I cannot recommend you all enough (and I have recommended you to peers with similar children.) I feel very strongly that OT should be a blanket order for all children identified with Asperger’s Syndrome. Sensory Integration is so prevalent in children on the Autism Spectrum, it should be offered to all children in need. The benefits and “rewiring” were remarkable, and I wish we’d known sooner! A very heartfelt Thank You for all you have done. Returning my child to me has been a godsend, -[name withheld]

The therapists at Kids-Can really do care about my child. They work together to come up with creative ways to help my child learn the skills he needs to succeed. Parents become part of the team at Kids-Can, where the therapists work with me and my child to find the best way to help my child learn the skills he needs.

My son was having trouble focusing in school, and was frustrated and withdrawn. Now he’s just been elected to the student council and is making A’s. Thanks to the Kids-Can therapists, who have taken the time to develop a program specific to my kid’s needs!

Both my son and youngest daughter went to Kids Can. Within just a couple of weeks of starting her therapy, my daughter's teachers commented to me that they noticed a difference in her behavior. She was more confident on the playground and was willing to try activities she had avoided before. I found the therapists we worked with to be very knowledgeable and helpful on a variety of topics ranging from advice to help manage my son's sensitivity issues to ideas about helping my daughter potty train. The therapists employed a wide variety of strategies while working with my children that included music therapy, massage, and play. Both my children loved attending their sessions and felt comfortable with the therapists, which is no mean feat considering my daughter is very shy.

My son, [name withheld] (age 6), has Sensory Processing Disorder and ADHD. His IQ is quite high and he is extremely precocious, but he was in danger of being asked to leave Woodward Academy because of his inability to focus, to properly read social cues, to deal with frustration in a constructive manner, and to recognize where his body was in space. His kindergarten teacher recommended Rachel Lau from Kids Can for occupational therapy because she had seen scores of children improve working with her and other OTs from Kids Can. [name withheld] started OT twice a week and almost immediately we began to see some improvements. It is not a magical cure, and we still ended up having to make the difficult decision to put him on medication for the ADHD so that he could slow down enough to realize his potential, but he would not be where he is today if not for the help of Rachel and Kids Can. Not only do they perform the OT services on campus (which minimizes disruption to his day), but Rachel went a step further and coordinated with his psychologist, his teachers, the school administration, and me in order to get a plan in place for [name withheld]. She was his biggest advocate, and a trusted partner in helping him integrate into the school setting. It is obvious to me that Rachel and the rest of the staff and management at Kids Can truly love our children and are dedicated to helping them overcome their challenges with effective tools that they will be able to rely on for years to come. [name withheld] is now in first grade, and his first progress report just came out – his teacher commented specifically that he was making great strides with the help of the OT strategies he learned from working with Rachel and Kids Can. We “graduated” to once a week OT sessions with Rachel now, but I cannot imagine [name withheld] succeeding without continued support and guidance from Kids Can.

[name withheld] has been seeing his therapist, Emily, for a few months, and we have noticed a tremendous difference in his ability to regulate his internal “engine.” Emily has engaged [name withheld] in a way that is playful for him while helping him learn about the way his body and brain interact. She is creative and adaptable in her approach and uses a combination of encouragement and positive limit-setting in her sessions with him. Watching Emily work with [name withheld] has been educational for me as a parent as well, and I now feel better equipped to work with Shane at home without increasing either of our frustration levels. Emily has also provided a tremendous variety of tools and resources that [name withheld] can use at home and at school to help manage his sensory issues.

We have had a wonderful experience here. Robbyn took the time to really explain the process and what OT would look like for my child. Our therapist, Amy, is patient, kind, considerate and incredibly knowledgeable. Amy has made me feel equipped to help my little person reach his potential, her tips and techniques are invaluable -- uncomplicated and easy to follow while also being effective – Kids Can has made our lives so much better - thank you!