Success Stories

 

Our daughter was 6 months old when she started receiving therapy at Helping Hand. We were new parents with a very premature baby. From the first day the staff made us feel comfortable and encouraged us in so many ways. We firmly believe that our daughter would not be where she is today if it weren't for the services provided by Helping Hand. The teachers and therapists became our second family. We have been so fortunate to be able to watch our daughter thrive in all areas of her life.

Thank you, Helping Hand!

Stacey, Barry and Becca Davis

 

 

Ella and Olivia are our beautiful 10 month-old twin girls. They were born seven weeks prematurely and had some complications surrounding their birth. We knew that preemies often had developmental delays and we wanted to get them the help they needed as soon as possible. Helping Hand evaluated them when they were three months old and they began preschool and began receiving physical, occupational, and speech therapy at that same time. They were re-evaluated last month and now only receive speech therapy because they have made amazing progress! We know they are doing so good today because of the hard work of the Helping Hand staff. The therapists not only spent time treating my children but also took extra time to speak with and train us in things to work on at home with them. I also have loved how the therapists and classroom staff have worked as a team to help the girls meet their goals. It has also been comforting as a working mom to know that I am leaving them every day at a place where they are loved and nurtured - and maybe a little spoiled. They are our two amazing little gifts from God and we love everyday getting to watch them learn and do new things. And we know that it is possible because of our friends at Helping Hand!

Thanks for everything!

Carrie Blankenship

 

We chose HHCC in July 2008 because a friend of mine happened to work there and it seemed "safe" to send our child to be in contact with a close friend daily. As it turned out, HHCC became much more than that to us. It was the perfect place for our daughter to receive every ounce of love, care and treatment we could ask or hope for.

Our little girl entered HHCC qualifying for all services HHCC had to offer... speech, occupational, physical and developmental therapies. She was scooped up by an incredible team of providers that changed our life on a daily basis.

As the months passed by, our little girl improved so much that she was able to test out of each service one by one. This was bittersweet for our family. Sweet because our little girl was improving so rapidly because of the incredible treatment she received but bitter also because that meant our team members lessened.

Now we approach July 2011, three years later, and our little girl is testing typical in all areas of development and no longer requires any services or "team" to thrive. However, we now realize the team that scooped her up in July 2008 still exists and we feel comfortable to reach out to them for anything we need!

Proud Parent

 

 

Tyler and Tyson Donald entered Helping Hand Children's Center in August of 2007 at 10 months old. Both, Tyler and Tyson, entered with delays in all areas due to a premature birth. The therapist began working with Tyler and Tyson shortly after their entrance. Tyler eventually tested out of all therapies; however, this did not stop Karen Rutherford, Kim Mills, or his teachers from continuing to work with him. Tyler was transferred to a different school in August 2010, so he could be with "typical" children. He entered this school with a knowledge base much greater than the other children thanks to Helping Hand. Tyson continues to attend Helping Hand and continues to receive top quality services. Tyson has overcome many obstacles thanks to the services he has received and continues to receive at Helping Hand. He entered Helping Hand with significant developmental delays such as the inability to hold up his head, delayed speech, and the inability to walk to name a few. Tyson is now able to hold up his head and he's beginning to say words such as Momma, Bubba, bye-bye and hi. To see the progress that he has made and continues to make has made my husband and me proud that we chose Helping Hand. Tyson not only receives great services, but also great care by the teachers and staff. He loves the teachers, therapists and staff. My husband and I thank the Helping Hand staff for the hard work and the quality care that they have provided for Tyler and continue to provide for Tyson.

Mrs. Stephanie N. Donald

 

Megan and Bailey began receiving PT at Helping Hand in the Fall of 2009. Later they were evaluated in OT and began to receive that service, also. They had started kindergarten and still needed PT. Deanne has been wonderful with them. She is always looking for new ways to help the girls become more independent and stronger. She shows them ways to stretch themselves and encourages them to get involved in physical activities. Eight year old little girls are aware of what their peers are wearing, and AFOs are not cute or in style. Deanne has worked with me in order to find different shoes (even boots) and different braces (with designs on them) that are more fashionable and break up the normal routine. The biggest compliment for Megan is riding her bicycle without training wheels.

Kara has worked along with Deanne to build their core strength (scooter board soccer, anyone?). She has also introduced them to Therapeutic Listening and other therapy approaches. In OT, they have addressed many of the girls' fears and helped them to deal with them. The girls have also worked to improve their handwriting and cutting skills.

In the middle of first grade, Bailey's teacher wanted to hold her back due to her lack of progression in reading. Even though I requested a speech evaluation, I was told she did not need it by the school district. After this devastating meeting with the school district, I discussed the problems with one of the speech therapists here at Helping Hand. She evaluated Bailey and found that she did have a receptive speech delay. Bailey started receiving speech therapy. Her reading is still not up to grade level, but she is more confident in her abilities.

The girls both love to come to therapy. They talk to us about their therapist and worry about them when a storm is near. They are making gains at all times. Their therapists have gotten to know them as individual people, not as the Mills twins.

 

One spring day in a home in the center of Ukraine a baby girl was born. As fragile as a tiny bird, but with a will as strong as steel, Irina (Juliana) entered this world early, at 27 weeks, weighing 950 grams (2lbs. 1oz.). After living in a loving, caring orphanage from the age of 3 months to 17 months, but receiving no additional care aside from basic needs being met, Juliana became an American citizen on October 7, 2004, the day her new life began. At the time she was not able to sit or crawl.

In November 2004 she was diagnosed as having mild cerebral palsy, resulting from premature birth. The following February she was accepted in the 'Lil Angels room at Helping Hand Children's Center. When tested at the age of 2 years old, she had the age equivalence of an 8 month old, but she had accomplished the ability to sit and scoot. Although every single therapist, teacher, and staff member who has worked with Juliana at Helping Hand has been excellent, her first physical therapist, Inna Swann, who is originally from Russia, was an absolutely perfect match for Juliana.

Under Ms. Inna's care, Juliana began increasing her lower body strength, which had been neglected for so long. WIth the aid of ankle-foot orthotics (AFOs) and a reverse walker, she became mobile. Ms. Inna moved to another state before she was able to witness Juliana taking her first steps unassisted at the age of 6. However, with the guidance of the knowledgeable ever-patient Ms. Sarah Sponenburg, Juliana is continuing to improve her balance and strength.

Considering the limitations resulting from premature birth, such as the inability to move her tongue laterally, coupled with the fact that Juliana had never heard the English language spoken until she was almost a year and a half, the progress she made as a result of speech therapy with Ms. Angie Shelton is amazing. She tested out of speech therapy before reaching kindergarten and now one would never guess English was not her first language.

Fine motor skills, such as using eating utensils and stringing beads, took a significant amount of effort but with Ms. Tara Everitt's positive encouragement, they became goals Juliana mastered. OT Margaret Fry took these skills to the next level, enabling Juliana to perform activities such as using scissors and dressing herself.

Holding and writing with a pencil was initially such a challenge for Juliana that it was physically painful. Consideration was given to alternatives such as using a special keyboard. However, through perseverance and under the guidance of OT Leslie Richardson, Juliana is now able to write legibly and without complaint.

During her annual check-up at the age of 4, after discussing the amount of therapy she was receiving at the time and the progress she had made, her pediatrician said that for patients with CP, other parts of the brain can take over the function of the damaged portion, but that can only happen with therapy. The reason she is doing so well is a direct result of the intense therapy she has received at Helping Hand.

While PT, OT and ST are significant, the teachers Juliana has had in each Helping Hand class have been caring, creative and supportive, and each played a key role in enabling her to now attend school in a regular classroom. The baby girl whose odds were stacked against her has blossomed into a beautiful, sweet child who rides horses, plays on a baseball team, performs with a dance team, practices ATA martial arts and is about to enter second grade. These activities are possible thanks to Helping Hand.

Monica Weigle

It is hard to put into words the benefit our child has received from attending Helping Hand’s preschool and therapies. Our journey began when Charlie was just 8 months old, and he just wasn’t meeting his developmental milestones like we thought he should. His delays became more apparent around his first birthday when he still wasn’t talking; he wasn’t even babbling like most babies. After a long and emotional ‘battle’ with various pediatricians, we were able to get a referral for evaluations. Charlie was diagnosed with global developmental delays, and we began ‘shopping’ for the right setting for Charlie and for our family. We knew a regular daycare could not provide Charlie with all of the therapy and care he would need, but we had no idea where to turn for developmental care. We first looked at Helping Hand for convenience – our older son attended school nearby. Little did we know this convenience would be one of the biggest blessings in our child’s life!

When Charlie first started attending Helping Hand, he was 18 months old and only speaking 2 words. If he learned a new word, he ‘lost’ one of the previously used words. His behavior meltdowns were becoming much more frequent and he was starting to become aggressive with us and hurting himself. We later learned that the aggression and self-injurious behaviors were from his difficulties processing various sensory stimuli and his frustrations with not being able to communicate. As his communication improved and we learned how to help him during sensory overload moments, his behavior improved. Within the first year of his attending Helping Hand, he was able to tell me he loved me for the first time. Helping Hand did that for us! The devotion and care his speech therapist, occupational therapists, early childhood specialist, and classroom teachers gave to us is invaluable.

Charlie has continued to make gains in language and fine motor skills – so much so that we were able to enroll him in a mainstream preschool last fall. We have continued to enroll Charlie in outpatient services at Helping Hand because we feel so blessed by the wonderful care he has received there. I am forever grateful to the wonderful staff at Helping Hand for helping my little boy find himself.

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