FoundationAnnualReport2022

specialized training into therapeutic activities and works directly with parents to promote the child’s success in therapy. Therapists consider the whole child and how their body functions, then reduce or eliminate barriers to development and focus on their strengths to build their undeveloped skills. Stephanie was an occupational therapy assistant for 18 years at Firelands and was familiar with Children’s S.P.O.T. She could not continue working at Firelands as Zachary grew older because his needs became more significant and required more of her time and attention. She now provides occupational therapy assistant services virtually, which allows her to focus on caring for Zachary when he is not in school. Rachel Ryan, a speech-language pathologist and Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) trained therapist at the Firelands Children’s S.P.O.T. assessed Zachary and developed a plan. “Zachary had a lot of alternative communication strengths, such as gestures (pointing, showing, and physically leading a communication partner) and limited spoken words (ie,“no”). However, when I met him, his communication skills were not consistently matching his communication intentions due to growth in receptive language skills and life experiences. I thought he would benefit from an augmentative alternate communication (AAC) device. I started him on different models and layouts, and he had immediate success with a high-tech complex communication system,” says Rachel. Zachary Richter has faced numerous challenges in his 15 years. Born with Down Syndrome, he has endured several serious health issues, including two open heart surgeries, a possible stroke, and a diagnosis of autism, which has resulted in his inability to communicate verbally. Although he knows some sign language, his ability to sign is hampered by the lingering effects of the stroke. As Zachary became older, it was apparent to his mother and father, Stephanie and Jim Richter, that he was becoming increasingly discouraged by his inability to communicate. “We would go to family gatherings, and he couldn’t engage with anyone. I could see how frustrated Zachary was getting. I watched how he would try to interact with people, which made me sad,” says Stephanie. “I downloaded communication programs from the internet onto an iPad, but they just didn’t work for Zachary. As a certified occupational therapist assistant, I knew there were communication devices available that might be able to help him. So, I made an appointment with a speech pathologist at the Firelands Children’s S.P.O.T. for an assessment.” Firelands Regional Medical Center’s Children’s S.P.O.T. serves children with individualized needs in a playful, child-centered, encouraging environment. Pediatric occupational, speech, and physical therapies are offered in a fun learning environment to help children improve function and confidence in their skills. Each therapist integrates highly Young Teen Receives the Gift of Communication 25