Physical and occupational therapy

Introducing some of Welles’ favorite ladies!  Lisa and Lanisa. These girls help Welles' development through a program called "Early Intervention."  This program, or one like it, is available in most states.  It includes occupational therapy, physical therapy and eventually speech therapy.  Right now we are just focusing on the first two.  He does two sessions of each, monthly.  They teach and guide me to help Welles in all areas of development.  I don't know what we would do without their knowledge, love, and skills.

Lisa Cvetnich is Welles’ occupational therapist.  She earned a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education.  She has been teaching with Early Intervention for six years and works with a variety of children who have delays in their development including social, cognitive, communication, self-help and fine motor skills.  Right now Lisa is working with us to help Welles with communicating his wants and needs (steps to talking).  All very simple and natural things for typical babies, but Welles is not as cognitively able as most kids his age.  So with Lisa's ideas and exercises, she is helping us get caught up!  And she is very pleased with his progress.

Lanisa Harveson is Welles’ Physical therapist.  She has a Doctorate in PT and has been working with Early Intervention for a year and a half.  She works with a variety of children that have motor concerns and delays.  She teaches parents like myself how to handle and position their kids to address strengthening and motor development, modifying activities as necessary.  Lanisa assesses motor skills (like crawling or walking) to address muscle imbalances and atypical patterns.  She also determines weather or not special equipment (walkers, orthotics, wheelchairs etc...) are needed.  She teaches me exercises to do with Welles on a daily basis.  Some of these include helping him rock on his arms and knees (prep to crawling), making him work to reach in uncomfortable positions to get a toy while strengthening muscles, or pushing up into a sitting position from his favorite, tummy time.  Again, these are all things babies typically just do on their own.  Some of these special angels just need an extra push to get going.

These girls are two in a million!  We so appreciate all they are doing for our sweet boy and educating us to best help him.