Intensive therapy has become a very sought after intervention for kids with developmental delays - and for good reason. Intensive therapy has been a game changer for my son, Conner, not only physically, but also cognitively. During and after intensives, I see huge leaps with Conner’s vocabulary and all things cognitive. It might be my favorite benefit of intensive therapy. If you’ve been in the intensive therapy world for a bit, you know about NAPA Center. This place is AMAZING, but keeping up with the growing demand isn’t easy and not something that happens overnight. Even with opening new c ..read more

You’re stuck at home. Your special needs child is missing out on much needed therapy. Therapy improves the quality of life for many special needs kids and without it, right now the responsibility falls solely on parents. However, some of our favorite clinics and therapists are offering Telehealth during this time! This is a great opportunity to take receive therapy from places you would otherwise have to travel to! Not to mention, if we want all of these clinics around when we re-surface from COVID-19, it is important to support them as much as we can during this time. Something I can’t stress ..read more

Did you know February 10-14 is the 10th annual Feeding Tube Awareness Week? I didn’t either until feeding tubes became a life-saving part of our journey. Why is awareness important? I think sharing our experiences helps to break down walls. Generally people are scared of things they don’t know about. I get it and I was guilty of that prior to Conner. However, I don’t want people to be scared of Conner. I don't want them to be scared of how he is fed, how he moves, how he talks…the list goes on. The only way that I know how to keep fear at bay is by openly sharing some things that most of the ..read more

 The first two years of Conner’s life were spent in and out of hospitals. He couldn’t catch a break and just as one thing improved, another got worse or a new diagnosis was given. It felt like we were living a nightmare and couldn’t wake up. Then, slowly, things started to level out and specialist appointments went from every month to every three months. Then every six months and this year, for the first time, we are seeing most of them one time.  In addition to all of Conner’s specialist appointments, he was consistently doing weekly therapy at home. He has physical therapy, occupa ..read more

So, you’re planning a trip to see the team at SMILE Therapy for Kids? This may be your first trip to Canada…or maybe your first trip to Canada WITH a child. Either way, below is the run down on SMILE Therapy for Kids, what to do in the area, places to stay, tips on traveling to Toronto, etc. Travel Tips: First things first - make sure your passports are up to date! Your child will need one too! Are you traveling solo with your little one? If both parents are not accompanying the child across the border then you will need to complete this form. It basically gives permission for one parent ..read more

I didn’t expect to be writing another blog so quickly. In fact, I didn’t think my blog about the Demand for MEDEK from a parent’s perspective would cause a stir (both good and bad). If you are a fellow special needs mom then you know we advocate enough for our kids on a daily basis. Pictured above is a post by one of three “certified Level IV CME Practitioners” in the world with “permission” to train other therapist. The word MEDEK is certainly not “hey you”, it is synonymous with CME and Ramón Cuevas. It’s like saying Ramón or Cuevas. Not disrespectful at all. In fact he was the person who ..read more

I have sat down to write this blog post more times than I can count, but I end up deleting it and moving on. However, I feel that it is my job as a parent, an advocator and ultimately a good human to share what I am about to share. If you are following Conner on instagram, chances are you have seen me talk about MEDEK, post videos, share pictures, therapists, etc. I am strictly writing this from a PARENT’S perspective. I want to address some of the politics you may see on Instagram about Cuevas MEDEK Exercises, CME, MEDEK, whatever. I will start off with this - I refer to the therapy Conner ..read more

When you hear Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI), you might immediately think “vision issue", however, CVI is actually a form of visual impairment caused by a brain problem rather than an eye problem. Cortical Visual Impairment can also be called Cerebral Visual Impairment. CVI is often misdiagnosed as delayed visual maturation. However, delayed visual maturation typically resolves by one year of age. The delay in a proper diagnosis of Cortical Visual Impairment is a more common occurrence than I would like to believe and can further prolong the child getting proper therapy services in place to ..read more

To say that it has been a year is an understatement. With there still being a couple days left in the year, I hesitate to proclaim this, but this is the FIRST year that Conner has not had a hospital stay…not ONE! I am shocked we made it an entire year, but he sure has a lot to show for less doctors and hospitals and more therapy and adventures! 2018 FIRSTS Trip to the Beach International Trip (Oh, Canada!) Niagara Falls (first for me and Conner!) Red Sox game at Fenway Park March of Dimes Ambassador MEDEK Therapy NAPA Center Intensive Assisted Steps Dentist visit Tricycle Horse ba ..read more

Anyone that has spent time on social media knows that you often only see the happy and good things in a person’s day. If you’ve found this blog then you may follow Conner on instagram, so you know a little bit about what our day to day is like. I try to show some of the harder parts of our day, but do my best to keep it positive and encouraging because generally that is the vibe of our day and often what gets us through. The reason I started an instagram to document Conner’s life is because I searched for resources, glimpses of hope, etc. into what my future would be like with an ex 24 week m ..read more