Substitute Therapists make an Impact

As you may be aware, children in our program for Autism Spectrum Disorders go through multi-disciplinary therapy - individualized Applied Behavior Analysis therapy, combined with our unique Group Language Therapy preschool classes. We also have a rather small but very passionate, dedicated corps of substitute therapists who step in to cover therapy when a staff member is out. Sarah Brunet, Speech Therapist, had this story to share about the impact one of our substitutes had on a child with ASD in her speech group:

"I was out about 6 weeks ago on vacation and had a substitute therapist cover my groups. She hasn't been around much since, until last week when one therapist was out for jury duty. Well, one day last week, I was out on the playground with my group and she walked outside. The little boy I was playing with looked up and cued himself, saying 'Go say Hey, Ms. Pam!' He ran over to her smiling & gave her a big wave! I was surprised to see not only that he remembered her name, but that he was so excited to see her that he stopped what he was doing to go say hey! It's proof not only that our kids are constantly full of surprises, but also a testament to the spirit and importance of our wonderful subs!"

Sounds Like...

Meg Sprunger, one of our Speech Therapists, has this story from recent therapy lessons...

"This winter, the children had lots of fun with our 'bear' theme – we talked about hibernation, made a pretend cave to sleep in, and read books about bears. One of our budding artists began drawing and coloring an endless array of bear caves. Since 'cave' was a bit difficult to say, he would proudly show off his pictures every day, loudly proclaiming 'A bear house! A bear house!'




 Fast forward to March, when bear activities had long been replaced by Mardi Gras preparations, with discussions of parades and beads and king cakes. One day, as we looked at a Mardi Gras book filled with parade pictures, this same boy excitedly called out, 'A bear house! A bear house!' I scanned the pictures quickly, looking for anything that might resemble a cave. I was at a complete loss. Then I noted that he was pointing to a picture of children waiting for a parade to pass, and my mind went back to what I had said about that picture the session before: 'See the children hanging on the barricade, they’re waiting for the parade,' I had explained. Ah yes, I quickly began to put it all together….. Barricade = bear cave = bear house!


And that’s how it goes, never a day without something to smile about!"

Student Aide touched by working with BRSHF kids

As you may know, BRSHF relies on a cadre of students from local universities who, overseen by licensed professional staff, assist with and facilitate autism and speech therapy and audiology services here in the clinic. Often, these students go on to pursue post-graduate studies in Speech Pathology, Audiology, Psychology, Occupational Therapy, and Special Education. BRSHF is proud to be one of few clinics in town where these students can get hands-on experience working with children to add to their resumes. One such student, Gina, cited an experience she had working in our program in the personal statement for a grad school application, and she allowed us to share part of it with you:

"I have a unique passion for the field of Speech Pathology. This was made clear to me during my clinical practicum, as I worked with a particular 4-year-old girl. This child, having severe Apraxia, had a very limited vocabulary and repetitive phrases were common. (*Ed. note: Apraxia is a motor planning disorder, which makes it difficult to sequence how to make a sound, or to decide what to say and then say it. Once these children know how to say a word or phrase, they often repeat it because they know they can say it correctly.) One day she replaced a name in one of her regular utterances ("Where Shaun?" - a boy in her class) with my name ("Where Gina?"). The day that she first spoke my name was the day that I became absolutely certain that I wanted to be a part of this field. I look forward to being able to make a difference in people's lives by helping them to conquer their communications deficits and to grow as more social and competent human beings."

This story is an example of common, every-day progress that goes on here at BRSHF. But it is an honor to provide these pivotal learning moments, not just to the children enrolled in our programs, but also to the many student workers who dedicate countless hours to our clinic.

Tricia shares story of hope

Tricia Henderson, supervisor for speech services, shared this story of inspiration from a recent speech evaluation:

"I met an extremely brave person while doing an evaluation a few weeks ago. A beautiful mother of two came in to have her youngest son evaluated for language delay. Her older son was already in our program, diagnosed with autism, and making good progress... saying words he never attempted prior to joining us. The sweet mother smiled as she told me she feared her second son was also autistic; she recently had seen the neurologist who hesitated to diagnose the second boy at 18 months since he had some very appropriate social skills.The mom wanted to get some idea about his language delay and to hear what a speech pathologist thought.

As we did the interview, I was encouraged to see that the baby had many good and promising social behaviors... he laughed, sought the source of voices, played speech-gesture games like "pat a cake", and sought interaction with his brother by crawling up to him to look at his toy. This young one was definitely delayed but did not seem autistic; he was interested in others and responded to language. Only time will tell.

Our plan is to place him in an appropriate language group just as soon as possible since early intervention is the KEY for both autism and for language delay. As the mother left she said, 'I'm pregnant and the neurologist said if it is a girl, the odds go down for autism. We're hoping for the best!' I could not help but offer a silent prayer for the baby to be born....knowing that no matter what, that baby would be loved and cared for by a very brave mother and father."

For Lisa, 50th Anniversary provided inspiration, affirmation

Lisa Sloan-Limmer, speech pathologist, shares a story of affirmation from the 50th Anniversary party:

"As a somewhat new staff member, I found our 50th celebration both educational, heart-felt and a bit of a reaffirmation in my job of choice. Life is a journey, not a destination. We have too few chances to see the end results in the children's lives that we touch. It was so wonderful to see the return of children from past journeys at BRSHF, who are now adults leading lives of their choice and opportunities.

For me, the most heart-felt experience was not the squeals of joy and delight from the children that were enjoying the activities and playground, but the squeals of joy and delight of adults as they reconnected with others who have shared their past. It was so exciting seeing such a powerful connection between former classmates and families, as well as the reconnection between the women who recognized the potential of a special population that was significantly underserved, had a vision, made a plan and jumped into founding this wonderful organization. The bonds that are made through trials and successes such as those that created BRSHF started a great journey. Learning the history behind where I work and meeting those who lived it gives me a better perspective of the journey that we are on now, and that will make a difference for the next 50 years in the lives of the wild and wonderful children that we "chase and pull, coddle and coax" on a journey through the 'Loud and Clear!'"

Current and former staff reflect on BRSHF's history                 Former BRSHF students recreate their groundbreaking photo from 1967

Tricia sees former client's success at 50th Anniversary

Tricia Henderson, Supervisor for Speech Services, has worked at BRSHF for many years. She shared this experience that touched her at our 50th Anniversary celebration earlier this fall:

"A young man in his 20s walked into the clinic carrying a ziploc bag and asked if a former therapist still worked here. I said 'no,' but told him she still lived in Baton Rouge, happened to be a neighbor of mine, but was now working in another field. He held up the ziploc and within were lots of memorabilia from his days at BRSHF some 20+ years ago! His mother had saved them all and, in one picture, there he was on top of the slide smiling ... an adorable 3 year old. That young man is now a manager of a car repair shop. As he spoke I could not help but be amazed at how mature and well spoken he is as an adult....another ordinary miracle at BRSHF!

(And by the way, I dropped a copy of the photo off at his former therapist's house. She was thrilled to hear of his success! That's the deal here....we carry our clients in our hearts long after they leave BRSHF!)"

                              






Former clients, parents, and staff reflect and catch up at the 50th Anniversary Party

Current clients helped celebrate 50th Anniversary

Irina Kochergin, speech pathologist, had this update to share about the 50th Anniversary celebration, held at BRSHF on September 12:

"As we've been preparing for the 50th Anniversary party, a lot of the focus has been on the history of the Foundation - getting former clients, staff, and friends to come back & celebrate the work of this outstanding organization over 5 decades. But the celebration was just as much for them as it was for our current clients and patients, who are a part of the amazing work we're doing here and now! This was proven by one young child, a current speech client, who was so excited to come to the clinic's birthday party, that he and his mother baked and decorated a birthday cupcake. He brought it with him to the party and shared it with his friends, along with the other food and treats available. It's moments like this that prove we are making an impact in these kids' lives, and I'm proud to be associated with BRSHF at such an exciting time!"

Lisa shares a story of Halloween progress

Lisa Sloan-Limmer, speech therapist, conducted groups around the theme of halloween, carving pumpkins and making pictures of trick-or-treat candy, as many of our therapists have this week! One student exhibited major progress through these activities:

"We had a major Halloween break-through in class today.  One student has had a difficult time with the theme of halloween - everything is scary!  Mom reports even shopping in stores right now is hard.  We have been working on aleviating those fears in class with stories, touching, making halloween sounds, etc.  Today we carved a pumpkin.  This student was able to touch the bumpy outside, put her hands in the pumpkin and pull out "slimely seeds," and even poke her fingers through the eye holes.  She did start to tear-up at one point, but it wasn't because she was afraid of the jack-o-lantern anymore.  She was sad because Mrs. Lisa might hurt the pumpkin when I cut it!"

Ms. Meg tells about a surprise visit!

On Friday, Ms. Meg, one of our Speech Therapists, submitted this story about a surprise learning experience:

"The blaring sound of the fire alarm pierced the air, so we gathered up the kiddos and hurried outside to the back of the playground. It happens sometimes – one of the kids reaches up and pulls the alarm, setting off an impromptu fire drill. It’s not easy to keep the children seated and calm on any day, but it was a particularly hot mid-day, and we had to wait longer than usual since it wasn’t immediately clear who or what had set off the alarm.

The fire truck arrived and gave the “all clear.” But Melissa, never one to pass on a learning opportunity, persuaded the firemen to stay and let the children see the truck.

What a great reward for sitting so patiently! The kids were very excited to climb inside the fire truck, try on the hats, and see the equipment. Those who were a bit too scared to climb in still touched the truck, examined the huge wheels and waved to the firemen. The firemen left us with stickers and coloring books, along with promises to return again. It was an exciting way to finish off a Friday language session!"

       

Introducing Irina!

Last week, we sadly bid farewell to Mrs. Trenae' Webb, a Speech Therapist who is near and dear to many hearts here at BRSHF. Though Trenae can never be replaced, we're excited to announce the arrival of a new speech therapist, Irina Kochergin, who'll be taking over Trenae's spot. Here is a little introduction to BRSHF's newest addition:

"Hello, I’m Irina and I’ll have the pleasure of working with the amazing toddlers and preschoolers at BRSHF this fall! I am thrilled and excited to begin the adventures of learning with these little ones. I am a graduate of LSU's Masters program in Speech Pathology, and although I am newly aboard to the staff here, I am not a stranger to the Foundation. I worked here two years ago alongside the wonderful therapists and have gained a wealth of experience in this program. I love working with children and love the many opportunities I have in their learning development in my field of speech pathology. I look forward to becoming well-acquainted with everyone here!"

Two fun facts about Irina are that she was born in Russia, and she has worked at Disney World! Welcome aboard, Irina!

Lisa says therapists not responsible for future behavior

Lisa Sloan-Limmer, a speech therapist, reported this update:

"Today I had a phone call from a parent that makes all of the challenges in being a pediatric speech pathologist so WORTH IT! The parent called to tell me how pleased they were with their child's progress in my group and how much more their child is speaking. The family has reached a huge milestone: The child has begun to be able to communicate his/her wants and needs and the stress and frustration of trying to 'figure things out' several times a day has greatly decreased! Of course, as I personally experienced from my 17 year old being in speech therapy when he was 2; when my student reaches the wonderous 'preteen' age, they might not feel quite so grateful to me! I feel I must add this disclaimer: I am not responsible for future 'sassiness or backtalk.' Ha ha!"

Sarah's client says thanks

Sarah Brunet is one of our speech therapists who provides group and individual speech therapy at our clinic, and also off-site through the Federal Early Steps program. She had this experience recently:

“I had an Early Steps patient who I’ve worked with since October, and my last session with him was a few days ago. When we started he was only using single words and gesturing a lot – now he asks questions appropriately and uses complete sentences. His mom has been warning him for a few weeks that his time with me was almost over. Well, at the end of the session, unprompted by me or his mom, he looked at me and said, ‘Thank you for playing with me.’ When a student comes up with a spontaneous sentence like that, I really know I’ve had an impact!”

Slimy snails solidify speech

Trenae Webb, one of BRSHF's speech therapists, submitted this blogpost after an exchange with nature this morning:


" 'Look! I got a slimy, sticky snail! You wanna see? Are you scared?' is what I heard echoing through the halls of the clinic this morning, prepping for my 9 o'clock client. Praying that the cute little ones from Ms. Tanya's mornining language group would not navigate to my office with their new "slick" friend, I cheered them on in their precision in articulation show and tell, mastering their "S" sounds with little to no cues from their therapist. Nothing's off limits when it comes to reaching those speech and language targets at our clinic. Nothing! Not even nature's best creatures. I bet Mr. Snail had no idea he would be the hot topic as he traveled to speech therapy this morning. I noticed he was rather non-verbal. He had no complaints! If you haven't become suspicious of it already, it's a fact...we love what we do!"

Trenae's client goes from jargon to full sentence

Trenae Webb, one of our speech therapists, has this update from parent conferences a few weeks ago:


"It was that time of the year for parent conference... a time to report all the progress that my client has made over the course of our quaterly sessions.  A precious little two year old in my group began with me not yet producing multiword combinations like her typically developing peers and primarily producing jargon-like speech, her own "personal" language.   Well, we've been working diligently on the production of true words through imitation and really manipulating the enviroment for spontaneous productions as well.  She had been progressing well, imitating 2-3 word phrases. A few days prior to the conference, she began imitating 3-4 word utterances.  It was during the parent conference that my little client burst into speech with her own, spontenous request for a ball:  "I want the ball!"   Mom was practically in tears, overwhelmed and exclaimed:  "Wow, I'm amazed!  She's talking sentences!"  Shortly after our confererence, Mom had a great report of how her little girl is suddenly a social butterfly and her use of words is increasing daily.  Ha! What a moment!  Simply priceless and a reminder of why I do what I do!"

Summer Student Aides: The Best of the Best

Ms. Ann Nader coordinates the student workers who provide therapy for our Therapeutic Language Center's group language preschool classes, as well as those who work one-on-one in the TLC's autism program. She provided this update about the new group of aides coming on board for the summer:

"For the last few weeks, I've been working with getting the aides in place for our summer session. Around the semester transitions, we do a lot of work finding students, usually in psychology and speech language/communications to work in the Therapeutic Language Center. We seek student aides from LSU, Southern, and Southeastern, and we have a pretty comprehensive process in place before classes start up again. We're really dependent on these aides for the quality of service we provide, so they go through interviews with human resources as well as the therapy staff, reference and background checks, and are asked to observe group/individual therapy, and attend orientation training sessions. This week, we trained 30 aides to work with us for the summer, 17 of whom are new to BRSHF.


It's a lot of work to get them all trained and assigned, whether they're in groups or working individually with a child on the autism spectrum, but it's so exciting this time of year to be involved with the incoming aides! They are so energetic, eager to learn, and enthusiastic about the chance they have here to gain direct experience working with children. They really enjoy it and we just love having them around. Our clinic wouldn't be what it is without our student workers!"

Melissa inspired by student's progress

Welcome to the blog! We hope these posts give you a real sense of what goes on at BRSHF & why we do what we do, from the perspective of the staff. I thought  it would be appropriate to begin with a quick anecdote from our Executive Director, Melissa Juneau, who shared this story with me today:


"It's exciting to mark the students' progress this time of year, as the spring session comes to a close. I saw a student in the parking lot this morning, and before I could speak to him, without any prompting from Mom, he shouted, 'Hi, Mrs. Melissa!'. This is from a child who wouldn't make eye contact in September. He's become like our resident greeter, saying hi to everyone by name as he walks down the hall in the mornings. His progress has been incredible, and it's not over yet! It is just wonderful to hear the chatter of little voices of kids in BRSHF's Therapeutic Language Center echoing down the hallways."

We hope to bring you more stories like this - little inspirations, huge breakthroughs, and other happy stories from the classrooms and hallways - and hope you enjoy reading them as much as we enjoy working with them!