Easterseals Treats People, Not Diagnoses

“The therapists at Easterseals would always use the word ‘when,’ not ‘if.’ Like, ‘When he walks.’ ‘When he talks’,” Tracy says. “They gave us hope and more than a list of diagnoses.”

Those are the phrases heard around Easterseals Children’s Therapy program. That’s why families, like James’, turn to Easterseals when their children need life-changing therapies, and it’s exactly what happened when Tracy and Jamie received James’ diagnosis when he was one week old.

“In the hospital, they often focused on the ‘can’t’ and ‘won’t.’ Often, they referred to him as a diagnosis,” Tracy says. “The whole family loved when Easterseals therapists were working with James. It was a bright spot for all of us.”

As a newborn, James, who has Down syndrome, received physical, speech, and occupational therapies. They worked with him before and after his heart surgery to keep him on track. Later, they introduced the family to a communication application on his tablet that has helped James be more vocal with his sisters and parents. He even figured out how to use his communication device to play music on their Amazon Alexa. 

“Therapy is just another activity, like dance. Don’t be fearful and don’t wait. Because of therapy, James walked on time and met his milestones. He was able to play soccer and go to toddler time with his peers,” Tracy says. “James is healthy, thriving and vibrant. We want him to grow up and live an independent life. We don’t limit him.”

James is now six and continuing to master his goals with Easterseals therapies. He is learning to ride a tricycle so he can enjoy bike rides with his family. In occupational therapy, he is preparing for kindergarten by learning to write and use scissors. He is also continuing to use more spoken words with the help of speech therapy.

“James is one of our biggest blessings. However, the information on the internet can be quite grim,” Tracy says. “We are forever grateful for the support we received from Easterseals. They truly impacted his life in a positive way so he is able to meet his full potential. We know they will be there for him in the future to support his future goals.”