Meet: Benny
“Our Benny is now 8 years-old and some of the challenges we work with include developmental coordination disorder, apraxia of speech, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Since Benny was 2 we have received support from the local health unit, the preschool and elementary school staff, the Children’s hospital, the pediatrician, and two government-funded providers. By far, our most positive experience has been Kids Uncomplicated! Working with Kids Uncomplicated has been easy, fun and has resulted in reaching many of our treatment goals. In years past, we were exhausted driving to multiple in-person meetings and sessions, overwhelmed trying to keep track of session notes and struggled with gaps in communication between all parties. KU has simplified the entire treatment process while creating an enjoyable space for the whole family to work at achieving goals!
Kids Uncomplicated clearly puts a lot of effort into hiring talented and experienced staff with a kind and supportive demeanor. We always feel part of a team and our feedback as parents is valued. Treatment is very much an exercise in identifying barriers and problem-solving workarounds to get the best outcome in whatever goal we are working on. If any questions arise in between appointments, it is easy to reach out and we hear back immediately. Since the first day working with KU we’ve felt like Benny’s success is the priority, the team is encouraging and they join in celebrating all the things that make Benny unique.
The Teleroo platform has unexpectedly proven to a be a big component of our success. We’re able to meet remotely, which allows for more flexibility in scheduling. We can simultaneously share updates and important information with all team, including external partners like teachers and pediatricians. We can quickly reference previous session notes for ongoing skill-building. The platform is easy to use and reliable, even for those of us that are rural. Most of all, it’s a fun and interesting platform that allows for full engagement in sessions with the use of interactive technology that is easy enough for children to manage independently.
The benefits of working with Kids Uncomplicated cannot be understated. In our first speech session a year ago, Benny barely lasted a few minutes and he spent most of that time screaming and crying. With kindness, patience, and a lot of creativity Karen was able to achieve buy-in and lo and behold Benny now practices his speech for full 30mins session and he has started speaking in public, using short phrases, initiating social interaction with peers, and exudes a newfound confidence we’ve never seen before! Friends, family, teachers, and providers alike have noticed these achievements too! In our work with our OT and behavior coach we are learning how to be more balanced and thoughtful in our approaches with Benny. Although definitely a work in progress, we are better at supporting Benny and each other. Benny is also getting much better at regulating his emotions and learning how to be assertive, something that a year ago would have been unthinkable!
Interestingly, working with KU has also improved the quality of service delivery from other providers. For example, our KU speech pathologist has always taken a collaborative approach with our school speech pathologist by discussing treatment goals and progress updates to avoid duplication of services. Our OT provided essential information that was required to obtain our DCD diagnosis, which then in turn allowed us to access additional funding for school supports.
There are not enough good things we can say about the positive impact this organization has had on our lives! To our KU team, thank you for your hard work! You make a difference every day 😊”
