Therapy through play
HEALTH: Clinic in Barrie is one-of-a-kind
Posted By NICKI CRUICKSHANK
Updated 6 months ago
Raising a child is not without its challenges. But if a youngster has intellectual disabilities, the added stress is often more than parents can take.
Raising her autistic son, Jack, had Diane at her wit's end for three years.
"He wasn't diagnosed until he was three-years-old," said Diane, who asked that her last name not be published. "The huge thing was getting him to talk and use his mouth more without so much drooling or food falling out of his mouth."
It was clear her son needed personalized support, and child occupational therapist Lyndsey Stevenato became the answer to Diane's prayers.
"We've been coming here for two-and-a-half years, and within the first six weeks his improvement was phenomenal," the Barrie mom said. "We went from daily 45-minute meltdowns to only once or twice a week with him."
Stevenato, owner of Lyndsey Stevenato Children's Therapy Services in Barrie, said it's her job to step in and teach the parents how to handle their child's disabilities.
"Most parents don't want to be the therapist. They want someone else to be and they'll learn from them," she said. "But seeing me once a week alone isn't going to be enough for the child. Parents have to continue what we work on here at home."
The therapy clinic, located at 115 Bell Farm Rd., is the only facility of its kind in Barrie offering occupational therapy to children with disabilities. The facility caters to a variety of disorders, such as autism, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome and brain injuries.
"I have kids right from birth because of feeding issues, and one had a stroke while in the womb," Stevenato said. "I'm getting a lot more children with anxiety disorders these days."
Being unique in your field has its perks, but a list a mile long of families waiting for the services isn't one of them, Stevenato said.
"Our clinic is growing and there are more and more kids on a three-year waiting list to see a therapist like me," she said. "I'm also certified in sensory integration, and I'm one of 10 people certified in Ontario."
Stevenato has taken on about 200 child and youth clients, and she services 50 to 75 students in three area private schools. With only one other occupational therapist
to help her, it's a busy schedule every week.
"I have a lot of parents come to me in tears because of the stares they get in public because of their child's behaviour," she added. "People think it's just bad parenting, but it's not and people don't understand these disorders."
But she does, and with 23 years in the field, Stevenato has ways of working through each one of them with children.
"The kids know I understand them. I'm able to figure out their triggers and break tasks down," she said. "I love what I do, and it's because the kids I see are usually so motivated here. They fascinate me because of how they learn at different levels."
Her office feels more like a playground and a classroom than a clinic.
Giant swings, colourful mats, writing areas, white boards and toys are on-hand to pinpoint stressers, or stimulating activities with each disorder.
When children come to Stevenato, their therapy is tailored specifically to their needs.
"I don't force the goals on them. I work with them on areas they need help with," she said.
Each child is assessed through standardized testing and play-based techniques, and parents are asked about areas of concern.
"From there, we can determine their child's strengths and weaknesses and how to proceed with therapy," Stevenato said. "I find sensory integration work is huge for all disorders. I'm very hands-on in therapy and I tell parents how I'll handle their child."
In Jack's case, his autism was crippling his chances of ever functioning independently.
So, Stevenato developed a routine of basic school and hygiene-based tasks to work on with him.
An oral stimulation brush is used to cut down on his drooling, and the platform swing helped him conquer his fear of being off the ground.
"When he started here, Jack was terrified to climb up on the swing," Stevenato said. "He hated having his feet off the ground, and he had no balance. But he's doing much better now.
"I form these tight relationships with the children when they're here," she added.
Her career has not only helped her child clients, but her family has, too.
"I have three of my own children and being a mom has helped me in this field," Stevenato said. "My kids all have their own quirks to deal with and that has helped me to understand those of my clients."
Stevenato is already working on expanding her services to include more curriculum-based activities such as music and art therapy.
"I'd love the kids to all get what they need under one roof," she said. "I want to offer these programs to tap into other areas that might help them. My vision is to start incorporating curriculum into my programming."
For lots more information on Stevenato's services or upcoming programs, call 792-5272, or e-mail lyndsey@stevenato-cts.com.
ncruickshank@thebarrieexaminer.com
