Two-year-old Denver does things in her own time and is very determined. When Denver was struggling to communicate, her family connected to Rainbows through the Rose Hill Parents as Teachers program, and Denver began receiving in-home speech therapy with Joanna Wiebe, speech/language pathologist.
With two older brothers she tries to keep up with, developing language and expressing her needs is important for the entire family in getting along, connecting, and feeling less frustration. “We can work together so much better when there is understanding and clarity towards everyone’s needs and feelings,” said Jennifer, Denver’s mother. “Denver seems more confident and less frustrated being able to better communicate.”
“Mrs. Wiebe is AMAZING,” said Jennifer. “She is so attuned with Denver as a child, what her needs are, what is going on mechanically and emotionally in the moment, great at assessing strengths and areas to improve, makes time with Denver very fun, and is a great teacher in helping me understand what I can do to help Denver and things to implement at home.”
Here’s what Joanna has to say about Denver and her progress:
“Denver sweetly greets me at the door for our sessions; she then watches with big eyes and awaits her turn to show me all she can do that week. Jennifer, her mother, and I brainstorm strategies to incorporate speech and language skills within Denver’s daily routines, including playtime and mealtime, as we follow her interests. We work together to help her explore and expand upon her skills.
Denver inevitably brings a smile to everyone’s face no matter which activity we are engaging in. The look of pride that she has when she says a new vowel or attempts to vocalize a new word is golden. Her mother and I meet her where she is at and expand upon what her family is already doing. We teach Denver how to persevere with talking and build her confidence in the process.
Denver has such a sweet personality that, with the development of new skills, she will further be able to express with words. Our desired outcome is for Denver to develop a love for learning and the confidence to try. In turn, she will discover that her potential is limitless.
Denver and her family have blessed me beyond measure by allowing me to be a part of their lives at this early time. There is no stopping this mighty girl. I want to thank the Lemons family for this gift.
When children are not using words to communicate in their routines, there can be a variety of reasons or causes for a delay. Helping families discover their child’s story and supporting them through it is one of the most rewarding experiences there is. I can’t imagine a better way to spend a day.”
