Meet Nico

Physical Therapy:

-Kasey Fleenor, PT, DPT

Nico, his family, and I have been working together for 4 months; although he has been receiving skilled PT at this facility for the past 16 months! When Nico began physical therapy at 14 months old, he was unable to push himself to sitting from being on his tummy, and he was not crawling or standing independently. Nico has worked very hard with his previous physical therapist and me and has made great strides. Specifically, Nico has learned to pull-to-stand at a support surface and is an independent ambulator for short distances with close supervision! Nico’s greatest gross motor challenges stem from tightness and decreased muscle coordination on the right side of his body. In physical therapy, we largely focus on his right leg, attempting to improve the range of motion of his ankle, knee, and hip. In addition, we address resulting balance deficits when walking, protective reactions so that Nico can catch himself and prevent injury when he falls, and other gross motor skills, such as navigating stairs, squat to stand, and ball skills.

Nico, his parents, and I make a great team! His mother most often brings him to his appointments with me. She is frequently asking how she and her husband can help Nico, and they follow through with wonderful carryover at home. I always enjoy my time with Nico. He has the brightest smile almost constantly on his face that could put anyone in a good mood. He quickly engages with toys and follows cues incredibly well, especially for a child as young as he is! I am so excited to continue working with Nico and his family and witness his skills blossom.

Occupational Therapy:

-Amy Neal, OTR/L

Nico has been working hard and having fun in OT! He loves to smile, laugh, and play with his favorite peanut ball. He’s been working hard at home to learn to open doors and use both of his hands to play. I can’t wait to see all the big things he does next!

Speech Therapy:

-Mikayla Welch, SLP-CCC

Nico is such a hardworking and determined little boy. He has made so much progress in the 7 months I have seen him for speech therapy. He loves to play with all toys. We have been working hard on building his vocabulary during play. Nico does an amazing job at attempting new words when giving him choices and modeling the target word. He has already produced 10-15 new words in the months that he has been in speech. It is so fun celebrating his new words in and out of therapy. I can’t wait to see what all he does in the future!