When my son first arrived at Right Starts’ door, he was struggling on many levels and needed systemic support. Previous therapeutic approaches seemed to be able to identify specific areas of importance, but did not address his needs as a whole person and showed limited, one-dimensional results. The McHales’ approach is on an entirely different level. As experienced practitioners with a diverse complimentary tool bag, they see the client through the many lenses of their various skills and tailor their work to the client. I am always impressed how they observe and adapt to my son each session, meeting him where he is that day. However, and perhaps most profoundly, their genius is the ability to look at the client and see a pathway that maps strategy and clear steps to build long term, comprehensive support and healing progress. It is truly life changing to find practitioners who have the insight and hard won talent to grasp the whole picture with you and empower health. As a parent, I have benefited by learning new ways to notice and respond to my son’s needs and have gained tools to advance his development. At this point, he has been with Right Starts half of his life and he is completely transformed from the person who first entered the door. I never imagined he’d be doing the things he is today, and I can say without a doubt that Right Starts played a starring role in making these prayers a reality. Thank you!
Case Study: Quinton’s Story
From NICU to Preschool... Quinton Thrives!
A “Healing Pathway” takes the guesswork out of navigating integrative care and provides patients and caregivers with a clear idea of what to expect during their course of treatment.
Phase 1
In early 2020, Quinton was 9 months old when he contracted bacterial meningitis, a life threatening illness. He was within minutes of losing his precious life when a miraculous intervention by the fast acting pediatric intensive care team saved him. Once the emergency stabilized, Quin’s parents reached out to Right Starts for guidance on how to support Quin through the long road of recovery ahead and began his “Healing Pathway”.
Quin had sustained damage to areas of the brain and nervous system as a result of the active infection and surgery. This caused him to lose all of his previous motor skill development, feeding skills and caused severe sensory dysregulation. While still in the hospital, Quin’s parents began implementing regulation techniques such as infant massage with essential oils and therapeutic music to help calm his over-stimulated nervous system, ease pain, and promote sensory processing. Quinton was brought home and an intensive therapeutic plan was initiated immediately to regain his motor skills, feeding skills and previous level of development.
Phase 2
Quin’s health returned and he participated in OT (along with several other therapies) 3-5 times per week for the first year of his recovery. He was diagnosed with moderate to severe hearing loss of the right ear and presented with severe ptosis and exotropia of the right eye, sustained from nerve damage. Jaime and Brian utilized craniosacral therapy to promote healing to the brain and spinal cord while also facilitating improved sensory regulation. Cranial nerve stimulation with Frequency Specific Microcurrent and red light therapy was utilized to activate nerve function of the right eye and ear, as well as his tongue and cheeks for improved oral motor control.
Phase 3
Quin was very aversive to touch and benefited from daily sensory play to decrease his sensitivities to make diaper/clothing changes, feeding and getting hands dirty more comfortable for him. Developmental play facilitated Quin to regain lost core strength and motor skills. Quinton’s balance was greatly impacted, making the developmental process of moving from sitting unassisted to standing and walking a challenge. He benefited from the neuromuscular stimulation of Kinesiotape along with Myofascial release to activate his muscles and get him up and moving. With his tenacity, a strong therapeutic plan and the unrelenting dedication of his parents, Quin quickly began to close the gaps in his development and would reach therapy goals as fast as we could write them!
Phase 4
At the time this is written, Quin is a thriving four year old who continues to beat the odds! His bright and bubbly personality and sweet face bring joy to everyone he meets! He currently attends preschool and will be headed to Kindergarten next school year.
Quin currently attends occupational therapy twice weekly to work on refining his neurological processing with holistic modalities. This is to ensure that the residual effects of his illness are minimized and that he is ready for success as he grows into school age. Quin’s “Healing Pathway” has led to a steady healing of his hearing loss and vision impairments. At this time, he still requires the support of his hearing aid and bifocal glasses. Jaime and Brian work closely with his speech therapist and neuro-developmental optometrist to ensure that his “Healing Pathway” supports his work in other therapies.
Curious about how Healing Pathways could accelerate healing journey? Schedule a free consultation by clicking the button below:
Testimonials
I started using Right Starts when my daughter was diagnosed with dyslexia and we needed assistance with vision therapy. During the first session I was blown away by how creative Jamie’s plan of care was – really targeting tasks that my daughter was interested in and benefited from. Shortly after, I started bringing my son, who has a diagnosis of ADHD. Jamie and Brian worked with me to develop unique plans of care that targeted the goals of each child. Over the years, they have each improved dramatically and are excelling. I attribute a lot of their success to the work they have done with Jamie and Brian during the past 7 years. Both of these therapists are dedicated to the children and adults that they care for and that is evident from the moment you meet them. Get on their waiting list. You will not regret it.
We have trusted Jamie and Brian with our son for the past six years. We couldn’t be any happier and highly recommend Right Starts. Not only are they skilled, professional, and get results—but more importantly, their hearts are made of gold. My son loves them as much as they love him.
My family and I have been lucky to have been introduced to Right Starts and we could not be anymore grateful for their guidance and support. We love the welcoming, homey atmosphere and they are always so calm, yet attentive to our family’s needs. Life can be crazy when you are a parent to a child who requires sensory or behavioral support and they have always been so helpful and never steer us wrong.
The McHales are very knowledgeable on utilizing advanced & regular techniques to help create better health, function and wellness for their clients. They take a very caring and compassionate approach with every child.
I wouldn’t trust my son to go anywhere else. Jaime and Brian are professional, loving, understanding, and everything you’d want in an OT for your child. We have seen so much progress, and are so grateful for their work with our boy!
