‘Key to her Progress’: Anderson a success story for Birth to Three … – Parkersburg News

Kailynn Anderson, 17, a student at Parkersburg High School and the daughter of Terry and Sharon Anderson, proved everyone wrong who said she would never walk or talk. Today, shes walking and talking and her mother cites the developmental services she received through WV Birth to Three. (Photo Provided)

Staff Report

PARKERSBURG Kailynn Anderson is a success story for the WV Birth to Three program administered by The Arc of the Mid Ohio Valley.

The 17-year-old daughter of Terry and Sharon Anderson was born with issues that could limit her ability to walk or talk.

Today, Kailyn is a walking, talking and thriving teen with a heart of gold and zeal for life, Sharon said. So much is owed to the developmental services she received through WV Birth to Three, she said.

When I was little they said I wouldnt walk or talk, but now I am with the help of Birth to Three, Kailynn, a student at Parkersburg High School, said.

Kailynn Anderson received services from WV Birth to Three, which her parents say allowed her to overcome problems from Deletion 4P. (Photo Provided)

Birth to Three is a statewide system of services and support for children under 3 who have a delay in their development, or may be at risk of having a delay, and their family.

Kailynn was born with a deletion on her fourth chromosome that caused multiple issues including tetralogy of fallot, a heart condition that required open heart surgery at 8 months old, her mother, Sharon, said. Commonly called Deletion 4P, it causes severe developmental delays, she said.

and we were told when Kailynn was 3 weeks old by her geneticist at WVU that she would likely never walk or talk, Sharon said. She had a heart defect, extremely low muscle tone and other concerns which would require early intervention and none of which we were aware of prior to her birth.

She was unable to crawl or sit up on her own prior to her open-heart surgery at 8 months old due to the low muscle tone and would require physical, occupational and speech therapies to help her development, Sharon said.

We were not aware of the Birth to Three services until after Kailynns heart surgery, Sharon said. We were a young family just starting out and knew she needed therapy, but were not sure how we would pay for it. We were referred to the local Birth to Three program by WVU Childrens Hospital who set us up with all the different therapies Kailynn would need.

Therapy was provided at home so Kailynn was in a familiar and comfortable environment, Sharon said.

We believe this was key to her progress, Sharon said. The therapists scheduled around our work schedules, and we began to see immediate improvements.

Devices and services to help Kailynn were provided at no cost, including a Benik vest, which helped her core muscles develop and get stronger after her surgery allowing her to finally sit up on her own without support.

She also was given a walker designed specifically for a toddler so she could have assistance learning to walk.

We used the intervention therapies provided through Birth to Three until she was able to qualify for services through the school system upon entering Pre-K, Sharon said. The therapists were wonderful with Kailynn and she enjoyed working with them. With every step she took or word she spoke we gained a new sense of hope that she would defy the odds and expectations of her doctors.

To know that such services are available in our community at no cost to families is something from which we hope others will benefit, Sharon said.

The Arc is WV Birth to Three regional administrative unit for Region 2. For more information on Birth to Three, go to http://www.wvdhhr.org/birth23/Default or call 1-866-321-4728.

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'Key to her Progress': Anderson a success story for Birth to Three ... - Parkersburg News