Ava’s Story
Meeting Street is the place for Ava
Ava Johnson will soon be four years old. She has cerebral palsy and received early intervention services at home until last year. That's when she came to Meeting Street...and her world became a wonderful new and exciting place.
For her first three years, she was mostly confined to her home and had virtually no contact with children other than her siblings. Her parents had heard about Meeting Street and after checking three other schools, decided that Meeting Street was the place for Ava.
"It was clear that Meeting Street had the best facility and programs for our daughter. It was an easy choice to make," said her parents in a recent interview.
Ava doesn't have independent mobility and she is not able to use a wheelchair yet. She uses a special chair that gives her stability and makes it possible for her to sit with the class.
Sitting with the class...just being a kid with the other kids...of all the therapies she receives - speech, physical, and occupational - nothing has changed Ava's life as much as the opportunity to interact with her teacher, therapists and, most of all, her classmates.
Her parents say that her core strength is improving, her grasp is better and she can hold objects longer. She is able to sit longer with her brothers and they are now able to better connect with her because of how she communicates what she is feeling with her eyes.
Physical therapists are now working with her so that she will be able to use a power wheelchair that she can control with her head.
"Ava's life has changed so much since coming to Meeting Street. She is happy, stronger, and full of life. She is a joy to be with and a very special little girl," concluded her proud mother.