Fiona was just 7 months old when she began receiving early intervention services from The Arc Alliance. Diagnosed with Spina Bifida, Club Foot, and Neurogenic Bladder, Fiona started with tele-intervention sessions, as her parents initially had few concerns about her motor development. When she was 10 months old, her physical therapist, Ellen, began seeing her in person at the park. Ellen’s role was to monitor Fiona’s motor progress and provide her family with strategies for the next stages of development.

After undergoing club foot surgery in September 2022, Fiona began crawling and started pulling to stand, though there were some concerns with the positioning of her right leg. Ellen worked closely with Fiona’s family, helping them communicate with their orthopedist and secure an Ankle Foot Orthotic (AFO) in February 2023 to stabilize her right foot. In April, Fiona received a purple Nimbus walker through the Spina Bifida Clinic at CHOP, which she quickly learned to use. Just two months later, Fiona attended The Arc Alliance Resource Fair at Elmwood Park Zoo, where she walked confidently all over the zoo with her purple walker.

Over the next year, Fiona’s physical therapy sessions increased to twice a month, with a focus on strengthening her hips and core and working towards walking independently. By late fall 2023, Fiona achieved that goal, taking her first steps without the walker. By spring 2024, her sessions were reduced to once a month, as she continued to make tremendous progress—now running, jumping, climbing, and enjoying playgrounds both indoors and out.

In addition to physical therapy, Fiona also received nutrition support to address some feeding and weight gain challenges. She was later discharged as her parents successfully implemented the strategies. Fiona also received occupational therapy to work on self-feeding with utensils, which also progressed smoothly.

Now nearly 3 years old, Fiona is a bright, social, and outgoing child. She loves meeting new people and introducing herself—often proudly introducing her family and her beloved physical therapist, Ellen, to new friends at the playground.