“TThe Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh is like our home away from home,” laughs Lisa Ringler. “We spend three days a week here, and every time the kids are so excited to come. Sometimes I can’t stop them from running down the hall to greet their therapists with hugs and homemade gifts.”
The Ringler family consists of mother Lisa, father James, daughters Monica (8), Ashley (7), Rachel (6), Chelsea (5) and Bailey (3) and son Wyatt (1).
Together, the six Ringler children participate in approximately 15 hours of treatment delivered each week by The Children’s Institute’s expert team of therapists.
“We went to a developmental disability pediatrician who did thorough evaluations, first for the older girls and then for our younger kids,” explains Lisa. “He recommended The Children’s Institute to help meet our family’s complex needs.”
The underlying cause of their delay is a rare microduplication in a small piece of one chromosome. They all have varying degrees of hypermobility and four of the girls have been diagnosed with autism.
This level of complexity requires the knowledge, expertise and collaborative treatment approach of the team at The Children’s Institute.
“The therapists at The Children’s Institute are absolutely amazing,” Lisa describes. “They are so well trained and so caring. We are connected with multiple physical, occupational and speech therapists who work with the girls and each other to help them achieve their goals. They also invest in me by listening to my concerns, explaining their ideas and answering my questions. I have learned so much from them.”
Less than a year after starting services, Monica and Ashley were achieving all of their current physical therapy goals. Rachel, Chelsea and Bailey continue to receive physical therapy, and the five receive weekly occupational therapy and speech therapy. The girls now love to run, hop and jump. They build strength and endurance, develop fine motor skills, and progress with eating and other sensory issues.
“Thanks to The Children’s Institute, our daughters are each progressing in their own unique way,” concludes Lisa. “I expect that we will come to The Children’s Institute for many years to come as we uncover problems and seek solutions together. I am confident in their future and my kids feel like every visit is the best play date ever.
Click here to learn how you can make an amazing difference with The Children’s Institute. Support our mission and donate today!
Sponsored content is created and paid for by the marketer.