• Kara's Story

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Kara is a happy, loving five year-old girl whose smile can light up a room. She was delivered by caesarian section at 36 weeks gestation due to low amniotic fluid levels and a breech presentation. Kara was born at 5 pounds 1 ounce and was discharged from the hospital at 4 pounds 3 ounces. Three days after her initial discharge from the hospital she was readmitted to Martin Health Systems North NICU for hypothermia and failure to thrive. She spent three days in the NICU and was discharged when she began eating regularly and maintaining her body temperature. As Kara grew we began to notice her miss milestones that were age appropriate. She would not tolerate "tummy time" and thus developed plagiocephaly (flat spot on the back of her head). We were referred to a craniomaxillofacia surgeon who diagnosed her with plagiocephaly and torticollis. Kara was fitted for a cranial molding orthosis (helmet) which after four months of wearing it for 23 hours a day corrected the problem. She also began physical therapy at this point to begin correcting the torticollis. Since then her bi-weekly therapies include speech, occupational, physical   and just recently ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy. Her current diagnosis is developmental delay, ADD and ASD (autism spectrum disorder).


Kara is currently enrolled at Crystal Lake Elementary and is in her 3rd year of the ESE pre-K program, with our hopes of her being mainstreamed into kindergarten next school year. At school she receives speech, OT and PT once a week. She also receives speech and OT once a week in Jupiter. Kara has also begun receiving ABA therapy 3 times a week at home to assist her with her social skills. Kara is showing progress in her therapy sessions and we are trying everything we can to give her every opportunity to achieve the normal life all children should have.


Kara has a younger sister Emily who is two years old and a Golden Retriever who is seven years old.

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