Katie is the daughter of my good friend Mike Coffey -- she is an
example of a success story, where through the love and dedication
of her parents and years of therapy she has come a long way. I
may not be the fastest runner by a long shot, but hopefully I can
do my part to help little kids like her.
Katie's story:
Katie Coffey was two years old when her parents started noticing
problems. Her speech was stilted and tended to be phrases lifted
from stories they'd read or videos they'd watch. Her stranger
anxiety was extreme, and deviations from her daily routine would
send her into fits of temper.
After months of testing and interviews, Katie was diagnosed with
Pervasive Developmental Disorder.
Through years of speech and occupational therapy, Katie has
learned to communicate effectively with adults and peers. She
no longer shudders in the presence of strangers, and has become
more flexible in her allowances for routine. She has progressed
enough that she is now completely mainstreamed with her
classmates, needing only consultation with school special
education instructors to keep her on the right path.