Before Emmitt was born, the doctors discovered he had spina bifida. Although Kaylynne and her husband Eric had time to prepare for his arrival, they never anticipated the degree of his complications. Thankfully, they have family and providers who support them. “It’s a saving grace when you have a medically challenged child,” says Kaylynne.
Their support network includes an EI-TVI from A Shared Vision, whom they began working with in 2019. “Emmitt loses objects in his lower field of vision. Our teacher showed us how to get food or toys to pop on his tray. She gave us a finger flashlight that we shine on his toys so he can track them,” explains Kaylynne. When he would drop toys off his tray or they would roll off, Kaylynne devised a way to keep them attached to the tray with cell phone ring holders and coiled lanyards.
Even during the pandemic when home visits aren’t possible, Emmitt is making huge strides developmentally. “Progress is still possible even though we’re seeing our therapists through telehealth,” says Kaylynne. Emmitt’s “fighter spirit” comes from his parents who are willing to let Emmitt try new things. Whether Emmitt is propelling his Scooot chair, rolling over by himself or saying “cracker” for the first time, “We try hard to not let his diagnosis determine what we think he can do because he always surprises us with what he can actually do,” says Kaylynne.