Twin sisters Karraline and Clarissa began their journey at Medical Support Services (MSS) after aging out of their county’s Birth-to-Three program. Despite their small stature, these girls have always been strong and resilient. Born at 24 weeks, they’ve faced numerous challenges in their lives but have never let these obstacles hinder them. Both are full of life and have shown great motivation to improve their independence and play with their siblings. Their mother has shared her hopes and dreams for the girls to enhance their developmental skills to the best of their ability.
Karraline had very limited mobility skills when she started at MSS, but her language skills were a definite strength. She enthusiastically shared stories about her life on a farm and her deep love for her family. She is an incredibly kind soul, always radiating love.
Over the years, Karraline has worked diligently in physical therapy to strengthen her ability to navigate her home environment. Now, she can be found walking on her knees, climbing on and off the couch, or running in her gait trainer. Despite her physical limitations, Karraline finds innovative ways to keep up with her nine siblings, including driving her power wheelchair independently around their farm.
When Karraline began occupational therapy (OT) at MSS, she was extremely motivated but had limited use of her arms. Over time, she has significantly improved the functionality of her arms, gaining independence in various skills. She can now feed herself, assist with dressing, begin to brush her own hair, and brush her teeth independently.
Karraline also started speech therapy at MSS at the age of three. Initially, she struggled with combining words but quickly advanced in her expressive language skills. In just two years, she graduated from speech therapy, now able to produce grammatically correct sentences and articulate all speech sounds appropriately. She even accompanies Clarissa to her speech sessions, serving as her biggest cheerleader.
Clarissa began her journey at MSS with limited speech and language skills, but she was quick to crawl around and explore the therapy gym. Despite her limited speech, Clarissa always managed to express her vibrant, playful personality. Her gross motor skills were a strength from the start. She progressed rapidly from crawling to standing and eventually to walking independently. Clarissa loves to run and play and even joined a baseball team last summer.
In OT, Clarissa initially showed difficulty with motor planning, fine motor skills, core and visual motor skills, and overall upper body strength. She needed full assistance with dressing and struggled with manipulating objects. Now, she can dress independently, is learning to write her name, tie her shoes, and can follow multi-step directions.
Clarissa began speech therapy at MSS at three years old, initially communicating in two-word phrases and having difficulty following directions. She can now use complete sentences to express her wants and needs, her personality always shining through. In speech therapy, she is working on predicting events, retelling stories, and using past-tense verbs. She always works hard and never hesitates to share her opinions.
Both girls have shown remarkable tenacity in overcoming challenges and are greatly motivated by their family. They continue to work hard in therapy, learning skills that will assist them as they grow. We are all amazed by the progress these two have made and eagerly anticipate their continued achievements.
Parent Quote:
“It has been wonderful to witness the girls’ progress at MSS over the years. We’ve been thrilled to see Karraline’s advancements in mobility around our house and her interactions with her siblings. She now safely navigates between our kitchen and living room, even climbing stairs without falling. Her core control has also improved significantly, allowing her to sit and play without losing balance. Clarissa (‘Kissa’) has made remarkable progress in her communication skills, balance, and walking ability, moving from knee jumping to walking without frequent falls. Overall, both girls have made tremendous improvements, consistently exceeding our expectations and achieving milestones and goals we’ve set for them.