Grayson first started at Medical Support Services (MSS) when he was 14 months old after participating in birth to three services following a diagnosis of stroke in utero. Grayson is a happy, motivated, and engaged little boy who loves to play with and copy his older brother.  

Grayson was referred first for Speech-Language Pathology services, due to concerns with limited expressive communication. He had good understanding of what others said, but did not express his wants and needs, had only recently started saying his first word, and had experienced plateau in expressive development since 9 months of age. He was demonstrating a high level of frustration with being unable to communicate. During his 10 months in speech therapy, Grayson has demonstrated amazing growth in communication skills! He recently graduated from therapy and is talking up a storm. He is combining many words together, even using full sentences with a variety of word types and to communicate for many intents and purposes. Not only is he successfully communicating his wants and needs, but he is now talking about the world around him, sharing his thoughts and ideas, and beginning to tell stories.  

When Grayson began Occupational Therapy at 16 months, he was very guarded with his right arm, often not utilizing it in any activity. Over the past several months, Grayson has made significant progress in the functional use of his right arm and hand. He now actively incorporates his right hand when carrying items, engaging in ball play, playing with interlocking toys, and participating in gross motor games.  

We are so proud of Grayson for his playfulness and engagement, enabling him to make such great progress. It has been such a joy to see his personality bloom and his confidence grow as he has gained skills. We are excited to see what he accomplishes next! 

Parent Quote: 

“When Grayson was 4 months old (age 2 now) we started to notice him favoring one hand over the other and keeping his other arm guarded near his chest. After many tests and MRIs, it was confirmed that Grayson had a stroke in utero that affected one side of his brain causing muscle tightness on the other side of his body. After the diagnosis we had a hard time processing what this meant for Grayson’s future. It was at that time we were referred to outpatient therapy. We were/are fortunate to work with Nora for speech and Abbey for OT. Coming to therapy each week (at times multiple times a week) never feels like “going to therapy”, it feels like going to a second home to work with people who truly are passionate not only about what they do but your child as well. Nora and Abbey continue to go above and beyond for Grayson to meet him where he is at, but also give him the push they know he is capable of handling. Grayson started speech with Nora with a very limited vocabulary, and now he is talking non-stop in full sentences. We are so proud of the progress he has made with Nora, and we are forever grateful for the continued education and support for Grayson along the way from Nora. Grayson continues to work with Abbey for OT, and from the moment we had our first visit with Abbey we knew she was the perfect fit for Grayson. Abbey continues to meet Grayson where he is at, but also challenges him to do things she knows he is capable of doing. Grayson has gone from only using his left hand for tasks, to now using both his hands together. We are amazed at all the progress he is continuing to make in OT with Abbey. We can’t thank the staff from MSS Oak Creek enough for all they have done for our family. It will be a sad day when Grayson graduates and no longer needs services at MSS.”  

-Jessica Nieskes, Grayson’s mother 

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.

Our success story for our 2023 fall newsletter is Harrison Joseph!

Harrison was just 1 week old when first evaluated at Medical Support Services, having began his journey with us just 2 days after being discharged from the NICU. He started out with PT and OT and eventually Speech Therapy/Feeding. Harrison’s Mom was motivated to start services right away to provide the best support for Harrison and his future development.

When he started feeding therapy with us, he had difficulty chewing food thoroughly, clearing his mouth fully, and using utensils to feed himself. He was previously dependent on G-tube feedings to receive sufficient calories and nutrition, but now he is almost completely weaned off tube feedings!

Harrison born with Holt Oram Syndrome, which affects the development of the heart and the upper extremities. On his right hand, he has a shorter thumb with a smaller web space than usual. On his left arm, he has a shorter radius that was causing his wrist to turn in and did not have a thumb on that hand. He was also born with multiple holes in his heart. In the last 3 years, he has had 5 surgeries to close the holes in his heart, deepen the web space on his right hand, straighten his wrist on his left hand, and even turn his index finger into a thumb on that hand.

“Harrison is an incredible joy to work with. He is always full of imagination and positivity.”

Amie Kramp, Occupational Therapist

Harrison has struggled with hitting almost all of his major milestones on time which can be super stressful for a parent, especially when they are already dealing with the stress that comes with having a child with various medical conditions.

“Harrison’s therapists have always been so supportive throughout the last 3 years and have always made his therapy appointments fun for him and not feel like a regular medical appointment! In the beginning it was a really big adjustment for him with working through tummy time and crawling but he has grown to love his appointments and his therapists! He has worked so hard and it’s so crazy seeing how much he has truly grown from when he first started to now. He will start 4k next year and I was a little nervous about if he will be ready since he has hand differences from other kids. He has been working so hard with his OT Jenni on how to hold crayons and other school supplies, I know he will do great. I am so thankful for MSS and everything they have done to help Harrison navigate through his milestones and ensure he is where he needs to be. Harrison was discharged from PT and Speech therapy as well since he eats 95% of his diet by mouth now!! It will be a very bittersweet day when he is completely discharged from their facility!”

Ashley Joseph, Harrison’s Mom

A little before his second birthday, Harrison was walking laps around the clinic and was ready for discharge. Now he is hard to keep up with! He runs, rides a bike, and plays on the playground in the therapy gym and with his friends. He is also now independent with feeding himself using a fork and spoon.

Harrison and his parents diligently attended all recommended services and routinely completed his home exercise program, working towards a shared goal of maximizing Harrison’s independence. They have truly pushed Harrison to his full potential!