When it was time for the Kennedys to find an early childhood education program for their sons, sixteen-month-old Spencer and older brother Quinn, there was no question in their minds that St. David’s Center was the right fit. Spencer was born with Down Syndrome, and Heather and Caleb felt strongly that both boys should be in an early learning environment that included children of all abilities and offered the highly coordinated care Spencer needed. As Spencer grew and developed, a constant in his life was the network of teachers and therapists who walked alongside him to nurture and support his growth.

It was this same support system that noticed the regression in his speech and nuanced changes in his behavior around the age of five, ultimately resulting in his diagnosis of autism. Spencer and his family embarked upon a new phase of their journey with St. David’s Center, enrolling in Family Floortime therapy—a multidisciplinary intervention aimed at creating new patterns and building new skills in communication and interaction. When COVID hit and in-person therapies shifted to telehealth, Spencer and his family began to participate in Floortime virtually. Heather shares, “Spencer got to have the eyes of all these wonderful practitioners in his environment where he lives, and it gave us an opportunity to really learn to speak Spencer’s play language and to adjust as a family so that we can engage him. That was a real gift…it was also really hard work. But the things that have changed in our family because of it are tangible.”

Today, Spencer and his family are thriving. Now in second grade, he enjoys family game nights and dancing and continues to build and practice skills in St. David’s Center’s School Age Autism Day Treatment program.

To help light the way for Spencer, and thousands like him, RSVP or donate today.