CCVI Success Stories
Meet Cal
He is a curious and determined little 3 year old with a huge love for music, his little siter and his German Shepard, Hawk.
Unlike other 3-year-olds, Cal was born with a rare disease called Senior Loken Syndrome, and is 1 of only 24 documented cases worldwide. This rare disease causes an eye condition known as Leber congenital amaurosis, causing increased light sensitivity, involuntary movement of the eyes (nystagmus), and extreme farsightedness.
Although there is no corrective treatment for Senior Loken Syndrome, that hasn’t kept Cal from standing up for himself and others. Since attending CCVI, Cal has excelled in his early childhood development and braille skills.
Meet Layla
Born blind, any foreign senses were shocking and scary to Layla causing her to become frequently overwhelmed and overstimulated.
“When you get the diagnosis that your child is blind, you just feel so down,” says Tijona.
Once connected to CCVI through Missouri First Steps, the statewide early childhood education agency, Layla was enrolled in the Early Intervention Program. This is the largest program at CCVI, sending certified teachers and therapists with specialties in vision into the home of kids like Layla. Layla’s therapists remember music always being the way to her heart.
“Those home visits,” Tijona pauses and reflects. “Those were where I learned to be a mother.”
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Meet Lawrence
As one of the first people at CCVI to meet and work with Lawrence (Lolo), Teacher of the Visually Impaired Michelle Tovar is quick to highlight his natural love for learning and bright personality. Michelle has known and worked with Lawrence as his Teacher of the Visually Impaired since he first came to CCVI at the age of three.
But as his time at CCVI went on, Lawrence grew socially and mentally and formed many friendships, and acquired many skills, such as navigation with a cane and Braille.
Now at the age of 8, Lawrence will be entering the third grade this coming school year and still has a natural love for learning and has taken a liking to geography and science.
Meet Astrid
For some people, when they think of “foxes” they think of Astrid McCann, a silly, energetic, and quick-witted 6-year-old girl who loves swimming, going on adventures, and attending school at CCVI.
Astrid was born with a rare neuro-developmental disease called FOXP1 Syndrome, which causes her to experience speech, language, and cognitive impairment, ADHD, emotional dysregulation, strabismus and near-sightedness.
Since coming to CCVI, Astrid has made huge strides in her speech and language, behavioral, and social skills along with her activities of daily living!
