When Peyton was three months old and starting daycare she developed a lung infection.This infection proved to be much more than a cold, and led to nearly a year of testing at Children’s Hospital in Columbus.After a bout with the croup close to Peyton’s first birthday a lung biopsy was ordered, and doctors diagnosed Persistent Tachypnea, a rare and serious lung disease.  The doctors instructed Peyton’s parents, Becky and Scott, to do all that they could to protect her from further infection while her lungs matured and healed.

Mom and Dad made guarding their daughter’s fragile health their first priority.  Becky left her job to stay home with Peyton, and for years the family avoided outings, missed family holidays, and did everything else possible to keep her free from illness. When Peyton was nearing her fourth birthday, doctors cleared the family to start introducing visits outside the home.  It was during these early social experiences that Becky realized something was not quite right.  Although Peyton had remained healthy in their home, she lacked experience communicating with other children, and with adults other than her parents.

Thankfully, Peyton had a friend who had recently been successfully treated for stuttering at the Delaware Speech and Hearing Center.  Although unsure if her problems were truly speech-related, Becky and Scott were impressed by the stories they heard of the Center and its therapists.Peyton was evaluated at the Center, and therapy was recommended. When she met her Speech-Language Pathologists, Audrey and Rhonda, Peyton’s life was changed.While she had developed a large vocabulary, Peyton needed extra attention to strengthen her communication and social skills.After her first summer in the Preschool Language Program, friends and family were amazed by the change in Peyton.We knew we were on the right track,” Becky remembers.Continued speech therapy and another summer in the Preschool Language Program have allowed Peyton time to focus on following directions, answering questions and showing confidence in group settings.

Peyton with Speech-Language Pathologists Rhonda & Audrey

Becky knows that her Speech-Language Pathologists will still be a part of Peyton’s life when she starts kindergarten this fall. When you find someone who will invest themselves in your child, you don’t let them go easily. Some kids need that extra boost…that extra love.That’s what Audrey and Rhonda give to Peyton, and I would recommend the Delaware Speech and Hearing Center to anyone!