Milestone Moment - Tillie
April 10, 2025
Spotlight on Tillie: Strength, Smiles, and So Much Progress!
Spotlight on Tillie: Strength, Smiles, and so Much Progress!
At Pediatric Movement Center, we are constantly inspired by the determination, resilience, and joy our little ones bring to every session—and Tillie is a shining example of that spirit. Tillie began her journey with PMC just under two years old, joining us in early February. When she arrived, her movement was limited to rolling and lying on her back or belly. Sitting independently was a challenge, and she would often throw herself backward while trying to sit. But Tillie—and her amazing family—were ready to work hard, and that’s exactly what they’ve done.
DURING 8 WEEKS....
Over the past eight weeks, Tillie has made tremendous strides in her development through consistent therapy and dedicated practice at home. She has primarily participated in Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI) sessions, which focus on building strength and supporting developmental milestones. Thanks to her hard work and the guidance of her therapy team, Tillie is now sitting independently for up to five minutes at a time while playing with her favorite toys—a huge accomplishment in such a short time!
But that’s not all—Tillie has also begun pulling her legs underneath her to get into a hands-and-knees position, a critical step in progressing toward crawling. Her smile when she conquers a new skill is absolutely contagious. She lights up every room she enters and brings joy not only to her therapists, but to everyone she meets at PMC. As Ms. Mackenzie so beautifully said, “Tillie, you are so strong, brave, and resilient. We know we are just getting glimpses of all that you are going to accomplish! The sky is the limit, sweet girl.”
Tillie's Progress
Tillie’s progress doesn’t stop with motor skills—she’s also been making incredible gains in her speech and communication development. Ms. Robin shared how Tillie has been working hard in her speech sessions and at home, building her visual and vocal attention and engaging in shared enjoyment during motivating activities. Her eye contact and social smile brighten every session, and she is showing so much growth using a high-tech communication system
to express herself. A recent milestone that had everyone celebrating was when Tillie used her device to say “Stop!” during a standing exercise—a powerful moment of self-advocacy and an exciting leap in her communication journey. As Ms. Robin shared, “Tillie is a delight to work with and makes my day brighter every time I get to work with her!”
We Are So Proud Of You!
Tillie’s story is a beautiful reminder of the potential that lives within every child, and the amazing things that can happen when therapy, family support, and a determined spirit come together. We’re so proud of you, Tillie. Keep reaching for the stars—we’ll be cheering you on every step of the way!
Posted with parent permission.
Exposing children to food through various activities like cooking, coloring and sensory play/projects enhances their understanding of food, leading to healthier eating habits. Try a sensory project, like making snacklaces!
A Fun Way to Introduce Your Child to Food!
Our Registered Dietitian (RD) has some practical tips to incorporate into mealtime for a more successful, enjoyable child-food relationship. The goals of these interaction are to create a positive relationship with food, enjoy happy meal times, reduce anxiety, reduce battles surrounding food, and fitting all types of food into a healthy lifestyle.
Apraxia is a motor speech disorder. Childhood apraxia of speech is a rare, but lifelong disorder that makes it difficult for individuals to move their mouth muscles in order to speak. The important thing to note about Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is that the child knows what they want to say, but may struggle with connecting the brain to the muscles that must accompany speech.
If you have a child who is a selective eater, learn about some time-tested eating tips including: nutrition guidelines, tips for parents during meal times, and types of food children tend to enjoy. Try a combination of these tricks and find what will work best for your family.
In a world often filled with uncertainty, Liam, a courageous six-year-old boy, has proven that faith, resilience, and the unwavering support of family can overcome even the most daunting challenges. His journey began on December 11th, 2023 when Liam fell down the stairs. What was thought to have been a seemingly innocent incident, quickly spiraled into a life-altering spinal stroke. Within moments, Liam went from a lively child full of energy to being paralyzed from the neck down, which left his family in shock, grappling with fear and confusion as they navigated the unknown.
