Before coming to 321go Kids, 11-year-old Kahani struggled to make his voice heard. While most kids his age confidently carry on conversations, Kahani found it challenging to speak using full sentences or use his communication device. His mom, Heather, hoped that one day he would be able to communicate with others, whether verbally or through his device. This hope led Heather to seek out speech therapy for her son at 321go Kids.

From the very beginning, the speech therapy team at 321go Kids worked to discover the most effective method of communication for Kahani. First, they helped the family obtain a new, simpler, speech generating device to supplement his verbal communication. Then, they began working on two- and three-word phrases and simple directions to build his skills. Other goals included yes/no questions, combining words independently, and even some sign language.

“At first, he didn’t make eye contact or acknowledge I was talking to him,” Allison, Kahani’s speech therapist, recalled. “But now that we’ve worked together for a while, we have full conversations with eye contact.”

Therapy sessions included not just structured learning, but also interactions to help Kahani feel more comfortable. His family and his Registered Behavior Technician, Kayla, played a big role in his progress, cheering him on and constantly encouraging him to use his words and device.

Within just a few weeks of therapy, Kahani’s verbal speech began improving. He began speaking more confidently and sharing his thoughts and opinions. One milestone that stood out to Heather: “One day, when he was leaving therapy, he said, ‘See you tomorrow,’ all on his own.”

Today, Kahani combines two- and three-word phrases independently, both verbally and with his device. He’s showing confidence, personality, and even humor. He’s adding his own twist to what he learns, like the time Allison taught him the sign for “car,” and Kahani noticed that Allison had shifted her hip when signing, so now Kahani signs for “car” with the same hip movement.

Heather is encouraged by Kahani’s progress and the support she’s found. “Making it easier for him to communicate with us is a big help,” she says. “I love that 321go Kids is connected with Victory Lane and meeting other families like ours. The staff is so friendly and knowledgeable.”

Through therapy at 321go Kids, Kahani isn’t just learning words— he’s learning how to communicate and be heard. Heather offers this word of advice for parents who are facing similar challenges: “There’s always room for growth and learning. One way or another, you’ll find a form of communication that works—and you just always try to stay hopeful.”

If you know of a family looking for hope and help for a child who struggles with communication, let them know about 321go Kids. Get started with a short quiz at 321gokids.com.