Lycoming County United Way at Work in Montoursville

An individual might ask the question: ‘What has the Lycoming County United Way, and the programs it supports, done for me?’.

Alison Stroop from Montoursville has a simple answer.

“The Childrens’ Development Center, through the support of the United Way, has given my daughter Abigail a voice,” explained Alison.

In June of 2004, three-year old Abigail was diagnosed with Childhood Apraxia - a rare speech disorder. Apraxia is caused by delays or deviances in those processes involved in planning and programming movement sequences for speech. In simpler terms – when Abigail’s brain sends signals to the muscles used to talk, that message gets scrambled, making communication more difficult or even impossible.

Abigail’s parents, Alison and Dean were eager to learn as much as they could about the disorder and enrolled in a conference being held in Pittsburgh for parents of children with apraxia. During the conference, the Stroops noticed another couple whose nametags listed their hometown as Williamsport. The two families quickly formed a relationship and began sharing information about dealing with apraxia.

It was through this conversation that the Stroops learned about the Childrens’ Development Center and their preschool program for children with disabilities. Abigail, now four-years-old, is in her second year attending the CDC. She attends class every afternoon and receives both group and individual therapy.

“The CDC teaches the same types of things that a regular preschool does, but does so at a slower pace and with the unique needs of each child in mind,” said Alison. “Abigail has really taken to the teachers and is always excited to get dropped off. The entire staff has been terrific, not just with directly working with Abigail but also with helping us find other forms of assistance and aid. They really have made things much easier for us.”

There are about 10 children in each class and the group therapies are designed to be beneficial for all the children, regardless of their specific disability. Abigail also receives private therapy to address the specific issues related to apraxia.

When Abigail first began attending the CDC, she was only able to make sounds that few people other than her parents could understand. Now she is able to form words and talk in phrases, making it much easier for her to communicate.

“The CDC has given Abigail a voice,” said Alison. “She is a much happier child now that she is able to get her point across. It was very frustrating for her to know what she wanted to say but be unable to communicate that to others.”

“We can see the progress she makes each and every day,” continued Alison. “But it is even more pronounced for our family and friends that only see her once in a while. They are amazed with how far she has come.”