Small Victories That Add Up: A Look at Bryton’s Progress at TPP!
Written By: Amy Wolcott M.S., CCC-SLP
“Bryton absolutely LOVES going to The Pediatric Place,” said his mom, Kamiron. “He looks forward to it every week, and it has helped him come out of his shell and grow more independent while working with his therapists. Without The Pediatric Place, it’s hard to imagine what our lives would look like today.”
If you met happy little Bryton at our clinic, you might not guess all the challenges this joyful, energetic boy has faced or all the hard-won milestones he has achieved.
A Life-Changing Diagnosis
At just four months old, Bryton was diagnosed with holoprosencephaly (HPE), a rare brain condition in which the right and left sides of the brain do not separate like they should. Over his four short years, Bryton has faced more challenges than some people face in a lifetime. He has had multiple surgeries to improve breathing issues. His diagnosis also resulted in delays in motor and speech development, which led his family to The Pediatric Place.
Expectations Exceeded in Physical Therapy
Bryton began his journey at The Pediatric Place in physical therapy.
“At the time, he was ‘stacking’ his head rather than having the strength to hold it up on his own, and he tired very quickly,” Kamiron remembered. “While he never disliked tummy time, it often ended in a nap because he was using so much energy just to lift his head.”
Bryton’s physical therapists created a treatment plan to strengthen his entire body, and before long, he took off.
“He learned how to roll over,and soon he was rolling everywhere,” Kamiron said. “Crawling was initially challenging when it came to getting onto all fours, but his army crawl was impressive.”
Bryton began using a gait trainer to develop the strength and motor training he would need to walk. Although Bryton can now walk independently, he still uses the gait trainer at times: including to compete in Special Olympics events!
With the trainer, he proudly competed in a 50-yard dash,” Kamiron reported. “His heart was so happy to be out there racing alongside everyone else!”
Speech and Language Goals Met
From his first days of life, Bryton’s family worked hard to support his communication abilities.
“When Bryton was born, we introduced sign language right away,” Kamiron explained. “It was something I wanted to implement from the very beginning, and I am so glad we did, as it laid the foundation for his communication. From a very young age, Bryton was able to sign to us when he needed something or wanted to communicate.”
Dedication on the part of his family and hard work in speech therapy have paid off. Bryton’s speech therapist, Anna Walley, reports that his language skills were in the average to above-average range at his most recent re-evaluation! Now that Bryton is able to communicate like a pro, he has begun to work on speech sound development in therapy!
Progress in Feeding Therapy
In speech therapy, Miss Anna is also helping Bryton develop feeding and swallowing skills to make mealtimes safe and enjoyable.
“Due to his low muscle tone, starting solid foods was challenging,” Kamiron explained. “Eating required extra effort, and foods like meat were especially difficult because chewing would quickly tire him, often preventing him from finishing meals beyond soft foods or liquids. With the support of therapy services, he has made incredible progress through targeted strengthening that has helped improve his eating skills.”
One Victory at a Time, with a Team in Their Corner
Kamiron remembers how overwhelming the therapy process felt at first, and she recommends that parents take the process one step at a time and remember that progress does not happen all at once. She focuses on celebrating small victories, knowing they can add up in powerful ways.
“Trust the process and the team supporting your child,” she said. “Ask questions, stay involved, and give yourself grace along the way. Your child is capable of more than you may realize, and with consistency, patience, and love, incredible growth is possible. You are not alone in this journey, and the support you build around your child will make all the difference.”
As Bryton continues to work hard with his therapy team, he never allows obstacles to slow him down.
“Bryton surprises us every single day,” Kamiron said. “His determination and resilience shine through in everything he does, no matter how big or small. His strength goes far beyond the physical—his heart is full of love, and he shares it freely with everyone he meets. Bryton’s joy, perseverance, and ability to keep moving forward inspire us all. We love him beyond words and hope to one day have even a fraction of the strength he shows us every day. Watching him grow, push past limits, and embrace life with such courage is a constant reminder of just how incredible he truly is.”
Everyone at The Pediatric Place is proud of Bryton too!
Are you a pediatric physical therapist who wants to make a difference for kids like Bryton? We would love for you to join our team! Visit our website to learn more about career opportunities.
Are you a parent concerned about your child’s speech, language, or feeding development? We have immediate openings for speech therapy in both clinics and for feeding therapy in our Clinton clinic! Call us at Clinton (660-219-9176) or Knob Noster (660-219-9381) to schedule an evaluation today!
