Teagan is a 13-year-old social butterfly who thrives in being busy, making new friends, and getting to know people well. She loves spending time with her parents, Kara and Gregory, her sister, Logan, and can often be found keeping up with current events, particularly about local news and politics. Teagan is also diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, high-anxiety, and sensory processing disorder (SPD). Her diagnoses affect every aspect of her life, including loss of sleep, difficulty fitting in with peers, and an inability to participate in local events and gatherings. Teagan is humorous, outgoing, and energetic but also needs to have a sense of belonging. Her neurodivergence makes understanding herself and navigating how she fits in the world and with people around her challenging.
Teagan has been a Grandview Kids client since the age of 3. She started off with not knowing her name, making eye contact, or sleeping, and she lacked concentration, communication skills (non-verbal until age 7), flapped her hands, and was a flight risk. Though she still faces many of these difficulties, 10 years of services at Grandview Kids through ABA therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech therapy, and being able to participate in social programs has helped her and her family immensely. All these supports have “improved family life by eliminating a fair amount of stress, worries, and confusion,” says her mom. “We found guidance, hope, and optimism that allowed us to see the potential and create a sense of pride.”
Once entering her preteen years, Teagan and her mom felt that there was a lack of programs catered for teens. She was eager to find a group of peers that could relate to her and build new friendships. Beyond the Walls filled that void while teaching her valuable life skills. Teagan has participated in two Beyond the Walls modules, ‘Mental Health and Wellness’ and ‘Friendships in Leisure.’ She loved attending the weekly sessions where she made new friends, gained confidence, greater self-esteem, and communication skills.
In hopes of promoting programs for teens, Teagan recently joined Grandview Kid’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) to help increase enrollment in Beyond the Walls by sharing her positive experience. She has even started passing knowledge she has gained to younger kids, like her sister who also has autism, to help them grow. Her mom notes the importance of having more of these programs available. “They help teens on the spectrum feel comfortable in public settings with their peers. It helps them realize that others like them have the same struggles and challenges but being with others also helps them overcome these challenges.”
