Thank You for Supporting Kids Like Juniper

Little Juniper was born prematurely at 26 weeks, weighing just 1 pound and 7 ounces. She was also diagnosed with hydrocephalus after birth, a condition characterized by a build-up of fluid in the brain. After reaching a weight of 2 pounds, Juniper underwent brain surgery to drain the excess fluid. Overall, she spent 82 days in the NICU before she was able to go home with her parents, Morgan and Alex.

Juniper’s premature birth and medical condition meant she was more likely to have developmental delays, and soon, Juniper’s pediatrician at Seattle Children’s referred the family to Kindering. Juniper’s parents wasted no time in getting her enrolled in Kindering’s one-on-one early support services. Within a month of being discharged from the NICU, Juniper was already participating in Kindering’s early supports — she was 4 months old at the time.

Morgan and Alex’s proactive efforts in enrolling Juniper into services early on made all the difference. 85% of brain growth happens before three years of age, a crucial period when therapies make a life-long impact.

At Kindering, Juniper receives occupational, speech, and feeding therapies. She also participates in Kindering’s Baby Steps infant play group with her mom. The Baby Steps play group, facilitated by one of Kindering’s early support providers, is a learning community that offers an opportunity for parents and caregivers to connect with other families and with children of similar ages, try new play skills, and support each other.

Feeding was a major concern for Juniper’s parents, as she struggled with the bottle when she was transitioning out of the NICU. Kindering’s therapists advocated for Juniper to get a gastronomy tube, aka g-tube, which is inserted directly into the belly so children who struggle with oral feeding can get the nutrients they need. Juniper took to the g-tube well, with her parents reporting she was noticeably happier and more comfortable. In addition to this, Juniper continued to work on her oral skills and has made significant progress with feeding. Now, at 14 months old, Juniper still sports her g-tube, but she is also able to enjoy pureed foods and even shredded meats – foods that were previously a challenge for her.

Juniper loves greeting her Kindering therapists by reaching over to say “hi” when they meet her for the at-home therapy sessions, putting to good use the motor skills that she has learned through these very same occupational therapy sessions.

In addition to providing one-on-one services, Juniper’s Kindering team also works with other members of her care team that includes her doctors and therapists, fostering a collaboration that ensures Juniper gets the holistic, high-quality care she deserves.

“We don’t remember a time without being in [Kindering] services. From teaching her how to take a bottle to working on fine motor skills,” Morgan says, recollecting Juniper’s development milestones.

Juniper is a resilient, social kid who is able to share her needs and wants with ease. Her parents have been delighted as her ability to express her full personality continues to grow, which comes out in her natural silliness and love for teasing her parents.

Alex, Juniper’s dad, says, “People should support Kindering because they don’t just support children, but also support adults to understand kids like our Juni. Kindering has made us feel as a part of the community.”

Little Juniper is continuing to make strides in her therapy sessions at Kindering. She is one of the thousands of children and families we reach each year, thanks to supporters like you. Thank you for making stories like Juniper’s, and so many others, possible!