Building confidence with Tayah
As a client of Holland Bloorview, Tayah learned how to communicate her needs, gained skills in physiotherapy and made lasting friendships. Today, this confident nine-year-old is ready to take on everything grade four has to offer.
Ask Tayah what she likes most about school, and she’ll reply:
“I can see my friends!”
This may seem like an ordinary response, but for Tayah’s mom, Rochelle, it’s a sign of the extraordinary care she’s received at Holland Bloorview.
Tayah’s rare genetic mutation, MYBC2, means she was born without the ability to chew, suck or swallow. She also has a speech impediment and experiences muscle tightness. Tayah has been coming to Holland Bloorview since she was a baby, for everything from the feeding clinic to physiotherapy and speech therapy.
From kindergarten to grade one, Tayah attended the Bloorview School Authority (BSA), which allowed her to take part in physical, occupational and speech therapy during school hours. This holistic, strengths-based approach to early childhood education made a world of difference for Tayah, Rochelle says.
Tayah worked hard at physiotherapy, including fun activities like riding her bike through the halls. And in speech therapy, Tayah learned how to express herself, while Rochelle learned how to help her daughter be understood.
“I remember when Tayah was younger, the frustration of not everyone understanding, whether it was a teacher, a friend, even myself at home sometimes. She would bang the table and cry,” recalls Rochelle.
Working with Tayah’s speech language pathologist, Sharon, and teachers at school, Rochelle learned tips on how to encourage Tayah to repeat herself—and as she got older, how to help her spell out words if needed.
“Now, she doesn’t stop talking!” says Rochelle. “When she's in her comfort zone or on a topic that she really likes, she's chatty and she's not worried about someone else not understanding.”
As Tayah says, one of the biggest lessons she learned in her early years at Holland Bloorview was “building my confidence.”
These days, Tayah brings that confidence to her grade four classroom in a community school. At school, she loves playing tag with her friends in the break room, listening to music and using the iPad and Chromebook.
Although Rochelle was initially nervous about Tayah graduating from the BSA, watching her daughter’s confidence grow as she develops new skills has put Rochelle at ease.
“Tayah’s more vocal and confident, and she's always been willing to try new things,” says Rochelle.
Some of those new things include learning to play the cello, completing Swim to Survive, and joining the extra curricular club, Girls Who Game. Tayah is also eager to add volleyball to her already busy schedule.
Though grade four keeps Tayah and Rochelle busier than ever, they stay connected to Holland Bloorview through ongoing care, including occupational therapy.
As an ambassador, Tayah loves representing Holland Bloorview, a place she describes as “awesome!” She takes part in photo shoots, events and Capes for Kids. This past fall, Tayah wore her red cape to the Taylor Swift concert, putting a Holland Bloorview twist on her Eras Tour outfit.
As for Rochelle, she shares their family’s story so that other parents and caregivers can find someone to relate to and give them hope for the future.
“Tayah wouldn't be so bubbly and bright and confident if it wasn't for that start that she got at Holland Bloorview.”
