Luca was born with a bright light inside of him and a contagious excitement for life. He was very expressive and used gestures to communicate what he wanted or needed during the first two years of his life. When he was two and not saying any words, the pediatrician recommended a speech and hearing evaluation.
Luca began receiving speech therapy in a clinical setting, and there were varying opinions on the cause of the language delay. He worked hard during his speech sessions to make the sounds but found it difficult. When Luca turned three, his mom, an occupational therapist who had heard about the benefits of treatment using equine movement, learned about The Shea Center.
During his first session at The Shea Center, he met Annie (the horse), Angelique, his wonderful speech therapist, and Jaye, an amazing and dedicated volunteer who has been at every one of his sessions, and he immediately felt at ease. Angelique is very knowledgeable and engages Luca in an uplifting and playful manner that encourages more language during his treatments. After his third session at The Shea Center, Luca’s parents recognized a significant improvement in his sounds, and he began to say a few words. Luca’s mom says, “The Shea Center is a place of joy and hope for our family. Each week we are welcomed with smiles and warmth, and Luca loves coming here.” Speech therapy utilizing hippotherapy has improved Luca’s confidence, helped his language and coordination tremendously, and given him a place to learn and grow in a positive and relaxed environment. Luca has a toy horse named Annie that he sleeps with every night, and he looks forward to Tuesday every week.
Luca’s Dad says, “The therapists and volunteers are amazing, and we feel grateful to have found a place like The Shea Center. This place has had a significant impact on Luca’s life.” Luca continues to benefit from his speech sessions, and his language and articulation continue to improve weekly. Luca recently turned four years old and loves to feed carrots to the horses, ride on the nature trail, and make friends with the other kids during and after his speech treatment at The Shea Center.
