The Britain Center is about development . . .
helping children reach their full potential.
When told that "your child is not walk-ing or talking due to developmental delays," we were frightened and unsure of the road ahead for our 18 month old daughter, Kelly Nicole. With our pediatrician's help we sought answers and action. After extensive testing at other facilities, we heard of the Lee Ann Britain Infant Development Center at Shawnee Mission Medical Center, and made an appointment to tour the facility. From that moment we felt at home.
The Britain Center evaluated Kelly Nicole and told us she was developmentally delayed in speech and gross motor skills. They suggested an aggressive course of action, which included the entire family and multiple therapy sessions each week. We worked with two therapists, one for physical therapy and one for speech therapy. Within 8 months our physical therapist was able to catch Kelly Nicole up to her age appropriate level and release her from the physical therapy. Speech therapy was the area, however, in which Kelly Nicole was struggling the most. She had never been able to communicate with us verbally. We soon found out she was receiving information at a normal degree of understanding for her age, but was unable to respond. This made her very frustrated. Our speech therapist was never discouraged. She trudged ahead even when we could detect no apparent gains. But after several months, one day Kelly Nicole said "Dad," and then "Mom," then "I want milk." Then the floodgates opened and she began communicating.
After one year of therapy, her progress is remarkable. In 12 months she has made 18 months of progress, but much work lies ahead. With the Britain Center's approach of incorporating family and child together in the treatment and education process, we are confident that Kelly Nicole will achieve her greatest potential.
The staff at Britain Center is like family to us. On Kelly Nicole's third birthday she received a doll, which she named after her speech therapist. What is remarkable is that on her second birthday she also received a doll, but was unable to speak, and therefore unable to name her at all. The Britain Center is more than a development center for children. It is a place which offers hope for those who need it most. Miracles happen on a daily basis. The Center requires a real commitment from parents and families, but what they offer in return is priceless.
No child is ever turned away because of their parents inability to pay. Charitable gifts play a major role in making this possible. This year the "Tiny Tim Holiday Fantasy" was the Center's most successful special event, raising over $340,000. Even in these financially challenging times, the Britain Center succeeds due to the remarkable work being done there. The Center is a hidden gem, but one that shines brightly, especially to our family. It makes this city a better place to live, and who could ask for more?
-a Britain Center parent
The Lee Ann Britain Infant Development Center is an outreach program of Shawnee Mission Medical Center, touching the lives of over 4,000 challenged children in its 30 year history. The Center is dedicated to serving children with developmental disabilities from birth to six years of age. Individualized programs are shaped for each child and family by a team of physical, occupational, and speech therapists, a developmental pediatrician, early childhood special education teachers and a music therapist. Children of the Britain Center are challenged by a wide range of developmental disabilities including Down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, autism and others. A scholarship fund has been established by the Foundation for Shawnee Mission Medical Center to assist families in the education and therapy of their special children.