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Special needs kids find hope at at Baby Power
Everett Herald
By Kristi O"Harran
August 24, 2009
Snohomish County is dotted with organizations, medical professionals, support groups, teachers, therapists and clubs that aim to help children with special needs.
Whether it's a highly publicized agency or a heartwarming group that offers a monthly dance for the disabled, all serve their clients.
In a small corner of an Everett strip mall, Becky Blake works with children with autism and challenging neurological conditions, aiming to improve their lives.
She has supporters who believe her methods are working for their children.
Baby Power Super Kids, 607 SE Everett Mall Way, is a learning place for all children, but Blake's focus is on children with special needs.
Autism is a complex developmental disability, according to the Autism Society of America, that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects the ability to communicate and interact with others. Autism is a “spectrum disorder” that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees.
Blake has a bachelor's degree in human services and an associate degree in special education. She became a certified screener and intern through the HANDLE (Holistic Approach to Neurodevelopment and Learning Efficiencies) Institute in Seattle.
Blake applied techniques in her own home with her son who has Asperger's syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism, and said HANDLE ideas were successful with her child.
Through the HANDLE Institute, she learned about the brain, learning, nutrition, organized movement and parenting. She has a child who is bipolar, and her daughter has sensory issues.
She helped her three children achieve all they could, Blake said. She shares what she learned with anyone who will listen.
Blake plans to speak about her program at 7 tonight at ARC of Snohomish County, 2500 Hewitt Ave., Suite 300, in Everett. For more information about her Everett program, call 425-493-5303.
Lisa Nielsen, who lives in Stanwood, met Blake at ARC a year ago.
“I knew when the meeting ran over an hour past the scheduled time she would be able to help my daughter,” Nielsen said. “I have a daughter with bipolar, autism and anxiety and have been through many different therapies and treatments that have not produced near the results that have transpired since working with Becky.”
Mariah, 7, spent two hours a week with Blake, plus summer camp.
“I have noticed Mariah is much more aware of her body and tells me when she needs help,” Nielsen said. “We have learned a lot about how Mariah perceives the world and what can help her. The relationship Becky has with the kids is amazing.”
Eloise Reinders of Everett said her son was diagnosed with autism. He began Blake's program in December when he was 4. He was also in a pre-kindergarten program through a school district, but Reinders wanted more, she said.
“Becky was a shocking answer to prayer,” Reinders said. “We immediately saw results when we put him in her program in increased speech, increased social interaction. And the most clear was his ability to bring his focus in so well that he learned to navigate his bike. The bike was pivotal for us because his right and left brain were finally working together, as we saw in his steering skills, something he had none of prior to Baby Power.”
The Reinders family wanted to give their son as much help as possible in his early, most impressionable years, she said.
“The environment Becky provides is well thought out. Her style and curriculum makes the children want to learn, to heal and take care of themselves. She is an educator for not only the kids but the parents that care for them.”
Blake gives Serena Roycroft hope for Roycroft's son, Alex, who is 5. The Lynnwood family used to say Alex was nonverbal.
Now they say the youngster has limited language.
“After the first four days of going to Becky's program, he said four new words,” Roycroft said. “Amazing. He has started looking me in the eye and saying three- and four-word sentences to get his needs met. This might not seem like a huge thing to most people, but this is coming from a child who would scream the house down all day long, and now he is actually talking.”
Blake understands parents, Reinders said, and makes sure they are all on the same treatment team.
Blake, who calls herself a neurodevelopmental educator, said through 20 years of study, she has learned techniques for issues that cause delays and dysfunctions. She will soon share her techniques on a Web site, and she is writing books.
“I have information to share and I love to share,” she said. “I love to speak at PTAs, schools and classrooms where I can share great information in order to help more families.”
Kristi O'Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com
Hear her tonight
Everett Herald
By Kristi O"Harran
August 24, 2009
Snohomish County is dotted with organizations, medical professionals, support groups, teachers, therapists and clubs that aim to help children with special needs.
Whether it's a highly publicized agency or a heartwarming group that offers a monthly dance for the disabled, all serve their clients.
In a small corner of an Everett strip mall, Becky Blake works with children with autism and challenging neurological conditions, aiming to improve their lives.
She has supporters who believe her methods are working for their children.
Baby Power Super Kids, 607 SE Everett Mall Way, is a learning place for all children, but Blake's focus is on children with special needs.
Autism is a complex developmental disability, according to the Autism Society of America, that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects the ability to communicate and interact with others. Autism is a “spectrum disorder” that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees.
Blake has a bachelor's degree in human services and an associate degree in special education. She became a certified screener and intern through the HANDLE (Holistic Approach to Neurodevelopment and Learning Efficiencies) Institute in Seattle.
Blake applied techniques in her own home with her son who has Asperger's syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism, and said HANDLE ideas were successful with her child.
Through the HANDLE Institute, she learned about the brain, learning, nutrition, organized movement and parenting. She has a child who is bipolar, and her daughter has sensory issues.
She helped her three children achieve all they could, Blake said. She shares what she learned with anyone who will listen.
Blake plans to speak about her program at 7 tonight at ARC of Snohomish County, 2500 Hewitt Ave., Suite 300, in Everett. For more information about her Everett program, call 425-493-5303.
Lisa Nielsen, who lives in Stanwood, met Blake at ARC a year ago.
“I knew when the meeting ran over an hour past the scheduled time she would be able to help my daughter,” Nielsen said. “I have a daughter with bipolar, autism and anxiety and have been through many different therapies and treatments that have not produced near the results that have transpired since working with Becky.”
Mariah, 7, spent two hours a week with Blake, plus summer camp.
“I have noticed Mariah is much more aware of her body and tells me when she needs help,” Nielsen said. “We have learned a lot about how Mariah perceives the world and what can help her. The relationship Becky has with the kids is amazing.”
Eloise Reinders of Everett said her son was diagnosed with autism. He began Blake's program in December when he was 4. He was also in a pre-kindergarten program through a school district, but Reinders wanted more, she said.
“Becky was a shocking answer to prayer,” Reinders said. “We immediately saw results when we put him in her program in increased speech, increased social interaction. And the most clear was his ability to bring his focus in so well that he learned to navigate his bike. The bike was pivotal for us because his right and left brain were finally working together, as we saw in his steering skills, something he had none of prior to Baby Power.”
The Reinders family wanted to give their son as much help as possible in his early, most impressionable years, she said.
“The environment Becky provides is well thought out. Her style and curriculum makes the children want to learn, to heal and take care of themselves. She is an educator for not only the kids but the parents that care for them.”
Blake gives Serena Roycroft hope for Roycroft's son, Alex, who is 5. The Lynnwood family used to say Alex was nonverbal.
Now they say the youngster has limited language.
“After the first four days of going to Becky's program, he said four new words,” Roycroft said. “Amazing. He has started looking me in the eye and saying three- and four-word sentences to get his needs met. This might not seem like a huge thing to most people, but this is coming from a child who would scream the house down all day long, and now he is actually talking.”
Blake understands parents, Reinders said, and makes sure they are all on the same treatment team.
Blake, who calls herself a neurodevelopmental educator, said through 20 years of study, she has learned techniques for issues that cause delays and dysfunctions. She will soon share her techniques on a Web site, and she is writing books.
“I have information to share and I love to share,” she said. “I love to speak at PTAs, schools and classrooms where I can share great information in order to help more families.”
Kristi O'Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com
Hear her tonight
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