About Megan
What I hear all the time from families
- You’re overreacting, he’s fine
- You’re worrying too much, he will be ok
- She isn’t that far behind her peers, let’s give her a few months and see if she catches up
- The gap isn’t that big yet, so let’s wait and see
You put your trust in your pediatrician or school, after all they are the experts. So, you hope that you are wrong and that your child will make up progress and be successful while you bury your fears and worries all the while stressing about them each night while you lay awake in bed.
I’m here to say I understand. Trust your parental instincts, they are there for a reason.
Growing up I had many challenges that placed extra stress on my parents, and particularly my mom. I wasn’t eating well, and I wasn’t gaining weight. No one could tell her why or how to fix it, just that if I didn’t get more food in my belly, I’d be pronounced failure to thrive and need a feeding tube. So, my mom, determined to help me thrive, began to force fed me to eat, creating even more stress on my body and on hers. Fast forward a few years, to constant battles getting me out the door because my socks weren’t on “just right.” My sensory battles left us both screaming and in tears. At school I got some help with reading because of my struggle with pronouncing some letters and sounds due to my oral issues. By kindergarten I had a retainer, by second grade braces and head gear and by 25 I had full blown jaw surgery with my jaw wired shut for 7 weeks. All the while my parents supporting me the best, they could with the information given to them at the time.
Now as a therapist, I help children like me who struggle with a variety of issues from eating and sensory to coordination and writing. I can relate to them on a personal level because I’ve been there myself but as an OT working in the world of insurance or school-based services, I was still left frustrated due to their reactive approach. I was tired of sitting in meetings with parents crying, asking for help for their children and not receiving it because their child wasn’t “severe enough.” I was tired of children not getting the services they needed because insurance doesn’t cover more than 20 sessions a year or because they don’t cover a specific therapy treatment.
So, I decided to make a change. My goal is to provide the type of care and support for kids and their families that I felt was lacking in our area. I wanted to create a safe environment where parents felt heard, and the therapist could determine the best form of care without the worry of reimbursement from insurance. And so, Polka Dot Kids LLC was created.
I take a comprehensive holistic approach to each child and family I work with. I want parents to understand what I’m doing in therapy and how they can carry it over at home. I’m a big believer in early intervention being key while working as a team to help kids close the gap faster so they can truly thrive and flourish not just survive.
Why polka dot kids for the name?
Great question! When I think about children, school, and teachers and the support system involved in raising children I tend to picture kindergarten teachers, and more specifically teachers wearing polka dots. Maybe my kindergarten teacher was influential and wore lots of polka dots, not sure why that is the imagery that comes to my mind but it is a strong picture I associate with.
Despite this association of polka dots with femininity, education and teachers, in the past the phrase was linked to “symbols of supernatural potency and moral uncleanliness” (Fast Company, 2015) After googling and reading this, it made the phrase stick.
Over the course of the years the perceptions toward the phrase have changed so significantly that even Minnie Mouse has them on her dress. And this is what I am striving for with this blog- to help to continue to change the perceptions, education, and quality of life of the children we help raise. And specifically those with special needs who historically have not always been treated with the highest morality and respect.
More background information
I’m a Dayton and West Chester native. I studied psychology at the University of Toledo. I went on to work as a preschool teacher at Child Time before moving to North Carolina, where I received my masters in occupational therapy from East Carolina University. Since then I have worked in the hospital outpatient setting and more recently in the local school settings. I am married with an amazing and supportive family. I love spending time with family and friends, completing projects around the house, arts and crafts, baking, and HGTV.
References
Fast Company, “The Untold History of Polka Dots (and Other Graphic Patterns)”, September 30, 2015, accessed December 17, 2022, https://www.fastcompany.com/3051593/the-untold-history-of-polka-dots-and-other-graphic-patterns