Within the first few hours of my son Aidan’s birth, we were told he would not lead a normal life. As I lay in my hospital bed, doctors asked to speak privately with my husband. From the hallway, I overheard him say, “I don’t know how I am going to tell her this.” Aidan had Down syndrome, a hole in his heart, and severe epilepsy called Lennox–Gastaut syndrome. We were told that his EEG showed “no light,” meaning no learning would occur, and that we should prepare for the possibility that our little boy might never walk, talk, or learn.
We spent the first few years of Aidan’s life in hospitals, trying multiple medications and consulting various doctors. When Aidan was 22 months old, a team of specialists recommended implanting a Vagus Nerve Stimulator, a pacemaker for the brain. Six months after the surgery, an EEG showed remarkable improvement—there was now light, and learning could occur.
We knew that we needed to find a school. We tried several different schools, and while they were good schools and caring teachers, nothing seemed to be the perfect fit for Aidan and his diagnosis. We were about to give up hope that we would find a school that understood Aidan.
Then, we found The Caroline School. What it lacks in size they make up for in heart! The school gives kids with neurological differences like Aidan, the chance to reach their full potential by identifying their STRENGTHS and works with them individually to address their specific needs, but at their pace. An added benefit to The Caroline School, is that Aidan can utilize the Easter Seals therapy services. He attends physical, occupational, and speech therapies within the school day, which is such a great convenience.
Aidan is now 14 years old, and the child who doctors had once said would never be able to learn, is now able to follow directions, greet and interact with his peers, use spontaneous language on his speech device to communicate his needs and wants, almost feeds himself independently, and is learning to identify his name, sights words, as well as identify shapes and colors. His growth has been tremendous. Every day Aidan moves forward! He works hard to overcome all the challenges he has been dealt with in life and he does it all with a huge smile on his face. Aidan gets out of the car each morning and hugs his teachers. He loves his teachers, and they love him. As a parent, there is such a piece of mind to drop your child at a school every day where he is happy and loved.
We are walking in the Easter Seals, Walk With Me on April 12, 2025 to help others move forward! The Easter Seals Family is a fantastic community of supportive families traveling down the same road that we are. Whatever our struggle, there is a mom or a dad that has been there and done that. Having a sympathetic ear and a trusted group of advisors is beyond measure. These families know our hopes, our fears, our worries and concerns, because they have them, too. The administration and staff support families to help our kids in their lives, in and out of school. It is a team effort, and everyone cares deeply about the progress of the children who attend the school.
So, as we walk to move forward, we are not walking alone, and we hope you will walk with us! There are 14 other Aidan’s who rely on The Caroline School to make a difference in their lives, too! We ask that you walk with us to support of our community to make sure The Caroline School continues to help these kids achieve their dreams for a long time to come!
- Kimberly, Aidan's Mom
My name is Anna Marie Carlberg and I am 24 years old. My friends and family call me Annie and that is the name I go by. I was named after my grandmother who is one of my biggest cheerleaders.
I was born with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy with Atonic seizures. I spent my first two months of life at Texas Children’s Hospital. I was not expected to survive, but I sure fooled them. I have spent my life in a wheelchair, although when I was younger, I was able to use a walker until I got taller. I remain positive through my disability and I am known for constantly smiling.
I started school in kindergarten and absolutely loved school. My favorite years were my high school years. I had so many friends and loved my teachers. I met and still have my best friend, Sydney, when she was my Best Buddy. As a senior, I was crowned Homecoming Queen for Taylor High School in Katy, Texas.
I have taught myself how to use to a computer. It is difficult at times because I can only use my index finger and thumb. I don’t let it stop me and I love listening to music and socializing with my friends and family.
I have a huge family! I have four sisters and eight brothers and yes, we were all born to the same parents. I love my family so much and words cannot express how much I appreciate the support and help I get from all of them. My oldest brother is married, I have a brother in the Air Force and another brother in college at Texas State. There are still nine of us at home so there is always plenty of company. I lost one baby sister at birth.
I have been involved with Easter Seals Greater Houston about six years now and have attended each Walk since I joined the Adult Program. It is one of my favorite activities of the year. Since I have joined the Adult Program, I have made many friends and have been afforded many opportunities to do activities and outings. Being shut down for COVID was very hard on me because I missed my friends so much. I was so happy when we started meeting again. The adults in the program have become family to me.
It is my goal to start looking into a life skill program and begin to spread my wings a little more. I have many mentors within the adult group at Easter Seals and I hope to learn much more from them. I am talking to my parents more and more about life and the fact that I need to learn skills to help me in the future. I’m sure my Easter Seals adult group will cheer me on!
Our son, Theo, was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). He had his first open-heart surgery at just 2 days old and stayed in the hospital for 8 months, during which he underwent 9 heart surgeries. During that time, Theo suffered brain trauma, leading to seizures and an epilepsy diagnosis. His motor function was also impaired, and he eventually received diagnoses of Spastic Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy and Autism.
When Theo came home, he was unable to roll over, sit up, and had no core or trunk strength. He could barely use his hands to pick up a toy or book. He was extremely orally averse due to multiple intubations and extubations, and he had some vision concerns.
We knew Theo deserved the chance to flourish and grow to the best of his ability, so when we were put in touch with Easter Seals, we were eager to begin working with them. With their help, we could afford the services Theo needed, and he began receiving Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Vision Therapy soon after we inquired. Fortunately, all care was provided at home, as Theo is also diagnosed with Lymphopenia, meaning he is immunocompromised, which helped us avoid unnecessary exposure to germs.
We have worked diligently with our therapists for the past two years, and they have transformed Theo’s life. He is truly a new person, and we can confidently say that our outstanding therapists have played a large role in this. Through countless hours of hard work from both our therapists and Theo, he began to roll over, sit up, and tolerate mouth stretches. With their help, he started to pull to stand, drink water, and pick up objects with his hands. Now, Theo can play independently, cruise around, complete fine motor tasks, and is starting to taste lots of new foods.
We were once told our son might never walk, but we are thrilled to share that Theo is consistently using a walker to move freely and has begun to take small steps on his own. These wonderful milestones have been celebrated by our amazing therapists and ECI case manager, and we could not be more grateful for their support, ideas, patience, and work with Theo.
Easter Seals Greater Houston’s ECI has been a blessing to our family, providing our son with the tools to be strong, independent, and happy. They have been a team that not only provided therapy but also brought comfort and laughter to our family. We love them all!
- Theo's parents
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