entire family. It can be difficult for a neurotypical sibling to have a brother or sister who is neurodiverse because that child requires and receives more attention. However, we’ve also found that as our parents complete our Diagnostic Matrix, they may begin to recognize neurodiversities in their other children.” Lacey recalls the story of a child who was experiencing moments of extreme aggression. After discovering he was interested in Japanese anime and other cultures, his therapists developed a treatment plan that led to desired progress. “This student recently gave me a schematic of our building identifying all of the outlets that needed to be converted to 220v for European compatibility — it was amazing,” said Lacey. “He’s brilliant and he’s going to do great things. We just have to find a way to channel it. These children are so gifted, but you have to unwrap that gift. Once they feel good about themselves and that they belong, it changes the whole game.” This level of commitment to the health and wellness of her patients and families has led to a flexible mindset and outside-the-box thinking. “Our core values are flexibility and fun,” said Lacey. “Our industry is known for being clinical and rigid, so we want to bring laughter and encouragement to the serious work we do each day.” Lacey is always challenging herself by asking the question, “How can we do this better?” This frame of mind led her to design IBH like a school.
“It’s a naturalistic environment that helps our kids experience real-life settings,” said Lacey. “We recently graduated multiple learners who will be transitioning into a school environment and one of the many ways we’ve prepared them for that transition is through our building’s design.” Moving forward For the El Fehdi family, caring for Adam is a continual learning process. He is now 8 years old, and while some of his autism symptoms are mild, he struggles with a severe case of food aversion, which puts him at risk of nutrient deficiencies. Recently, the El Fehdis moved to North Carolina and say they have yet to find a place like IBH. But what they learned from IBH remains top of mind and even inspired El Fehdi to write a book to help other parents navigating an autism diagnosis for a child, called Dominate the Challenges of Autism . “At IBH you feel like your child is truly loved and wanted,” said El Fehdi. “They are so family-oriented and genuinely care. They are committed to meeting the needs of your child and your family.” For parents who suspect their child may be exhibiting signs of autism, El Fehdi encourages them to seek therapy as soon as possible. “We’re so glad we took Adam to IBH as early as we did,” said El Fehdi. “It really helped him.” Find out more about the services offered by Integrated Brain Health at ibhealth.co.
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