Junior Blind of America

Daria's renewed smile reminds her mother that she made the right decision entrusting her daughter to Junior Blind.

Every Friday evening, like clockwork, Larisa drives to Junior Blind and picks up her thirteen-year-old daughter, Daria, from the Children's Residential Program. She has lived on Junior Blind's campus for two years.

Daria was born as part of a set of triplets and was the only one diagnosed with disabilities—10 diagnoses in all. Visually impaired, Daria has autism, intellectual disability (formerly known as mental retardation) and multiple language, motor and social delays.

"I miss Daria during the week, but I know that Junior Blind is where she is supposed to be," says Larisa. "They know how to give children with disabilities like Daria's the specialized care that they need."

Enrolling a child in a residential program is not an easy decision for parent to make and Larisa was no exception. A single parent caring for three young children and an elderly mother, she did her best to respond to Daria's unique needs for as long as she could. But, as Daria got older, her needs were beyond the scope of what Larisa could provide her.

Junior Blind's Children's Residential Program provides children like Daria, who have multiple disabilities, with a loving environment where they can receive the care and education critical to their development.

From the very beginning, Larisa knew Junior Blind was the right place for Daria.

As a young girl, Daria seemed unresponsive to her surroundings and had problems communicating, walking independently and feeding herself. Though she had been a sweet and calm child, Daria was also beginning to exhibit problematic behaviors such as biting and holding her breath.

At Junior Blind, Daria has shown significant progress. She has become more mobile and her troubling behaviors have reduced in frequency. "When Daria learned to use a spoon to feed herself, it was a huge accomplishment," says Larisa. "I was so proud."

Today, Daria also demonstrates signs of increased awareness of the world around her. She communicates preferences and dislikes, including becoming visibly elated when she listens to music or plays on the seesaw at Mattel Park.

More importantly, it is her response to being picked up on Fridays that warms her mother's heart the most. "When I come, Daria's laughing and clapping," says Larisa. "Her smile lets me know she is in wonderful hands."

For more informationabout the Children's Residential Program, please call (323) 295-4555.