"The Child development clinic SALT team"

My husband and I have been recently attending the Downe Child development clinic with my daughter.

We have been blown away by the level of dedication and commitment to delivering compassionate, patient centred care by the team. The entire CDC team have been amazing.

We had a wonderful experience at a recent MDT including a consultant paediatrician, a SALT, OT and health visitor. We were made to feel comfortable, supported and listened to. Our daughter who would often struggle in these structured environments was made to feel at home and communicated to. They worked with her, focusing on play that she enjoyed and were able to really teach both her and our family so much during our sessions.

In particular, we’d like to mention Katie, our speech and language therapist, appointed to us by the CDC. She has truly went above and beyond with our daughter. We have felt for the first time, that we have a continual link and person within the NHS, which can often feel so daunting and fragmented/faceless.

Katie has gotten to know our daughter and learnt her preferences, interests and challenges. Katie has gotten down to her level, working with her and making our daughter the focus of the session and not just talking to us. We have appreciated this so much, more than we can explain in words.

Katie has also focused on what our daughter can do, rather the aspects that she can’t or struggles with. She has been crucial in our recent journey and has already given us so many key, relevant resources to work through advice for us to implement at home.

We just want to say a huge thank you to Katie for her time, dedication and care she has given to our daughter and our family. We are so grateful. Also, to thank the CDC as a whole, it is truly a wonderful service, and one we feel very lucky to have been able to avail of.

Thank you