By Olivia Minnier

A young Galena resident has been making large strides with her communication.

Mikayla Phillipp, a three-year-old resident of Galena, has made tremendous strides in the past several years since she began receiving services from DCBDD. Mikayla started in DCBDD’s Early Intervention program at 18 months old.

Since that time, her mother, Courtney Phillipp, said that she is now able to communicate using multiple words and utilizes a communication board.

“She has learned how to say certain things that she needs, but she has also learned from the device. It’s helping increase her vocabulary,” Courtney said.

Mikayla’s increased communication skills have been a huge help around the home because she can better express her needs.

“There are times when she is upset and not able to communicate verbally but can still use the communication device,” she said.

Mollie Driscoll, a Service and Support Administrator at DCBDD, has been working with Mikayla since May and said her favorite part about working with the family has been seeing how involved her parents have been.

“They have worked to provide her with opportunities and create a supportive community around her. It has been a joy to watch Mikayla thrive because of their efforts,” she said.

Mollie said that in 2024, DCBDD helped Mikayla’s family with funding for specialized classes in the community to help meet Mikayla’s sensory needs.

Courtney said the resources Mikayla has gotten access to, including the communication board, have helped her be a better parent.

“It’s definitely helped me be a little bit more patient. Now that we are potty training, I don’t have a lot of patience, but overall… it’s definitely helped me be a more engaged parent. I spend a lot of time looking for resources and opportunities for her, and just things she might need.”

Courtney said witnessing her daughter’s progress has given her hope.

“I feel very optimistic seeing the progress that she has made. When she was first evaluated for her autism back in January, her average functioning was at 10 to 11 months old in some areas. We’ve seen a great amount of increase in that time. Even in the last couple of weeks, she has started using more two-word sentences [and] saying ‘no.’ So now I can ask her a question and she reliably says ‘no’ if she doesn’t want something,” she said.

Going forward, Courtney said that the family plans to continue to seek out opportunities for Mikayla and keep her in some of the specialized classes she enjoys as she transitions to the Family Support Services program with DCBDD.

Courtney sent Mollie a video compilation highlighting Mikayla’s progress for the year which filled her with joy to watch.

“I loved watching videos of her figuring things out and sticking with it, even when she faced challenges. She is such a cool kid,” she said.