Success Story

Axton is a happy, funny, affectionate boy born with an exceedingly rare genetic disorder. After he was born, baby Axton spent seven months in the neonatal intensive care unit. He came home with a feeding tube because he has difficulty swallowing. He has chronic lung disease and is developmentally delayed. He cannot see in one eye, and the other is misaligned.

At age 2, Axton entered Wayfinder's Child Development Services to address his vision challenges. Because Axton doesn’t talk, Arlisha wondered how much he could see. Vilay, an experienced Wayfinder specialist, explained that without vision in one eye, Axton does not have depth perception, making it difficult for him to navigate stairs or walk from pavement to grass. He is far-sighted, so objects near him appear blurry.

Vilay taught Arlisha how to use auditory cues like tapping the wall where Axton needs to put his hand to feel his way. “Tapping has been a big help,” Arlisha says. “With the knowledge that I get from Vilay, I am more equipped to help him.”

Also, Vilay and Arlisha are teaching Axton to walk down stairs. “He has learned to turn his foot inward to feel the step,” Arlisha says. “That is very helpful since he cannot see his way, or at least not clearly.” As Axton learns to adapt to his disabilities, he is gaining confidence.

“My hopes for the future are that Axton is safe, happy and accepted. And that he reaches his full potential, whatever that may be,” says Arlisha. As for her family’s experience with our program, Arlisha declares, “There should be more Wayfinders and more Vilays. Because Wayfinder has made a difference.”