Meet The Newell Family-Kala, Robbie and Jax

By Paul Hathcoat

Our kids can bring the best out of us and for Kala and Robbie, their son, Jax, has done just that. At just 18 months of age, Jax was diagnosed with SPD (sensory processing disorder) after they noticed that he was having issues with textures and had become averse to water. This diagnosis has led to a string of other diagnoses that Jax and Kala have been successfully navigating these last six and a half years later. Meet Jax, Kala, and Robbie.

Kala is currently a student in the master’s program for psychology with a concentration in forensic psychology at Purdue University. Her undergrad in Psychology for ABA has prepared her well for the challenges of raising a child with disabilities. Jax was diagnosed with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) at age 2. Kala began the journey like most parents raising a child with a disability, by seeking the best and most appropriate therapies, placements, and educational settings for her son.

One of those places that has been a blessing to Jax’s life is K1ds Count Therapy in Brownsburg, IN. Kala says, “when receiving our intake at K1ds Count, we discovered Jax could read!” He was shortly thereafter diagnosed with speech apraxia. This condition is when children have difficulties making accurate movements when speaking. The K1ds Count team and support though, has interceded for the Newell family and after adding a LAMP (Language Acquisition through Motor Planning) device, Jax has progressed to the point that he is now able to speak in “intelligible and non-intelligible sentences” and communicate. Kala is quick to thank these advanced therapies and service centers for interceding in the life of her son and giving them the ability to communicate and continue to develop, together.

Like so many of us who are or have raised young ones, Kala and Robbie have had to stay on their toes with Jax at times. After telling us that Jax “used to elope” and would run across, on, and around main roads and intersections... He has even had the chance to meet the local police force while running down a main town road before. Jax has been known to visit different neighbors and even different neighborhoods which is why Kala invested in Project Lifesaver where Jax is now “registered in three counties.” For those that might be unfamiliar with this program, Project Lifesaver outfits individuals with a small transmitter on the wrist or ankle that emits an individualized frequency signal and notifies caregivers and agency authorities when they are on a walkabout. This program and technology have the potential to bring safety and peace of mind to families and loved ones of those who are at times, unpredictable in their wanderings.

Overall, Kala, Robbie, and Jax have adapted well to his disabilities she reports. They spend their summers swimming with Jax’s mamaw and papaw, Mimi, and Aunt Coco and weekends on the farm with his Grandma and Grandpa. Jax loves Burger King, but only because Jax has a “limited food preference” list. They listen to the Trolls soundtrack and even a little Queen, Beatles, or Elton John, depending on their vibe that day. They are persevering together, surrounded by quality therapies and therapists, advocates, and case managers. Kala has also turned her experiences into benefits for other children out there by recently working with other kiddos with Developmental needs who are preparing for kindergarten. Kala would like to leave our readers with this message that she has learned through her own experience; “Self-help for mental health is just a must-have. Coming from a psych student, I am not one to attend therapy sessions, per se, but having a non-biased party to help work through any problems I am having, or even just listen, is so helpful.”

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