Professional Special Needs
Autism: Meet Ben & Occupational Therapist Bianca
The Gaughen family from Hingham, Massachusetts has three children all under the age of three. Their son Ben has been diagnosed with Autism. Professional au pair and Occupational Therapist Bianca joined their family to help provide special needs expertise and an extra set of hands. Watch their story.
Cerebral Palsy: Meet Mira & Physical Therapist Laura
Cindy and Mark, host parents from Massachusetts have two sons and a daughter, Mira, who has cerebral palsy. In addition to outside therapy and support, the family hired Laura, a professional au pair and physiotherapist from Germany, to live with the family and provide home-based support. Cindy and Mark can see that Mira adores Laura and appreciate the strong bond that has developed between them.
ADHD: Meet Griffin & Male Pediatric Nurse Benjamin
Laurel is a single mom and business owner from Andover Massachusetts. Both her sons Griffin (6yrs) and Becket (9yrs) were adopted from Ethiopia when they were just babies.
When her youngest son Griffin recently turned six years old he was diagnosed with ADHD.This was the moment Laurel decided she needed live in care with someone who has special needs training.
Autism: Meet Mikey & Occupational Therapist Anja
Luisella, a host mom from Maryland and full time lawyer, is a vocal advocate for autism education. Her son Mikey was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder when he was about a year old. Since that time, the she and her husband has hosted multiple professional au pairs, all occupational therapists. Their au pairs have provided much needed support, not only for Mikey, but also for his older sister Ellie.
Special Needs: Meet Kai & Occupational Therapist Lydia
Claudia, a host mom from Texas, has a four-year-old son, Kai, who has tuberous sclerosis. In addition to developmental delays, Kai occasionally has seizures, so the family wanted to find a caregiver who could help Kai with his condition. After Kai’s diagnosis, his family switched from a traditional au pair to a professional au pair. Their professional au pair, Lydia, has experience working with children with special needs and recently finished her training as an occupational therapist.
Severe Special Needs: Meet Trevor & Occupational Therapist Sandra
Holly, a business owner and host mom from San Francisco, California, has three children, including ten-year-old Trevor, who is undiagnosed and has been losing many of the skills and abilities he once had. The family’s au pair, Sandra, a German occupational therapist, works closely with the family to support Trevor and his two younger siblings. The family appreciates Sandra’s specialized training and the benefits of having another adult in the house.
Severe Special Needs: Meet Bella & Occupational Therapist Johanna
“Johanna has a huge heart and a passion for dealing with special needs kids and a passion for children in general,” said Bill, a host father from Maryland who has an eight-year-old daughter named Bella who has global developmental delays that are undiagnosed. Johanna, the family’s au pair and an occupational therapist from Germany, has made a huge difference in Bella’s life and the life of the whole family.
Severe Special Needs: Meet Devon & Occupational Therapist Nicole
Amy and Bill Massey from Massachusetts have three children including 11 year-old Devon, who has who has a chromosomal abnormality that affects his development. See how their professional au pair, Occupational Therapist Nicole is having a huge impact on Devon's progress.
Professional Infant & Toddler Care
Infant Care: Meet Christopher & Pediatric Nurse Kristina
“It’s very hard if one of us is traveling and the other one is working. But, having a professional au pair allows us to have somebody be the glue, so there is always somebody home,” said Kevin, a host dad from Columbus, Maryland who hired Christina, a pediatric nurse and live-in nanny from Germany to care for his two children, ages one and five.
Toddler Care: Meet Eric & Pre-school Teacher Ina
Three year-old Eric is a smart, curious little boy who loves to explore. Eric’s au pair, Ina, an educator and pre-school and kindergarten teacher from Germany, frequently takes Eric to the museum and to other cultural outings. Host mom Nada appreciates Ina’s understanding of Eric’s developmental milestones and the reliable support she provides to the family for now almost two years.
Infant Care: Meet Uli's Family & Pediatric Nurse Alex
"I really needed someone who loves babies!” said host mom Uli, who runs her own business out of her home in Connecticut and has two children under the age of two years old. Uli and her husband found peace of mind with Alex, a pediatric nurse from Germany.
