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Child Inspired backgound

Meet the Child Inspired Team

Our Story

Every journey has a unique start. This was ours...

Our story is one of triumphs and challenges along an exciting and sometimes unexpected journey. To understand our evolution, let’s start from the beginning.


During the winter of 2014, Christina's son (5 years old at the time) became ill with a childhood virus that quickly and unexpectedly worsened and led to life-threatening respiratory failure. He required advanced life support for several days until his medical condition could be stabilized. Drawing on her experience as an Occupational Therapist and her intense desire to communicate to Andrew that he was improving, she called a friend and asked her to make a “visual road map." Her friend illustrated a road that connected a symbol of the hospital with a picture of their home. “Andrew's Road Home”— and later "Get Well Map"— became a valuable communication tool to keep her son and their family encouraged throughout his medical journey and recovery. Though this medical crisis was a traumatic and uncertain time for the Connors family, he was fortunate to make a full physical recovery with the help of many pediatric professionals.

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Christina Connors and her son, Andrew
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Child Inspired— inspired by this child and the desire to make a positive impact in the recoveries of other children and families touched by medical and life challenges— began to take shape as a pediatric therapy practice. Fast forward a bit to Child Inspired’s emergence from the pandemic and the growing demand for therapeutic services: Educator Mandy Ciabattoni was eagerly welcomed as co-owner of Child Inspired in April of 2022 with her own family-centered story of triumphs and challenges fueling her passion to lead a team of pediatric providers in Southern Delaware. Mandy shares a history similar to many of the families that Child Inspired serves, often traveling long distances and even out-of-state to find pediatric specialists and therapy services for her children over the course of many years residing in Southern Delaware. Christina's and Mandy’s passions as individuals (women and mothers) and professionals (therapist and educator) are the primary life roles that are both the foundation and driving force behind Child Inspired.

Meet Our Team of Family-Centered Therapy Providers & Support Staff

Christina Connors, OTR/L, co-owner and occupational therapist at Child Inspired in Southern Delaware

Christina Connors, OTR/L
Co-Owner, Occupational Therapist
Director of Clinical Services

Mandy Ciabattoni, M. Ed, co-owner and special educator at Child Inspired in Southern Delaware

Mandy Ciabattoni, M. Ed 
Co-Owner, Special Educator
Director of Practice Operations

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Lisa Mendes
Intake Coordinator

Adam Nikkel, OTR/L, occupational therapist at Child Inspired in Southern Delaware

Adam Nikkel, MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist

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Samantha Karr, MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist

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Caroline Klosowski, MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist

Tristan Engle, COTA/L, certified occupational therapy assistant at Child Inspired in Southern Delaware

Tristan Engle, COTA/L
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

Dani Robison, COTA/L, certified occupational therapy assistant at Inspired Child in Southern Delaware

Dani Robison, COTA/L
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

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Emma Cannon, COTA/L
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

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Amanda Walters, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist

Christine Stang, CCC-SLP

Christine Stang, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist

Sarah Walker, MS, CCC-SLP Speech-Language Pathologist

Sarah Walker, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

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Allison Veith, LPCMH
Mental Health Counselor

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Hope Hicken, LMSW
Licensed Social Worker

Dayna Belfiore, LMSW

Dayna Belfiore, LMSW
Licensed Social Worker

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Stephanie Shuttleworth, M.Ed
Lead Clinic Coordinator, Educator

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Samantha Hunt
Clinic Coordinator, Family Educator
Lisa Tudor and Puck

Lisa Tudor (& Puck)

Life Coach, Canine-Assisted Intervention Specialist

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Callie McDowell, MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
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Marisa Wengryn, MS, CCC-SLP
​Speech-Language Pathologist
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Jessica Peterson, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist

Our Team Has Advanced Training & Certifications In:

Speech & Feeding Therapists:

  • Feed the Peds

  • Pyramid Approach to Education

  • Picture Exchange Communication System

  • Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), including low-tech (pictures, picture exchange, core boards) and high-tech (iPad with communication app, dedicated speech device)

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Occupational Therapists:

  • MNRI (Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration)

  • Therapeutic Listening

  • Learning Without Tears

  • The Alert Program

  • Social Thinking

  • Zones of Regulation

  • Bal-A-Vis-X

  • The Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS)

Mental Health Therapists:​

  • Play Therapy

  • Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

  • Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)

  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

  • Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP)

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

  • Solutions Focused Brief Therapy

  • Wayfinder Life Coach Training

  • OCF-Accredited

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
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