Finding Foxes: Building Community for Kids Like Astrid

Most people, when they think of foxes, think of long, bushy-tailed creatures with vibrant red fur and a quick-witted and clever personality. But for some people, when they think of “foxes” they think of Astrid McCann, a silly, energetic, and quick-witted 6-year-old girl who loves swimming, going on adventures, and attending school at CCVI.

Astrid McCann has a neuro-developmental disease called FOXP1 Syndrome, which causes her to experience speech, language, and cognitive impairment, ADHD, emotional dysregulation, strabismus (a vision disorder in which the eyes do not properly align with each other when looking at an object) and myopia, also known as near-sightedness. Although there is a range of features amongst individuals, or “foxes”, with FOXP1 Syndrome, all “foxes” experience speech and language impairments and usually have some sort of a visual impairment; as the FOXP1 protein is critical in lens development.

Although there are only a little more than 200 cases of FOXP1 Syndrome worldwide and testing has only been available since 2013, Astrid continues to excel both in the classroom and the world.

Since coming to CCVI, Astrid has made huge strides in her speech and language, behavioral, and social skills along with her activities of daily living! Astrid’s personality is unforgettable and adds even more life within the walls of CCVI. Through the support of her teachers and therapists, she is learning her letters and can now write her name!

“They [Astrid’s teachers and therapists] give us hope every day,” says Astrid’s dad, Chris McCann.

With CCVI’s annual fundraiser Trolley Run coming up on April 28th, the McCann family decided to create Team Astrid, a Trolley Run Family Team, to both raise money for CCVI and raise awareness for FOXP1 Syndrome.

“We're convinced that if testing were more widespread, ESPECIALLY for kids with both ASD/ADHD and speech/language impairment, then many more "foxes" would be found and could receive the assistance they need.” - Chris McCann

Although most people may still think of foxes as small, furry, red-haired creatures, it’s our hope, along with the McCann family, to create and advocate for a new image of the word fox: Astrid McCann and all other individuals like her living with FOXP1 Syndrome.