Every parent remembers the moment they first felt something wasn't quite right.
Maybe it was a missed milestone, a communication struggle, or a behavior that seemed different from that of other children. Often, parents are told to wait and see. For Jillian Pendergast, founder of Edge Therapies, that advice can delay valuable support for children who need it most.
"I would say the wait-and-see is the most harmful approach for any parent," Pendergast says. Instead, she encourages families to seek guidance from specialists who understand the specific challenges they're facing. "If they need an answer, go to that specific expert."
Pendergast's journey into pediatric therapy began in the school system, where she spent years helping children develop communication and life skills. While she loved working with students, she found herself increasingly frustrated by the amount of paperwork and red tape that often stood between therapists and the children they were trying to help. During the pandemic, she saw those challenges grow and felt called to create something different.
What started as a small private practice quickly expanded through word-of-mouth referrals from parents, schools, and daycare centers. Today, Edge Therapies employs more than 20 therapists across Florida, providing speech, occupational, and developmental therapy services in clinics, homes, and schools.
At the center of everything is a child-first approach. "Our whole mission for the kids is to be able to provide an elevated level of service that is neurodiversity affirming, child-led, and play-based," Pendergast says.
Rather than expecting children to fit into a traditional therapy model, her team meets them where they are. Therapy often looks like play, movement, and meaningful interaction because that is where many children feel most comfortable and make the greatest progress.
For parents, one of the hardest parts of the journey is recognizing progress when it doesn't come in the form of major milestones. Pendergast often reminds families that growth isn't always obvious.
"We may not necessarily see the progress, but it is happening," she says.
Those small victories can be anything from increased eye contact and improved focus to fewer emotional outbursts or greater participation in everyday activities. Over time, those seemingly minor changes can lead to significant breakthroughs.
That belief led Pendergast to introduce the Neuro Edge PBMT Intensive Program, which combines traditional speech and occupational therapy with Photobiomodulation Therapy, or PBMT. Using medical-grade red and near-infrared light therapy, the program is designed to support cellular function and help improve communication pathways within the brain.
After nearly a decade as a therapist, Pendergast says the results have been unlike anything she has experienced before.
"I have never seen progress happen so fast in my entire career," she says.
The intensive program takes place over one or two weeks and combines therapy with PBMT in a child-led environment. Families have reported improvements in communication, emotional regulation, focus, and independence.
One child who primarily communicated through an AAC device spoke the word "Mama" for the first time after participating in the program. Another child who struggled with bath time became increasingly independent until he could complete the routine on his own.
For Pendergast, these stories are exactly why she continues searching for innovative ways to help children succeed.
"I just felt like I wanted to help them and create a bigger impact," she says. After researching PBMT and speaking with clinics around the country, she became convinced it could offer families another valuable tool. "When I heard all the really amazing things, it's like we have to do this because this can really not only change the child's life but the family's life."
As Edge Therapies continues to grow, including a recent expansion into adult services, Pendergast remains focused on the families who inspired her journey in the first place.
Her message to parents is simple: "Trust your gut. You know your child best."
It's advice she has seen validated time and time again. Parents are often the first to recognize when their child needs support, and those instincts can be the first step toward meaningful progress.
To learn more about the Neuro Edge PBMT Intensive Program or Edge Therapies' full range of services, visit edgetherapiesfl.com.
"Our whole mission for the kids is to be able to provide an elevated level of service that is neurodiversity affirming, child-led, and play-based."
"We may not necessarily see the progress, but it is happening."