Early Childhood Intervention
Few legislation passes where any President, let alone President Bush, gets overwhelming support from both major parties. However, just one year after President Bush first took office, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCL
passed with support from Republicans and Democrats in Congress. NCLB has led to higher standards and greater accountability throughout the Nation's school systems.
If you have only have teenagers, you may not be unaware of one of the benefits of this Act. In particular, the NCLB in part, has benefited the state of
Now, I am not admitting that I am paranoid (Although, I recently read excerpts from a book entitled “Only the Paranoid Survive” by former Chairman of the Board at Intel) but, when my second child was not rattling off words at 15 months like my oldest had, I became a little concerned. I know, I know…you say she’s just a baby and every child develops differently. I guess I just had Chris Rock’s joke in my head making fun of my culture. He appealed to his fellow African American brethren in his stand up routine a few years ago to admit we all had some cousin when we were growing up that our aunts and uncles would proclaim “Oh there’s nothing wrong with Johnnie, he's just special.” And now 20 years later Johnnie lives above the garage of your aunt’s home unable to take care of himself. I am sure you would have laughed when you heard his delivery but unfortunately it is a serious topic.
So, I began my quest to get my child tested. Remembering that a dear friend had a child that was developmentally delayed a few years ago, I called her up to seek her counsel. A few things were clear after our discussion. First, I was definitely getting my child tested. It’s a free service by the State (Well not exactly. It’s our tax dollars paying for it). Second, I secretly hoped my daughter would be eligible so she could receive the same services that helped my friend’s child come up to speed. These services included a speech therapist that came into her home at hours that were convenient for her twice a week at no charge, periodic evaluations by some of the topic specialist in the State and if she chose, a free pre-school education.
Needless to say, my selfish prayer was not answered and my child was denied into the program (because she was not more than 33% delayed). That’s a good thing…I guess. I was reassured by two of the top therapists from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (and not my third-cousin removed whose son lives above the garage…just kidding), who sat on the floor with my child in the comforts of my home and conducted a playful evaluation, that her cognitive learning skills were off the chart and although her speech was a couple months behind, this was fairly normal. So with my daughter’s primary words being Mommy and “no” I was told not to worry, was given a few great tips to help her along and advised to make an appoint in another 4 months.
If I can just give my two cents, it doesn’t hurt to inquire. Let’s be informed and share with others.
Monique Pryor
CEO
mpryor@mymenetwork.com
Great article on early intervention! I’m so glad you are raising awareness about such an important issue.
When our baby boy suddenly stopped making any sounds, wouldn’t relate to anyone around him, wouldn’t look at us in the face and wouldn’t answer to his name, we were told by well-meaning friends and relatives—including the caretakers in his day care—that boys typically speak later than girls, that he would grow out of it and even that he was probably shy and it was just his personality. Even our pediatrician told us to “wait-and-see” until his next appointment—6 months later! However well intended their many words of encouragement, I’m glad we did not remain complacent and sought a second opinion.
Our son was evaluated by the early intervention screening services in our jurisdiction and was diagnosed with a “speech delay.” He was immediately provided with speech therapy services in our home. After several months of speech therapy, our son’s minimal improvement in speech and further regression in social interaction led us to seek further advice from a developmentalist, who diagnosed our son with autism.
We have since discovered in our many hours researching our son’s condition and from personal experience that early intervention can have a profound impact on the quality of life for both autistic children and their families. Research on brain development has revealed that by age 3, most of the major brain structures are mature, and it becomes more difficult to make significant changes in a child’s growth and development. Every minute counts!
For this reason, I strongly encourage moms to learn the warning signs and listen to their instincts concerning their child’s possible developmental delays. Seek a second, even third, opinion and be proactive in getting a thorough evaluation and timely treatment for your child.
The following is an excerpt from a group that seeks to raise awareness about the first signs of autism. (www.firstsigns.org)
Social/Communication Red Flags:
If your baby shows any of these signs, please ask your pediatrician or family practitioner for an immediate evaluation:
No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six months or thereafter
No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles, or other facial expressions by nine months or thereafter
No babbling by 12 months
No back-and-forth gestures, such as pointing, showing, reaching, or waving by 12 months
No words by 16 months
No two-word meaningful phrases (without imitating or repeating) by 24 months
Any loss of speech or babbling or social skills at any age
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