As a preschool teacher, I’ve referred parents to various services available for young children with developmental delays or disabilities. As a parent, I myself was referred to such services because of my son’s severe speech impediment.
Through the years I’ve realized that many parents are completely unaware these services exist! Not only do they exist, but they are high quality and often received for free or at a reduced cost.
No parent is eager to admit their child could have a developmental delay or disability of some kind. I’ve seen my fellow teachers’ concerns over children brushed aside with excuses like “she’s just shy…” (in regard to a 2 year old with no language ability.) I know I felt confused about my son’s speech abilities. I wasn’t sure if his delays were normal or if he indeed had a problem that needed treatment.
The best thing we can do as parents is face developmental concerns head-on, fully evaluate them, and if necessary, get our children the intervening help they need as soon as possible.
So if your “Mother’s Intuition” or a childcare provider brings up concerns about your child’s development, here are some resources that can help evaluate whether treatment is advisable, and what the next steps should be.
ECI (Early Childhood Intervention) is a statewide program for children age birth-36 months. ECI provides free evaluations and assessments to determine a need for services. (Examples of eligible conditions are: medical diagnoses that could result in developmental delays, auditory or visual impairments, or delays in cognitive, communicative, social-emotional, and gross and fine motor skills.)
Services are provided by local agencies, and payment is determined using a sliding fee scale. No child is turned away because of a family’s inability to pay. What I love about ECI is that they come to you! Therapies and treatments take place in the child’s home, daycare, or preschool setting. Find out more about ECI and how to refer a child for evaluation at http://www.dars.state.tx.us/ecis/referral.shtml
School Districts are required by law to identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities and provide free special education services for children age 3-21 by “Child Find” which is part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act. Children attending home school or private school within the district’s boundaries also qualify for services.
Two of the services I am most familiar with are speech therapy and PPCD (Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities.) If children are under the age of 3, the school district refers them to ECI. Contact the Special Education department of your local school district to refer a child and inquire about the evaluation process.
My son was evaluated by speech specialists through our local school district at age 3 and did not qualify for services. I was so glad I had him evaluated because it put my mind more at ease and answered some of my concerns about his speech. He did grow out of all his articulation troubles over the next several years and does well in school. Some of my past preschool students did qualify for speech services and received extremely helpful therapy through district programs.
The most important thing to remember is that the earlier a developmental delay is assessed and treated, the better the prognosis for overcoming it! Don’t let fear or denial prevent you from seeking an evaluation. We can be our children’s advocate and get them the care and treatment they need to have the most successful start in life.
I would add that even though it is scary, I encourage you to get assessed as soon as possible if you, a family member, a pediatrician, anyone tells you they have a concern with your child’s development. these are great places to start because most children can be properly identified this way. I do neurodevelopmental assessments for children whose cases are more complicated, but we can often have long wait lists. so while you wait, getting screened through one of these avenues is highly encouraged. good luck momma, I hope you feel supported and encouraged by these comments!