Watching a child with delays is very heartbreaking on a parent. We never consider how detrimental speaking is at the proper age, until a child simply cannot do so. Being unable to communicate, especially as a child is developing, growing, and understanding more, leaves room for other behavioral issues to develop.
Out of frustration, a child may start to lash out, throwing toys or objects, hitting others, and throwing uncontrollable temper tantrums. While our hearts do break, we cannot help but become frustrated ourselves.
Early Intervention is the best avenue for seeking help for your child who may be delayed. All services are free, as they are offered through the County’s Early Intervention Program. But – for how long? What exactly are the rules here? Upon reaching out to Early Intervention, your child will be evaluated allowing for the county to determine if your child’s delays entitle him or her to services. Once approval is granted, the parent is assigned a coordinator. From this point forward, your coordinator will assist you in finding the proper provider, given what your child was approved for. For example, if your child was approved for speech and a special education teacher, your coordinator will assist you in setting up a schedule with each provider.
However, there is an area that many parents can find themselves getting frustrated with. Upon being assigned a coordinator, you are advised to register your child with your school district. This is done immediately for a reason. The day before your child turns 3, services are no longer offered through the county.
The child must be transitioned into CPSE, Committee on Pre-school Special Education, prior to the child turning 3. In fact, the process for your child to transition into CPSE must occur at least two months before your child turns 3 to leave room for more evaluations and meetings, or there will be a lapse in coverage.
“It’s so discouraging when you see a lapse in coverage,” said a Special Ed Teacher working in the EI and CPSE programs. “We work one on one with these children for months, and if they continue to need services, having a lapse can cause them to regress. Then, when coverage picks up again, a lot of times we find ourselves having to go back. You don’t want to see a kid go through that.”
As parents, we take on so much when it comes to our children and strive to give them anything that will help them, especially when it comes to something like this. At one point, going through the EI process is foreign to parents who find themselves needing services for their child — and there obviously is no way anyone in this process cares for our children the way we do.
That is why it is encouraged to keep asking questions, keep making appointments, efforts for follow-ups, and don’t be afraid to fight for what your child needs. After all, we are their advocates; we are the ones with the voices.
