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www.FredericksburgParent.NET 27 Sponsored Material WHAT CAN I EXPECT WHEN I CALL EARLY INTERVENTION? A Service Coordinator will contact you and learn more about your child's history and your concerns. We'll schedule an as- sessment with two of our providers, represen ng two diff erent therapeu c disciplines. Our assessments typically take two hours. They are comprehensive, mul -disciplinary assessments that cover social-emo onal growth, cogni ve development, language, fi ne and gross motor skills, sensory func oning and self-help skills. We also do a vision and hearing screening. We have recently begun including the Modifi ed Checklist for Au sm in our assessments for most children ages 16 to 30 months. While we do not diagnose au sm, this does help iden- fy signs that could warrant further diagnos c work with a specialist. Most of our assessment is a team approach, includ- ing the parent, observing and engaging the child in play me and ac vi es of daily living. We then work with the parent to develop a plan for what to do next. Our services are parent- led, not clinician-led, and we want to work on the areas that are priori es for our families. I cannot say enough about the wonderful services I have received with our Early Inter- vention experience. From the moment we began our services, we've been showered with knowledge to guide our daughter toward her goals in a man- ner that is personable and helpful. Our daughter is treated as a person and the services are geared toward her develop- ment beyond her delays. Our Speech Pathologist, Jaime, is truly amazing and with her impeccable knowledge has helped our daughter reach and surpass her goals. We are exceptionally pleased with the services we have received. - Toni Jones, parent I have been doing this work for 20 years, and the joy of working with children at this exciting stage of their lives never gets old. I get to watch parents go from being uncertain, and sometimes fearful, about what is going on with their child, to becoming the best advocates for their children. When I arrive at a home, many parents will say, "Here comes the teacher," but that's not really true. The teacher has always been there—it's the parent. Our job is to help parents unlock those powers that they already have to impact their child's growth. We are only with families for a brief period of time— it's the parents who continue this work with their children when we aren't there. They help their chil- dren blossom. As I share strategies and activities, I watch them grow into brilliant, amazing therapists. I enjoy working with families from so many di er- ent cultural backgrounds, with di erent languages, religions and family styles, in the comfort of their homes. For children, especially young babies, home is the most natural place for them to be, and it's also where the families feel the most comfortable. It's such an amazing opportunity to get to work one-on-one with them in the home setting. " " In the words of a provider... Jaime Biagi, Speech Language Therapist WHAT MAKES PE-ID'S SERVICES EFFECTIVE? We start from the belief that parents are their children's best coaches and advocates. We make it a priority to empower parents. Parents and children are in the comfort of their own homes when they work with us. This allows us to use tools and toys that are already available and develop strategies that are easy to implement throughout a typi- cal day. The goal is for these strategies to be done during everyday ac vi es such as meals, play me, and ge ng ready for bed. The transdisciplinary approach we take is also unique. In a tradi onal approach, a parent might have to take a child to separate appoint- ments with a speech language pathologist, physical therapist and an occupa onal therapist to get comprehensive treatment. All of our providers are cross-trained in mul ple disciplines, meaning we can o en help parents accomplish their goals with far fewer providers and visits—and all in the comfort of home. To learn more, call 540-372-3561 or visit Rappahannockareacsb.org. ...our services are parent-led...