There are FREE services in most states and counties. Here’s my experience as a resident of Alameda County, California:
Our kiddo around age 1, captured by my friend, Lindsay.
My child was born in 2019. Just when I felt I had the energy and wherewithal necessary to hit up local playgrounds, the pandemic closed them. We have no family on this coast and were very, very careful not to interact with others in the early days of shelter-in-place.
Could that be a large factor as to why my son was speech-delayed? Possibly. It felt off, though. When playgrounds reopened, I regularly noticed younger kids were much more verbal than my little guy.
Our pediatrician wasn’t concerned at all. After the third time I brought it up, I demanded he give me some local suggestions of speech therapists to see. I was overwhelmed.
We went to a popular Oakland-based office and quickly realized it wasn’t a good fit. It was hard enough schlepping over, climbing the tall stairs, and then the speech therapist locked the door when he kept trying to leave instead of switching up the lesson.
Thankfully, I posted a bit on Facebook when he started to say more words and had two moms I admire and respect both reach out to me about seeking help from our federally-funded regional center. It was obvious it bothered me still.
I have an adult cousin with disabilities and his mom is my favorite, most beautiful aunt. She was one who reached out and told me to seek as much help as I can. Most states have systems in place to help us ensure our kids thrive. It was super easy to reach out to the Regional Center of the East Bay, whose Facebook Page a local parent direct messaged me. We had our son assessed ASAP (via zoom) and they determined he was speech-delayed and had some other behaviors that could use observation. Soon after, we were assigned an early intervention specialist who met with us weekly. I felt so validated after months of feeling lost and a little gaslit.
My little guy having a meltdown because my friend, Maryam, came by for a family photo session in 2020.
That first meeting with Shannon, our appointed early intervention specialist? This child was DISTRESSED. He did NOT want a new person around. After a few meetings, he soon looked forward to her visits and we sometimes met at playgrounds and once even, the zoo! After months of working with her, he was about to turn 3. That’s about when the RCEB helps with transitioning to your local school district.
Our little guy at his 3rd birthday party last year sits in my lap and hi-fives his dad. Photo by the awesome Neptune.
Shannon helped us navigate the Berkeley Unified School District’s assessment protocols which I sought due to his aversion to social situations and continued disinterest in using language to communicate with others. Yo mr, all signs pointed to autism since he can read and narrate entire television programs and easily remembers song lyrics. I wouldn’t mind in the least if my kiddo was on the spectrum! My main concerns were identifying any difficulties he might have and getting the right help as soon as possible.
An occupational therapist, two special education teachers, a school psychiatrist, and a speech pathologist all met with us, sometimes together, sometimes individually, to play with and observe the kiddo.
In the end, it was unanimous amongst the team that he’s speech-delayed and socially-delayed but enrolling in school should greatly improve both. (They were right!) We also started working with a speech therapist within the school district, so it’s pretty much in our neighborhood AND he’s obsessed with his new speech teach. And it’s free. We were paying a high copay with the less ideal speech practice.
Whether your kid isn’t gaining weight or meeting milestones, there’s an easy way to get outside help. Pediatricians often assure parents that things are “fine” and it can be frustrating. Trust your parental instincts. Seek out the answers to the questions you have about your child. You are their best advocate.
It’s a great time to step into that honored role.