Our Family's Early Intervention Journey – By Tristan

When my daughter was young, we lived out of State, which is where she received Early Intervention for developmental concerns, including crawling, sensory sensitivities, and delayed speech. She also saw an eye specialist and had surgery on both eyes at one year old.

When we moved to Illinois when she was three, we were told she did not need intervention services. As she started school, I continued to notice concerns with sensory processing, fine motor skills, repetitive behaviors, communication, attention, and participation. Although I shared these concerns with the school, they did not initially seem concerned. She was diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) in second grade.

Now in third grade, she is finally being evaluated for an IEP (Individualized Education Program). She is significantly behind in reading, handwriting, and spelling.

As her parent, I can't help but wonder how different things might be if the Early Intervention services she received out of State had continued into preschool. Early support matters. I believe continued services could have helped address her needs earlier and may have prevented some of the challenges she is facing today.

My hope in sharing our story is to encourage other families to trust their concerns, ask questions, and advocate for the support their children need.