ATTENTION MOMS!

(Article published in HWW May 2007)

by Jean McAllister Brooks

One out of every 150 toddlers will become sick with autism this year. Even more kids will be disabled by other developmental problems. It may be your friend’s child, your sister’s child, or your own.

But here are two pieces of good news:

1. (1)Babies and toddlers with delays can benefit from early intervention by therapists, and
   

2. (2)the law in New York State requires cities and towns to offer FREE early intervention services to children between birth and three years old!
   

If you think that your baby is behind other babies his age, or that your toddler has started to lose the skills he had, get help from these programs now.

How do you know if your child is delayed?

The organization First Signs offers this list of normal developmental milestones to look for in your baby or toddler:

1. •By six months old, he gives you big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions.
   

2. •By nine months old, he goes back and forth with you with smiles, sounds, or facial expressions.
   

3. •By one year old he:
   

4.   – Makes babbling sounds and
   

5.   – Shows you what is on his mind by using gestures, such as pointing, showing, giving, reaching, or waving
   

6. •By sixteen months, he uses some single words for people or things
   

7. •By two years: He speaks in two-word phrases that are meaningful and original (not just imitation, echoing, or repeating)
   

Notice that a normally developing child does not just speak words: He speaks words in order to communicate with other people. Repeating songs or TV shows does not count.

If your baby does not develop one of these skills, or if he develops the skill and then loses it, there is something going wrong.

What do you do first?

Get in touch with the Early Intervention office in the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. By law, children between birth and 3 are entitled to free screenings and appropriate services. Tell them that you have reason to believe your child has a developmental delay and you would like to know how to arrange an evaluation. You can reach them by phone two ways:

1. (1)Call their toll free number 1-800-577-2229
   

2. (2)Call 311 and ask to be connected to the Early Intervention office in the borough in which you live.
   

You can also give your permission to someone else (such as your shelter director, case worker, friends or mom) to make this call for you.

If your child is between 3 and 5, and you want information about free screenings and services, call the Early Childhood Direction Center at (212) 746-6175.

Do not wait.

Do not hesitate to call even if you are unsure if the problem is serious, or if other people advise you to relax, stop worrying, or to "wait and see." Do not hesitate even if a doctor advises you to wait. Medical doctors do not have the education and training to assess developmental disabilities. It is simply not their job. You don’t need to know for certain that your child is sick to make this call! All you need to know is that your child is behind.

I am the mom of a boy with severe autism. I do not want you to make the same mistakes I did. I didn’t recognize the first signs. When I saw something was wrong I waited to get help. Take it from me, and all the other parents of cognitively disabled children: Do not wait. Trust yourself. If you think your child has a problem, then you can be sure he does. It may only be a very small problem, but don’t wait to find out. Get help today.