Collaborative Community – By Alnette Smith

Being a parent is not easy. There is no linear pathway to follow. It is already a hard process, so when we found out that our child was behind on his speech, we found it even harder to navigate. We were new parents, and we didn't know what to do. They don't give you a guide on what to do and expect, so we had to do our own research and see if other parents have a similar experience.

Our son wasn't like other children, he was non-verbal and gave minimal eye contact. We managed to get a referral from our pediatrician to get him evaluated for Early Intervention. We were approved and had home visiting and weekly sessions from multiple therapists. It was very overwhelming, but it was worth it. My son started receiving therapy sessions at home when he was 1.5 years old and continued receiving therapy in the school district when he turned 3. He was also diagnosed with Autism. He is now 5 and is able to communicate with us.

We are thankful to all the past and present therapists and everyone else who was willing to lend a helping hand in helping us navigate our journey. A collaborative community is so important and helpful to our children who are the future of our country.