“Jaylon’s therapists were great with him. Their overall patience stood out to me. They were always there to help give advice and answer questions.”
After he was born, Jaylon Brown and his family were recommended to start Early Intervention Program (EIP). Jaylon was born dependent on drugs due to prenatal substance exposure and as a result had several developmental problems to address. As he nears his third birthday this December, he has shown tremendous growth and is now moving on from the Children’s Specialized Hospital (CSH) Early Intervention Program (EIP).
At two months old, Jaylon was unable to expand his hands and feet so his doctor recommended that he and his family seek EIP services. He began with occupational, physical therapy and developmental intervention twice a week working hard with his therapists, who taught him skills and exercises that were specifically tailored to his interests and engaged him while assisting his development. For example, Jaylon was not hitting the developmental milestones in speech and he was unable to form his words, communicating using sounds like “mmmm mmmm” instead of asking for milk. To support his development, Jaylon’s therapist began to incorporate learning into his favorite things to play with, so when he would play with Legos for example, his therapist had him incorporate vocalizing sounds that helped him eventually form words, which led to groups of words and now he speaks very well!
“Jaylon’s therapists were great with him. Their overall patience stood out to me. They were always there to help give advice and answer questions,” noted his grandmother, Tina.
Tina recalled that when Jaylon was learning to walk, Tina and his therapists noticed he was struggling to balance himself. Jaylon’s therapist suggested that it may be ear infections which led Tina to have it checked out. It was discovered that Jaylon was getting continuous ear infections and had to have tubes placed in his ears. Advice like this is what Tina is so appreciative of.
While Jaylon began with EIP services twice a week and his progression has decreased the need for services. As he begins to wind down with EIP, his therapists have even helped Tina plan for Jaylon’s future. They helped her set Jaylon up with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for when he begins school to help Jaylon have access to any support he may need in his future. “His therapists helping to guide me in all of these things, like the Individualized Education Program, is such a blessing because I would not have known about any of it without them,” explained Tina.
Tina advises other families beginning their EIP journey to keep an open mind. “You should know that it isn’t just the therapists coming to work with your child and be done. You must work hard too. You are being taught all the exercises and how to continue the work yourself for your child to help them grow and learn,” she explained. EIP is designed to provide parents and caregivers with trainings during sessions as well as support services if needed.
“With the support of his therapists, Jaylon made steady developmental gains, and Tina was empowered with the tools and knowledge to help him succeed at home. I was always amazed at how Jaylon consistently met his goals at every review meeting, which is a testament to the dedication of Tina and his entire family, working hand in hand with the early intervention team. They truly capture the spirit of what early intervention is all about,” noted Jaclyn, the family’s service coordinator.
Children’s Specialized Hospital’s Early Intervention Program provides early identification, evaluation and intervention for children up to three years of age who have a condition that impairs or has a high predictability of impairing normal development and/or who have measurable developmental delays. EIP provides speech, occupational and physical therapies, developmental training, and support services. The program’s services are provided in a natural environment, such as the child’s home. EIP is a state-funded program and is provided at no cost to patients/families. No referral or doctor recommendation is necessary.
To schedule an evaluation, call 888-653-4463 and speak to a New Jersey state agency. Learn more about the Early Intervention Program.