Why is early intervention key to your child's success? With student assessments being sent home soon, I thought I'd take a minute and talk about therapy for children, and why when teachers make a recommendation, there is nothing to be alarmed or embarrassed about. It is not a reflection of parenting, nor does it need to be difficult to schedule because it can be done here at school.

After parents, we are children's biggest advocates, so teachers take the assessment process very seriously. If they see any delays in language development, motor development, or neurological development, they want to and should bring it to your attention. By doing their job and using their expertise, you can feel at ease that they have the best intentions at heart.

Delays in your child's development might correct on its own eventually, but at what risk? When children can't communicate or participate with their peers, they start to get excluded from play. Not because other children are being mean, they too are just learning how to navigate in a social world, so this added challenge can cause them to use exclusion as a way around the interaction. In turn, the child being excluded starts to feel bad about themself. A child's self-esteem and self-confidence can be hurt when therapy is ignored or pushed back with the hope they will just catch up eventually.

At St. George's, we have and have always had children with IEP's (Individual Education Plans). An IEP is developed for a child with a delay. The teachers, administration, and therapist(s) come together to ensure that a child's needs are being met, not just at home, but also at school. With this type of collaboration, children soar. Many whom we've recommended can spend 3-6 months in therapy and then be discharged with a new set of tools to use.

Once a child starts any type of therapy, the speed at which the gap is closed is remarkable. We've seen it over and over again. And we have great relationships with many of the therapists in Austin. You can find a list of referrals here.

Never hesitate to ask for help, you're supporting your child when you do.